Options compared
| Option | Good for | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | Small households, renters | Small cartridges; check claims |
| Fridge filter | Convenience | Short contact; many list chlorine only |
| Under-sink alkaline RO | Families who cook and drink at home | Needs cabinet space, faucet, drain |
| Whole-home filter | Chloramine at every tap and shower | Does not lower dissolved solids like RO |
County water homes
- Chloramine from WASD, 2.5 ppm on the main system in 2025, is the main taste issue.
- Fluoride has not been added since June 6, 2025.
- The Orr plant lime-softens the water.
- WASD publishes main-system PFAS results in its report.
Most families here choose under-sink RO, often with a whole-home filter.
Some households also keep a pitcher in the fridge filled from the RO tap for convenience; that is fine, since the RO did the treatment.Well homes
On a private well, no utility tests your water. The Florida Department of Health advises an annual certified lab test for bacteria and nitrate, and with thousands of septic lots in the village that test comes first. Then the well system handles iron, hardness and odor, and an RO at the kitchen finishes the drinking water. A pitcher or fridge filter is not a well treatment plan. See well water in Palmetto Bay.
How to choose
- Name your goal: taste, a specific contaminant, or replacing bottled water.
- Check certification for every claim on the exact model: NSF/ANSI 42 for chloramine taste and odor; 53 or 58 for health-related claims such as PFOA and PFOS.
- Match capacity to how much your household drinks and cooks.
- Get the maintenance schedule in writing.
Living Water's option
Living Water installs a multi-stage alkaline reverse osmosis system under the sink with a dedicated faucet. It does not claim to remove PFAS. Compare in whole-house vs. under-sink filters. Call, text or WhatsApp Jorge at (305) 793-5974.
For rentals, start portable: a certified pitcher or countertop unit you can take with you. For owners, an under-sink RO is permanent and serves the whole family. For offices and gyms along US-1, the same alkaline RO can replace a water delivery service at one sink. In every case, a written maintenance schedule keeps the system performing as certified.
https://www.miamidade.gov/resources/water/documents/2025-water-quality-report.pdf
https://www.floridahealth.gov/community-environmental-public-health/environmental-public-health/water-quality/drinking-water/private-wells/
https://www.miamidade.gov/resources/environment/documents/vulnerability-septic-systems-sea-level-rise.pdf
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist