3-stage whole house filter
Reduces chlorine taste and smell, the one thing a softener can't.
Water softening equipment supplier Perth, WA
A water softener takes out the calcium and magnesium that leave limescale on shower screens, tapware and appliances, which a filter can't do. We install automatic and manual softeners for Perth homes on hard water, from $3,350 installed, and our own licensed plumbers fit every one.
Automatic water softener
$4,000 installed, inc. GST
Fully automatic, nothing to remember.
Manual water softener (no power needed)
$3,350 installed, inc. GST
For meters with no power point nearby.
Standard installation. Final price confirmed after a free site check.
Book a free water testLimescale is what hard water leaves behind when it dries: dissolved calcium and magnesium. Water Corporation says these minerals cannot be removed by filtration. That's why the fix for scale is a softener, not a filter. It's also why a shower-head filter does nothing for your shower glass.
We're a local water softening equipment supplier working from Ellenbrook and Aveley across to Landsdale and Wanneroo. Every softener starts with a free water test at your home, so you see your hardness reading and get a fixed written price before you spend anything.
For every water softener installation, our plumbers fit the softener as close to your water meter as practical, so every tap, shower and appliance downstream gets softened water. Before we quote, we check three things at the meter: room for the unit, a drain connection and, for the automatic model, a power point nearby.
Both models give the same softening. The real difference is who runs the regeneration: the automatic model does it itself, while on the manual model you turn a dial.
Only a water softener removes hardness, which is the calcium and magnesium behind the scale. It also removes dissolved iron and manganese. A filter alone won't stop limescale, so we test first and tell you plainly which system you need, if any.
Water Corporation's 2024-25 figures for our area range from an average of 95 mg/L to 125 mg/L. The Greenmount zone, which supplies Midland and Guildford, is the softest, and the Wanneroo zone the hardest. Water Corporation says Perth's scheme meets the national guidelines for hardness, so this is about scale and soap, not safety. Readings change between zones and from year to year, so we measure yours rather than guess.
Hard water flows through a bed of softening resin that holds on to calcium and magnesium. When the resin is full, the softener rinses it with brine (salty water) and sends the minerals down the drain. Then it rinses the resin and goes back into service.
Salt is only used to clean and recharge the resin, so your water won't taste salty. Softening does swap hardness minerals for a small amount of sodium. If you're on a sodium-restricted diet, tell us, and we can leave the kitchen cold tap supplying unsoftened, filtered water.
The automatic softener meters every litre you use and works out your household's daily average. When there isn't enough capacity left for tomorrow, it regenerates overnight, usually at 2am. Your only job is adding salt every few months.
It holds 28 litres of resin and treats about 17,000 litres between regenerations at 100 mg/L hardness, or about 8,500 litres at 200 mg/L. It needs a 240 V power point near the meter, with a 24 V step-down transformer supplied, and a drain.
The manual softener gives the same softening with no power needed. You turn a dial to run each regeneration, much like backwashing a pool filter. It saves the cost of running power to the meter, and it suits owners who are happy to keep a simple routine.
Each regeneration uses 5 kg of salt. The softener stores 50 kg, which lasts 10 regenerations before it needs refilling. We'll set a regeneration schedule for your home at the water test.
| Feature | Automatic | Manual (no power needed) |
|---|---|---|
| Installed price | $4,000 | $3,350 |
| Who it suits | Limescale problems. Fully automatic, nothing to remember. | Limescale problems where there's no power point near the water meter |
| Regeneration | Meters your use and regenerates itself overnight | You turn a dial |
| Power | A 240 V power point near the meter | None |
| Salt per regeneration | 4.5 kg | 5 kg |
| Salt storage | 50 kg | 50 kg, enough for 10 regenerations |
| Drain | Needed | Needed |
| Warranty | 12 months on parts and labour | 12 months on parts and labour |
| Resin | 28 litres |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 17,000 litres between regenerations at 100 mg/L hardness; about 8,500 litres at 200 mg/L |
| Removes | Calcium and magnesium (limescale), plus dissolved iron and manganese |
| Flow | 35 L/min continuous, 40 L/min peak |
| Pressure | 175 to 600 kPa |
| Connections | 20 mm, with a 15 mm drain |
| Salt | Holds 50 kg, uses 4.5 kg per regeneration |
| Size and weight | 1100 x 470 x 340 mm, 47 kg dry |
| Power | 240 V power point (24 V step-down transformer supplied) |
| Outdoors | UV rated for outdoor installation |
Our own licensed plumbers plumb your automatic or manual softener in at the water meter, including the drain connection. The people who test your water and quote the job are the people who install it. Every install is covered by our 12-month parts and labour warranty, and if something's wrong, we come back and fix it.
| Item | Cost | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Softener salt | About $100 to $150 a year | 4 to 6 bags of 25 kg a year for a family of four |
There are no cartridges to change. The rule of thumb for salt: if you can still see salt above the water line, you're fine. When it drops below, add a bag. For regeneration checks, salt top-ups and servicing, see water softener maintenance.
Some whole house systems swap one filter stage for a resin cartridge. It holds around 5 litres of softening resin and can't recharge itself, so once it's full it goes in the bin. In a whole house setup, that can mean a new cartridge every month or so. Our automatic softener holds 28 litres of resin and recharges itself with salt, over and over, for years.
Only if hardness is causing you trouble. Ellenbrook's scheme water comes from the Lexia supply zone, where readings ranged from 76 to 160 mg/L in 2024-25. That's within the national guidelines, so it's not about safety. If you see white scale on glass and taps, a softener is the fix.
Harder than most of Perth. Water Corporation's 2024-25 figures put the Wanneroo supply zone at an average of 125 mg/L, the fourth hardest of 28 Perth localities. The zone covers Wanneroo, Landsdale, Darch, Kingsley and Joondalup. Your free test gives you your own reading.
Yes. Our manual softener needs no power. You turn a dial to run each regeneration, much like backwashing a pool filter. At $3,350 installed it costs less than the automatic model and saves running power to the meter, but it relies on you remembering.
Softening salt with larger crystals is best because it's less likely to compact. Fine pool salt will also work if that's what you have on hand.
We don't recommend it. The system is plumbed into your mains line, and work on a mains supply should be done by a licensed plumber. A DIY install can also void the product warranty.
A 15-minute test at your home gives you real numbers and a straight answer on whether you need a filter, a softener or both. No cost and no obligation.