Do I need water filtration if my water is already treated?

Sydney mains water is treated, regulated, and safe to drink. Even so, many Eastern Suburbs households still notice the taste and smell of chlorine, scale building up on taps and appliances, or dry skin after a shower. Filtration is about water quality and comfort rather than safety. We tailor the solution to your water and to whatever is bothering you.

Is water filtration only for drinking water?

No. We supply and install filtration for drinking water only, or for the whole home. Many households choose whole-home filtration so chlorine is removed from shower, bath, and bathroom water as well, which is gentler on skin and hair, while also improving water quality at every tap.

Do I need to treat rainwater?

If you drink or use rainwater around the house, we recommend treating it. Stored tank water can pick up sediment, organic matter, and bacteria. The Puretec Hybrid E Series combines several stages of filtration with Radfire UV, which reduces up to 99.99% of bacteria when paired with the right pre-filtration.

Do filtration systems need maintenance?

Yes. Every system needs regular servicing and cartridge replacement to keep performing. How often depends on the system and your water quality, but cartridges are typically changed every 6 to 12 months. We can set up a reminder so you do not have to keep track of it.

How do I know which system is right for my home?

It comes down to your water source, how much of the home you want filtered, and what you are trying to remove. One of our licensed plumbers can assess your supply and recommend a system that suits your needs. Our guide on which water filter is right for your home is a good starting point as well.

Is water testing necessary?

Testing is worth doing where there could be unknown contaminants, which usually means bore water, surface water from rivers or dams, and sometimes rainwater. For standard Sydney mains supply it is generally not needed. A test makes sure the most suitable system is chosen for what is actually in the water.

All articles

Water filtration · 5 min read

Water filtration FAQs for Sydney homes

Straight answers to the questions we hear most as Puretec Specialist Installers: whether you need filtration, what it removes, treating rainwater, and how often cartridges need changing.

Norton Plumbing · 25 June 2026

Adam and Blake from Norton Plumbing servicing a Puretec FilterWall whole-home water filter mounted on the external wall of an Eastern Suburbs home

Water filtration is one of the few jobs we do that fixes nothing. Nothing is broken. It is an improvement: better-tasting water, no chlorine smell in the kitchen, and gentler water for skin and hair. As a Puretec Specialist Installer working across the Eastern Suburbs, here are the questions we are asked most often.

Why people filter their water

Turning on the tap is something most of us do without a second thought, but the quality of the water coming into a home varies with its source and local conditions. For Sydney homes on mains supply, the common reasons are the taste and smell of chlorine, the effect chlorinated water has on dry skin and hair, and a growing awareness of contaminants like PFAS. Filtering the water is a small step that makes a daily difference to how the water tastes and feels.

What filtration can remove

It depends on your water source. On Sydney mains supply the usual targets are chlorine, sediment carried through ageing pipes, and trace contaminants such as PFAS. Rainwater and tank supplies bring different concerns: sediment and organic matter washed off the roof, and bacteria from stored water. Bore water can carry nitrates or sit on the acidic side. Where the source is unknown we start with a water test, then match the system to what is actually there. For a fuller breakdown, see our guide on which water filter is right for your home.

The systems we install

As a Puretec Specialist Installer, Norton Plumbing supplies, installs, and services the full Puretec range using genuine components. The systems we fit most often in Eastern Suburbs homes are:

Whole-home FilterWall. Mounted on the incoming mains, it reduces chlorine, chemicals, and sediment at every tap, shower, and appliance in the house.
Undersink PureMix. An affordable filter under the kitchen sink for cleaner, better-tasting drinking and cooking water at a dedicated tap.
Reverse osmosis (RO270). A fine membrane that reduces dissolved substances including fluoride, certain minerals, heavy metals, and PFAS, where the highest level of drinking-water purity is the priority.
Rainwater Hybrid E with Radfire UV. For tank supplies, it treats sediment and organic matter and reduces bacteria by up to 99.99% when paired with the right pre-filtration.
Softeners and specialty systems. Softrol softeners for scale from hard water, plus nitrate and acid-neutralising systems for bore and groundwater supplies.

Adam from Norton Plumbing filling a glass at a filtered kitchen tap in a Clovelly home — Adam at a filtered kitchen tap in Clovelly. Whole-home filtration means clean water at every tap, not just one.

Still weighing it up? Read is Sydney tap water safe to drink for what is actually in the mains supply before deciding whether filtration makes sense for your household.

Interested in water filtration?

Get in touch to discuss a solution tailored to your household. We are happy to provide advice, a quote, and professional installation by a licensed plumber. Norton Plumbing covers Coogee, Bondi, Randwick, Maroubra, Kingsford, and the rest of the Eastern Suburbs. Call 0477 858 951 or see our water filtration page for more detail on what we install and how the process works.

Frequently asked

Common questions

Do I need water filtration if my water is already treated?: Sydney mains water is treated, regulated, and safe to drink. Even so, many Eastern Suburbs households still notice the taste and smell of chlorine, scale building up on taps and appliances, or dry skin after a shower. Filtration is about water quality and comfort rather than safety. We tailor the solution to your water and to whatever is bothering you.
Is water filtration only for drinking water?: No. We supply and install filtration for drinking water only, or for the whole home. Many households choose whole-home filtration so chlorine is removed from shower, bath, and bathroom water as well, which is gentler on skin and hair, while also improving water quality at every tap.
Do I need to treat rainwater?: If you drink or use rainwater around the house, we recommend treating it. Stored tank water can pick up sediment, organic matter, and bacteria. The Puretec Hybrid E Series combines several stages of filtration with Radfire UV, which reduces up to 99.99% of bacteria when paired with the right pre-filtration.
Do filtration systems need maintenance?: Yes. Every system needs regular servicing and cartridge replacement to keep performing. How often depends on the system and your water quality, but cartridges are typically changed every 6 to 12 months. We can set up a reminder so you do not have to keep track of it.
How do I know which system is right for my home?: It comes down to your water source, how much of the home you want filtered, and what you are trying to remove. One of our licensed plumbers can assess your supply and recommend a system that suits your needs. Our guide on which water filter is right for your home is a good starting point as well.
Is water testing necessary?: Testing is worth doing where there could be unknown contaminants, which usually means bore water, surface water from rivers or dams, and sometimes rainwater. For standard Sydney mains supply it is generally not needed. A test makes sure the most suitable system is chosen for what is actually in the water.

Related service