Family Owned & Operated Since 1980
When your family deserves the purest drinking water possible, reverse osmosis systems deliver the advanced filtration Vermont homeowners trust. At Clear Water Filtration, we have spent over four decades helping families throughout Waitsfield, Burlington, Montpelier, and communities across the Green Mountain State achieve exceptional water quality through professionally installed reverse osmosis technology.
Schedule a Free Water Test Request ServiceTrusted Water Treatment Experts Since 1980
As a family-owned business since 1980, we understand that your drinking water concerns extend beyond basic filtration. Whether you are dealing with well water contaminants, municipal water taste issues, or specific concerns about substances like PFAS, lead, or arsenic, our licensed plumbers bring the expertise to design and install reverse osmosis systems that address your unique water quality challenges.
Our team at Clear Water Filtration has earned the trust of Vermont families for over 44 years because we combine technical knowledge with genuine care for the communities we serve. When you work with us, you receive the same dedication our founder brought to this business—a commitment that now spans two generations of family ownership.
Reverse osmosis represents one of the most effective water purification methods available to homeowners today. This technology uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove contaminants at the molecular level, producing water that meets or exceeds the highest purity standards. For Vermont homeowners dealing with the unique water quality challenges our region presents, reverse osmosis offers a reliable solution backed by proven science.
The reverse osmosis process begins when water pressure forces your home's water supply through a specialized membrane with microscopic pores. These pores measure approximately 0.0001 microns—small enough to block dissolved solids, organic compounds, and a wide range of contaminants while allowing pure water molecules to pass through.
How It Works
A complete reverse osmosis system typically includes multiple filtration stages that work together to ensure comprehensive treatment addressing the full spectrum of water quality concerns Vermont homeowners face.
Vermont Water Quality Challenges
Our state presents unique water quality challenges that make reverse osmosis particularly valuable. Vermont's geology contributes naturally occurring minerals and substances that affect water quality, while aging infrastructure in some municipalities introduces additional concerns.
Arsenic, uranium, and manganese found in Vermont's bedrock can pose health risks and affect water taste and appearance.
Nitrates from agricultural sources pose particular health risks for infants and can indicate other contamination.
PFAS and PFOA compounds present in groundwater near certain industrial or military sites require advanced treatment.
These naturally occurring minerals affect taste and cause staining throughout your home's plumbing system.
Homes built before modern standards may have lead pipes or fixtures that contaminate otherwise clean water.
Increasingly found in water supplies across the region, these tiny particles require advanced filtration to remove.
When you choose Clear Water Filtration for your reverse osmosis installation, you receive the expertise of licensed plumbers who specialize in water treatment systems. Our installation process reflects the careful, customer-focused approach that has defined our family business since 1980.
Our Installation Process
Every reverse osmosis installation begins with a comprehensive water evaluation. We believe in understanding your specific situation before recommending solutions—it is the only way to ensure you receive a system matched to your actual needs.
When you contact our team, you speak with a real, local member of our staff who listens to your concerns and gathers information about your water quality issues. This initial conversation helps us prepare for your complimentary on-site evaluation.
Within 24 hours of your initial call, we schedule an on-site visit at your convenience. Our technician performs comprehensive water testing to identify exactly what contaminants are present in your water supply.
Based on our testing results and your specific concerns, we provide detailed recommendations for the reverse osmosis system best suited to your needs. We explain our findings thoroughly—customer education has always been central to how we operate.
Our licensed plumbers handle every aspect of your installation, arriving prepared with everything needed to complete the job correctly. We respect your home throughout the process, maintaining cleanliness and minimizing disruption.
After installation, we schedule a follow-up visit to ensure your system performs as expected. Our team remains available to answer questions and provide maintenance support whenever you need us. When it is time for reverse osmosis filter changes and service, one call schedules the visit.
Premium Quality Systems
As an Authorized, Independent Kinetico Dealer for over 30 years, Clear Water Filtration brings our customers access to some of the most advanced reverse osmosis technology available. Our partnership with Kinetico reflects our commitment to providing only equipment that meets the highest standards for performance, efficiency, and longevity.
Kinetico has built their reputation on engineering excellence and innovation in water treatment technology. Their reverse osmosis systems incorporate features that address the specific concerns Vermont homeowners face:
The Kinetico K5 represents the pinnacle of residential reverse osmosis technology. This customizable system allows us to configure your purification to address your specific water quality challenges:
For Vermont homeowners dealing with complex water quality issues, the K5's flexibility ensures we can design a solution that addresses your complete range of concerns.
PFAS Protection
Reverse osmosis is one of the most effective technologies available for removing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from drinking water. The semi-permeable RO membrane has pores small enough - approximately 0.0001 microns - to block PFAS molecules, which are too large to pass through even though they dissolve in water. According to manufacturer specifications and independent testing data, quality RO systems typically reduce PFAS concentrations by 90% or more at the point of use.
This matters for Vermont homeowners because PFAS have been detected in groundwater in multiple locations across the state, and Vermont has established some of the strictest PFAS maximum contaminant levels in the nation at 20 parts per trillion combined for five regulated compounds. Private well owners near areas with industrial, firefighting, or agricultural biosolids activity have elevated reason to test and treat.
A point-of-use RO system under the kitchen sink addresses the highest-risk exposure pathway: the water your family drinks and cooks with. It is not a whole-house PFAS solution - shower water and laundry water are not treated - but for ingestion, it is the most reliable and cost-effective approach available to residential customers.
Clear Water Filtration's free in-home water test measures hardness, iron, manganese, pH, TDS, and chlorine - the parameters that require field instruments. PFAS testing requires a certified laboratory analysis, which is a separate process. If you have concerns about PFAS in your water, we can coordinate certified lab testing. Do not assume your free in-home screen rules out PFAS - it is not designed to test for PFAS compounds. See our dedicated PFAS treatment page for the full picture.
Beyond PFAS, RO systems address a broad spectrum of Vermont water concerns in one unit: lead (from older plumbing), arsenic (from bedrock), nitrates (from agricultural runoff), uranium, and the dissolved solids that cause flat or metallic taste. For families who want one solution for their drinking water, RO delivers.
PFAS Treatment OptionsOur Flagship RO System
The Kinetico K5 is the most flexible residential RO system on the market. Where most RO systems have a fixed configuration, the K5 uses interchangeable FlexFilter cartridges that allow us to customize the treatment stages to your specific water test results. Vermont well water often has a combination of issues - dissolved minerals, potential PFAS concern, taste-affecting chloramines from municipal sources, or naturally occurring arsenic from bedrock. The K5 can be configured to address whichever combination applies to your home.
The system operates entirely without electricity, using your home's water pressure to drive the purification process. That means it continues working during Vermont's winter power outages, and it contributes nothing to your electric bill. An automatic shutoff stops production when the storage tank is full, eliminating water waste. The EverClean rinse cycle automatically cleans the membrane after each use, extending membrane life compared to standard RO systems.
As a Kinetico dealer for over 30 years, we carry genuine K5 replacement cartridges and service what we install. No guessing which third-party filter fits - we use the right parts every time.
Point-of-Use vs. Whole House
Reverse osmosis is a point-of-use technology. It treats the water at one tap - typically the kitchen sink - to the highest purity level. Whole-house water filtration treats all the water entering your home before it reaches any fixture. These are not competing options; they address different problems at different price points.
A point-of-use RO system is the right choice when your primary concern is drinking water quality - taste, dissolved contaminants, PFAS, lead, or arsenic. Installation is straightforward (under-sink, dedicated faucet), cost is modest, and the purification level is the highest available for a residential setting. The kitchen tap, the ice maker, and coffee and cooking water are all covered.
Whole-house filtration makes sense when the contaminant affects your entire home - not just drinking water. If you have iron staining in the laundry, corrosive pH eating through your copper pipes, or bacteria in the well, whole-house treatment addresses those at the entry point before water reaches every fixture and appliance. For PFAS specifically, whole-house RO exists but requires significantly larger systems and higher investment, and most families are well served by point-of-use for drinking water alongside a whole-house carbon system if whole-home PFAS treatment is desired.
| Factor | Point-of-Use RO | Whole-House Filtration |
|---|---|---|
| Treats | Drinking and cooking water at one tap | All water throughout home |
| Best for | PFAS, lead, arsenic, TDS, taste at the tap | Iron, hardness, sediment, pH, bacteria whole-home |
| Typical VT cost | Lower cost of the two; varies by system model | Larger investment; varies with system type and complexity |
| Examples | Kinetico K5, Entipur RO | Kinetico softener, whole-house carbon, UV |
| Maintenance | Filter cartridge changes every 6-12 months | Varies by system type |
Many Vermont homes use both: a water softener for whole-home hardness and iron protection, plus a K5 RO under the kitchen sink for drinking water. The combination covers every base. Our water test identifies exactly what you are dealing with and we recommend only what your water actually needs. Learn more: Whole-House Water Filtration in Vermont.
Serving Greater Burlington
Burlington and the Chittenden County communities around it - South Burlington, Williston, Essex, Shelburne, Colchester - represent the highest density of our service calls. The water challenges here reflect the region's geography: Lake Champlain municipal water has moderate TDS and chloramines that affect taste; private wells in the surrounding hills pull from calcium and magnesium-rich bedrock and frequently show elevated arsenic, iron, or uranium.
For Burlington city water customers, an RO system primarily addresses taste and removes the chloramines used in treatment - a meaningful upgrade for households that drink a lot of tap water or make coffee and tea at home. For well owners in South Burlington, Williston, and Essex, RO addresses a wider set of dissolved contaminants flagged in water tests. Either way, the installation is the same: under-sink, dedicated faucet, and a storage tank that holds purified water ready to dispense.
We serve Burlington and all of Chittenden County with the same team that has been doing this work in Vermont since 1980. No dispatching from a regional call center - you get a local technician who knows the water here. If you are in Burlington and want the purest drinking water available from your tap, a Kinetico K5 or Entipur RO system installed by our licensed plumbers is the most reliable path to get there.
Start with our free in-home water test. We will measure hardness, iron, pH, TDS, and chlorine on site and give you an honest assessment of whether RO makes sense for your water. No high-pressure sales - just results and a clear recommendation.
As your neighbors here in Central Vermont, the Clear Water Filtration team understands the unique water quality challenges facing our communities. We've helped thousands of families achieve pure, clean drinking water.
Pure Water Applications
The primary application for residential reverse osmosis focuses on producing exceptionally pure drinking water. Vermont families appreciate having purified water readily available for:
Chefs and home cooks recognize how water quality affects the food they prepare. Reverse osmosis water allows you to:
Water quality dramatically affects coffee flavor. The Specialty Coffee Association recommends water with specific mineral content for optimal extraction—reverse osmosis water provides an ideal starting point that many coffee enthusiasts customize with mineral additions.
If your refrigerator includes an ice maker, connecting it to your reverse osmosis system produces crystal-clear ice without the cloudiness caused by dissolved minerals. Many Vermont homeowners appreciate this upgrade once they experience the difference.
Most residential applications use point-of-use reverse osmosis systems installed under the kitchen sink. These systems purify water for drinking and cooking—the applications where water purity matters most. For certain situations, whole-house reverse osmosis may be appropriate, though they require significantly higher investment and more complex installation.
Learn MoreTrusted Equipment Partners
After more than four decades in the water treatment industry, we've learned which manufacturers deliver reliable performance and stand behind their products. Our reverse osmosis solutions feature equipment from trusted brands.
Financing & Assistance
We understand that investing in water treatment equipment represents a significant decision for most families. At Clear Water Filtration, we work with homeowners to find solutions that fit their budgets while not compromising on quality or effectiveness.
Our internal community assistance fund provides support on a case-by-case basis for Vermont families who need help affording essential water treatment. This reflects our commitment to the communities we serve—clean, safe water should be accessible to everyone.
Vermont homeowners may qualify for assistance through programs like the Healthy Homes Grant offered through the State of Vermont. This program helps families address water quality issues and other home health concerns. We can provide documentation and support for grant applications.
When evaluating reverse osmosis systems, we encourage customers to consider total cost of ownership rather than just initial purchase price. Higher-quality systems like those from Kinetico often deliver lower total cost over their lifetime despite higher initial investment.
Your Trusted Partner
Since 1980, Clear Water Filtration has served Vermont families with dedication that reflects our deep roots in this community. Our reputation has grown through generations of satisfied customers who recommend us to their neighbors, friends, and family members.
We are not a national franchise or distant corporation—Clear Water Filtration is your neighbor. Our family has lived and worked in Vermont for over four decades, and we take pride in serving the communities that have supported our business.
Our team includes licensed plumbers and water quality professionals certified through the Water Quality Association. Our owner's position on the Governor's Technical Advisory Committee reflects the respect our expertise commands.
Our commitment to Vermont extends beyond business transactions. Clear Water Filtration actively supports our communities through Mad River Chamber of Commerce membership, school sponsorships, and Vermont Foodbank support.
We maintain in-house manufacturing capabilities for service and repair components. This means faster response times and the ability to fabricate custom solutions when standard equipment doesn't quite fit your needs.
Water emergencies don't wait for business hours. Our team provides emergency service seven days a week from 7 AM to 9 PM, ensuring you can reach a knowledgeable professional when problems arise.
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Where We Serve
From our home base in Waitsfield, VT, we provide water treatment services throughout the Green Mountain State. Each community has its own water quality characteristics based on local geology and water sources - and after 45 years, we've tested thousands of wells across Vermont and understand the regional variations that affect which treatment approaches work best.
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Let's Get Started Together
Your family deserves water that is not just safe, but genuinely pure—water that tastes clean and refreshing, water you feel confident serving to your children, water that brings out the best in everything you cook and drink. At Clear Water Filtration, we have spent over 44 years helping Vermont families achieve exactly that through thoughtfully designed water treatment solutions.
Choosing the right reverse osmosis system involves more than selecting equipment from a catalog. It requires understanding your specific water quality, identifying the contaminants present in your supply, and designing a solution that addresses your complete range of concerns. This is where Clear Water Filtration's experience and expertise make a genuine difference.
When you contact us, you connect with real people who live and work in Vermont—not a call center in another state. Our team listens to your concerns, performs thorough water testing, and provides honest recommendations based on what we find. We never push unnecessary equipment or pressure you into decisions.
Explore More
Every residential system we install, from the free in-home water test through whole-home treatment and drinking water systems. See everything on the residential water treatment hub.
PFAS & PFOA Treatment Arsenic Treatment Water Testing Hard Water Guide Water Softening
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