Start from your water
Whether your water comes from the City of Oakland Park, Broward County or Fort Lauderdale, it is softened at a plant and disinfected with chloramine, and fluoride is no longer added under Florida law. The city's 2024 report lists chloramines at 2.6 ppm and sodium at 28.2 ppm. Your drinking water system should handle chloramine and whatever taste issue you still notice.
If your home is in North Andrews Gardens, Lakeside or Twin Lakes South, read your own provider's report; the kinds of treatment are similar, but the exact numbers differ.
Options compared
| Option | Good for | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | Renters, small households | Small volume; many not rated for chloramine |
| Fridge filter | Convenience | Capacity and certifications vary |
| Under-sink alkaline RO | Drinking and cooking | Cabinet space; filters on schedule |
| Whole-home filter | Chloramine at every tap | Does not lower dissolved solids like RO |
Questions to answer first
- How many people drink and cook at home?
- How much bottled water do you buy now?
- Does the shower smell bother you, or only the drinking water?
- House, villa or condo, and are there association rules?
- Any specific contaminant concern? Then check the exact model's certification for it.
Also think about where you need the water. If most of it goes into coffee, cooking and a fridge dispenser, an RO system with a fridge line covers it. If you mostly want the shower smell gone, the drinking water question may be secondary.
Upkeep is part of the choice
Pitchers and fridge filters need frequent cartridge changes. RO has several filters and a membrane, each on a schedule; see how often to replace RO filters. Whole-home systems need media or cartridge service. Choose the one whose upkeep you will keep up with.
What Living Water offers
Living Water installs multi-stage alkaline RO systems with a dedicated faucet and Puronics whole-home city water systems. Many Oakland Park households pair them. See under-sink RO and whole-house vs. under-sink.
Taste is personal
Two people can drink the same glass and disagree. That is why Jorge lets you compare your tap water with RO water during the free visit before suggesting anything. If you cannot tell the difference or do not care about it, a simpler option may be the right call. If you buy bottled water every week, write down how much; the bottled water vs. RO calculator lets you compare with your own numbers.
Taste before you decide
Call, text or WhatsApp Jorge at (305) 793-5974. He tests your tap water, lets you compare it with RO water, and recommends only what fits. Living Water offers financing through its financing partners.
https://www.oaklandparkfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14670/Water-Quality-Report-2024
https://www.broward.org/waterservices/WaterQualityReport
https://flsenate.gov/Committees/billsummaries/2025/html/700
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist