We are in the middle of planning a custom home build. I know that we will be installing a water softener, that's for sure.
The things I am debating on are a whole home activated carbon filter and/or possibly a reverse osmosis system for both the fridge and a tap at the sink. I know from the research I have done there is a benefit for the softener to have the carbon filter taking out chlorine, but it is not critical. I also know that a proper carbon filter will last 7-10 years before the carbon media needs to be replaced. It seems beneficial to me because it removes the needs for further carbon based filtration either through a fridge filter or a brita. It's probably the same cost over the time frame to run separate carbon filters, but a lot more convenient. It seems like a decent value to me but curious to know if anyone else uses this in their home and their thoughts.
The reverse osmosis (RO) system seems of less potential value to me, and more maintenance. I don't think City water is that bad tbh, aside from removing chlorine in the system I am not fussed over RO water. The reason I am considering it is because in a new build I could place the RO filters in the basement and run lines to a faucet near the sink and a line to the fridge from the RO system. It would give clear ice in the fridge and the option at the sink. The issues I take with it is the water wasted for the process, and the need to replace 3 pre-filters annually. There is probably an annual cost of $100-200 between filters and waste water, and then the eventually RO filter replacement as well. I don't think there are huge advantages to RO water, or any negative issues either. Again, the big reason to do it in the build process is so I can place it in a utility room and make it easier to manage with less risk in the future of putting it under your sink. Curious to thoughts on those that have RO systems or have had them in the past.
Any web searches yield millions of websites advertising their products, there seems to be a lot of snake oil in the works too. I have even seen the Kinetico systems, while interesting, charge quite a premium for doing the same effective thing as others, without the ability to buy universal filters from anyone in the future and tying you to their products from their distributers. People seem to really like their products all the same.
Any other thoughts on this end of things would be appreciated.