Water is our most valuable resource for survival, yet most people living on the grid don’t spare it a single thought, just expecting unlimited fresh and pure water to come whenever they turn the tap.
For those of us on well water, we know it isn’t that easy.
And while well water is reliable, abundant, and can provide a ‘modern’ plumbing solution, but it isn’t always the softest or purest option out there.
Enter the well water filtration system, a whole-house option that automatically filters the water coming from your well before it enters your house.
With the right filtration system, you can get everything you get from city water and better–enough water for the whole house, delicious filtered water, fantastic showers with great water pressure, and minimal maintenance–all without a water bill!
I checked out some of the most highly rated well filtration systems on the market to find the best options to meet your specific needs.
Best Well Water Filtration Systems 2024
For those who want a quick overview, below is our comparison table:
- Aquasana 500,000 Gallon Well Water Rhino (Best Overall Option)
- Springwell Whole House Well Water Filtration System (Best Iron and Manganese Well Filtration System)
- Pelican Iron & Manganese Well Water Filter WF-4/WF-8 (Best User Experience)
- iSpring WGB32B 3-Stage Well Water Filter (Best Value-Priced Well Water Filter)
At the bottom of the article, I dive into specific things like the importance of testing your well water first, what to look for when choosing a well water filtration system, and more.
So let’s get started.
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What We Looked for in a Great Well Water Filtration System
The best well water filtration system is very dependent on the quality of your water. Different systems have different focuses, with the vast majority specializing in removing dissolved solids such as calcium, lime, heavy metals, and possible chemical contaminants.
There are a few key factors that everyone should look for, though. The most important were flow rate, filter lifespan, ease of installation, and ease of maintenance.
Flow rate is the number one factor that determines how effectively your filter will work. Low flow rate filters will significantly impact your home’s water pressure. Filter lifespan, installation, and maintenance are all closely related.
The very best well filters can be installed DIY with just a few necessary plumbing tools. Maintenance is the same. You want to avoid filters with a complicated maintenance cycle, if at all possible.
Our #1 Pick For The Overall Best Well Filtration System: Aquasana 500,000 Gallon Well Water Rhino(Best Overall Option)
- Best value for the money well filtration system
- Capable of filtering 500,000 gallons of water, plenty for a family of four for multiple years
- Kit is highly adaptable to your well water conditions
- A multi-stage filtration system makes it easy to swap out individual components as needed, lowering the total cost of ownership
- Protects against heavy metals, chemicals, and biological contaminants with the option to soften water as well
- Included UV filter destroys 99.99% of bacteria, cysts, and viruses
- Backed by a 5-year warranty against defects
The Aquasana Rhino whole house well water filtration system narrowly edged out other top contenders to take the number one spot on my list, and I’m not the only one who thinks so– it has over 255 reviews to back it.
It’s a five- or six-step filtration system that relies on various high-end components at surprisingly affordable prices.
It’s capable of providing a 7 gallon per minute flow rate, plenty for your average family of four, and offers 500,000 gallons of service. Aquasana calls that a 5-year lifespan, which is reasonable for those looking to reduce their water consumption but not quite accurate for the average American consumption of around 200-300 gallons per day.
For most folks trying to live off the grid, though, it will probably stretch even farther. It works using a series of different filter components that allow it to protect against multiple contaminants. The chart below shows all the available components and what they do to safeguard your water while also improving its taste.
The Rhino base package includes filtration systems for removing chemicals, heavy metals, scale, copper/zinc/iron/manganese, biological contaminants, and can easily be upgraded with a salt-free water conditioner. It softens your water to both improve the flavor and prevent hard-water damage to your fixtures.
The well water special package automatically comes with the UV filter, a nice extra. When you add in that the Rhino cost about half as much as the next highest-ranked filter on my list, you can see why I gave it the overall best award.
Specifications:
- Flow Rate: 7 Gallons per Minute
- Filter Lifespan: 500,000 Gallons / 5 Years
- Best for: Hard water, scale, heavy metals, chemicals, biological threats (Basically customizable against all threats)
Pros
- Best value for the money well filtration system
- Capable of filtering 500,000 gallons of water, plenty for a family of four for multiple years
- Kit is highly adaptable to your well water conditions
- A multi-stage filtration system makes it easy to swap out individual components as needed, lowering the total cost of ownership
- Protects against heavy metals, chemicals, and biological contaminants with the option to soften water as well
- Included UV filter destroys 99.99% of bacteria, cysts, and viruses
- Backed by a 5-year warranty against defects
Cons
- Installation process is more involved than some other filtration systems
- 500,000 gallon filter is great, but other highly regarded filters are pushing 1,000,000 gallons these days
Who This Is Best For
The Aquasana filter works well for just about anyone with a private well. It filters out almost every threat a well user is likely to face and offers both an affordable initial price and excellent long-term performance.
Our #2 Pick For The Best Well Filtration System: Springwell Whole House Well Water Filtration System (Best Iron and Manganese Well Filtration System)
- Bluetooth connected app allows you to manage well settings remotely through your smartphone
- Industry-leading 6-month return policy plus a life-time warranty lets you purchase with confidence
- By far one of the easiest well filtration systems to install and manage
- Capable of removing up to 8 ppm of hydrogen sulfide, up to 7 ppm iron, and 1 ppm manganese, well below the threshold of taste
Springwell is one of the oldest and best-known companies in the well water world. Their whole house well filtration system combines their 20+ years of industry experience with some of the most advanced technology available.
It can filter a mind-boggling 1,000,000 gallons of water, and do so at a rapid 12 gallons per minute flow rate. That’s enough water to run half a dozen showers at once, plenty of water pressure for your average family of four.
The filter itself is about the size and shape of a party store helium tank and can be hooked up easily with basic plumbing knowledge. It takes up a reasonable amount of space, but the single-tank design makes it less cumbersome than some multi-stage filter systems.
The filter system is hyper-focused on removing the kinds of metal and mineral dissolved solids commonly found in well water. It does this using a state-of-the-art oxidation system that rapidly removes iron, manganese, and sulfur without requiring any consumables or maintenance.
It rapidly oxidizes the iron, sulfur, and manganese, causing it to fall out of the water and into a bed of prepared green fusion sand. Once the water stops flowing the system automatically backwashes through the sand, flushing out the oxidized metals and preventing the system from clogging.
It’s great at improving the taste and appearance of your water, but there are some downsides.
To start with, it doesn’t offer integral chemical filtration or biological protection. Springwell offers add-ons for either that fulfill these roles, but they aren’t cheap. The whole system is significantly more expensive than my number one pick, especially once you add in the UV filter, water softener, and chemical filtration.
If you’re willing to drop a significant chunk of change, though, it’s hard to argue with the rock-solid reliability and high-end touches of the Springwell system.
Specifications:
- Flow Rate: 12 Gallons per Minute
- Filter Lifespan: 1,000,000 Gallons
- Best for: Iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, and sulfur
Pros
- Bluetooth connected app allows you to manage well settings remotely through your smartphone
- Industry-leading 6-month return policy plus a life-time warranty
- By far one of the easiest well filtration systems to install and manage
- Capable of removing up to 8 ppm of hydrogen sulfide, up to 7 ppm iron, and 1 ppm manganese
Cons
- Not tested to be effective against biological threats without optional UV filter
- Expensive
Who This Is Best For
The Springwell filtration system is arguably the best system around for removing iron, manganese, sulfur, and other heavy metal contaminants. If you’ve got metallic or ‘rotten-egg’ tasting well water the Springwell system is unmatched in its ability to improve water taste.
Our #3 Pick For The Best Well Filtration System: Pelican Iron & Manganese Well Water Filter WF-4/WF-8 (Best User Experience)
- Working lifespan of 1,000,000 gallons
- Capable of removing iron and manganese down to 10 ppm
- Stellar customer service
- User-friendly installation process
One of the biggest problems facing well owners is high iron or manganese levels dissolved in their water. It gives your water an unpleasant taste and can stain your plumbing, fixtures, and drains.
The Pelican Iron & Manganese Well Water Filter is specially designed to remove iron and manganese from your well water down to 10 ppm. That puts it below the level of taste and prevents it from staining your fixtures.
It’s a four-stage system that relies on a sediment filter, then a chlorination system, through to a Greensand Plus iron removal system, and finally through a carbon block filter.
It reduces iron levels while also removing chemical, pesticide, VOC, and other potentially risky or taste-fouling contaminants.
Even better, they’re easily installable by anyone with basic knowledge of plumbing and some DIY skills. That can save you a bundle on installation costs. Here’s a great resource to help with understanding the installation process from Mike’s Wood Shop:
It’s available in two sizes, one with a 10 gallon per minute flow rate designed for 1-3 bathrooms and another with a 15 gallon per minute flow rate designed for up to size bathrooms.
All in all, it’s a reliable and long-lasting well water filtration system that does a good job protecting against the most common taste and performance contaminants. It doesn’t certify the removal of biological threats, though, so keep that in mind.
Specifications:
- Flow Rate: 10 gallons per minute / 15 gallons per minute
- Filter Lifespan: 1,000,000 gallons / 10-15 years
- Best for: Iron, manganese, and heavy metals
Pros
- Working lifespan of 1,000,000 gallons
- Capable of removing iron and manganese down to 10 ppm
- Stellar customer service
- User-friendly installation process
Cons
- Doesn’t protect against biological threats
- Fairly expensive
- Pump can be quite loud while operating, a problem if you’re in a tiny space
Who This Is Best For
The Pelican Iron and Manganese filter offers exemplary filtration of iron, manganese, and other heavy metals down to imperceptible levels. It’s a good option if your well water has significant taste issues and you want to deal with a company that knows how to treat their loyal customers.
Our #4 Pick For The Best Well Filtration System: iSpring WGB32B 3-Stage Well Water Filter (Best Value-Priced Well Water Filter)
- Very affordably priced
- Filter system can be adjusted by swapping out the filter cartridges to protect against different threats
- Easy to install
- Filters last for 100,000 gallons of water, about enough for a years use by a family of four
The iSpring WGB32B is a three-stage well water filter designed to be both easy to install and affordable. It combines three separate 20-inch filter blocks in a line to progressively remove more contaminants.
It starts with a sediment filter to remove larger particles, rust, silt, and sand, then goes through two different carbon block filters. These can remove 95%+ of chemical contaminants, VOCs, and potentially harmful substances.
The filters last for about 100,000 gallons and provide a 12 gallons per minute flow rate. That’s plenty for your average family of four, especially if you’re trying to reduce your water usage.
When you consider the system can be found at under $500 it’s easy to see why it’s so attractive. There are some drawbacks to the WGB32B.
First and foremost, it doesn’t remove iron, manganese, and similar staining metals commonly found in some well water. It also doesn’t offer biological filtration, instead relying on the addition of a UV filter if that’s necessary.
All of this can be added relatively affordably by adjusting the filter blocks used. The company offers tons of different options that let you customize just what is being filtered and the level of filtration provided. You can find a full list of the filter cartridges available here.
Honestly though?
For the price, it’s still an excellent well water filter. It isn’t quite as effective or as long-lasting as some other filters on my list, but it’s attainably priced for just about any budget.
Specifications:
- Flow Rate: 15 Gallons per Minute
- Filter Lifespan: 100,000 Gallons
- Best for: Chemicals, VOCs, and pesticides
Pros
- Very affordably priced
- Filter system can be adjusted by swapping out the filter cartridges to protect against different threats
- Easy to install
- Filters last for 100,000 gallons of water, about enough for a years use by a family of four
Cons
- Basic system doesn’t protect against biological threats like bacteria, viruses, and cysts
- Limited protection against iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide
- Filters require much more frequent replacement than other systems
Who This Is Best For
The iSpring system is best suited for those looking to improve the taste of their water, but who don’t have problems with iron, manganese, sulfur, or significant biological contaminants. It can be adjusted to help with these issues through the use of different filter blocks, but it isn’t as intuitive to use or as effective as some of the higher-performance (though more expensive) options above.
Why You Need a Well Filtration System
Well water is significantly different from the city water most people are used to. It comes right out of a natural aquifer and is usually carrying a lot of dissolved minerals and potentially even chemicals.
You must have your well water tested every year for this reason. You need to know what’s in your water and whether or not it poses a risk to your family.
Most well filtration systems improve the taste and softness of your water. They remove things like iron, manganese, and chemicals to protect your plumbing and prevent stains to your home fixtures.
More advanced systems add in protection against biological and chemical threats such as bacteria, viruses, cysts, pesticides, and other potential hazards.
If you’re on well water, a well filtration system is one of the best investments you can make to improve quality of life.
Buying Guide
There are several key factors that go into choosing your well filtration system. Filter effectiveness is the number one priority, but you should also think about things like filter lifespan, flow rate, and maintenance.
Filter Effectiveness
The vast majority of well water filtration systems don’t have just one single filter. They use a series of different filters in a variety of micron ratings.
Larger filters come first to remove physical contaminants such as sediment, then allow water to move to progressively smaller filters for removing bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and even chemical and heavy metal contaminants.
Some well filters also incorporate a UV light filter to kill biological contaminants. Have your well water tested before choosing a filter to find out what threat environment you face, and every year to confirm it hasn’t changed.
Flow Rate
The flow rate for well filters is measured in gallons or liters per minute. It determines how rapidly you can pump water through the filter to your home.
Larger homes with higher water demands need a higher flow rate or they’ll suffer from low water pressure. Most well water filtration systems have a handy guide that covers how large a household they can handle. It’s usually displayed in either a number of bathrooms moniker or by the number of people in your home.
Filter Lifespan and Cost
All physical filters will eventually become clogged up during use. For a whole home well water filtration system, you want filters with a minimum of three months’ use between changes.
There are undoubtedly longer-lasting filters available, with the very best lasting six-plus months, though they are noticeably more expensive.
Some of the very best iron/manganese filters use non-replaceable filters that rely on other processes for purification. These have much longer maintenance cycles but do require full replacement when they eventually wear out.
Ease of Installation and Maintenance
Thankfully most well filtration systems are very easy to install if part of the original design. They’re designed to attach to the plumbing between your well pump and your home.
Maintenance is something else to consider. You want a filter that’s a ‘set it and forget it’ as possible. At most you should have to do basic cleaning and replace the filter every three to six months.
Water Softening
One extra feature that can be a real quality of life improvement is water softening. Most well water has a high amount of dissolved calcium and other minerals in it.
It’s a result of the aquifers it resides in, and while not a threat to health and safety, can significantly impact taste and especially the level of home and faucet cleaning you have to do.
Water softening well filters help remove some of the dissolved minerals to prevent calcium and hard water buildup in your home.
Final Thoughts
Well water is great for those off-the-grid, but it isn’t the same as high-quality city water. Having a well filtration system can vastly improve your well water’s taste and safety for a very reasonable price.
You can start with an affordable but high-value system like the iSpring WGB32B for basic taste improvement and protection, or invest in a long-lasting high-performance one such as the top-ranked Aquasana Rhino.
Whichever way you decide to go, make sure your system matches the threat environment you face.
Not sure if a whole-house well filtration system is for you?
Check out some of the other great filter options I’ve reviewed, such as countertop water filters or gravity water filters.
