Diagnostic Tool

What's wrong with your water?

Describe what you're seeing, smelling or tasting — we'll identify the likely cause and the filter types that fix it, with Australian suppliers for each solution.

Key takeaways — if you read nothing else

→Orange/brown staining = iron or manganese. Needs KDF or oxidising filter — carbon alone won't fix it.
→White scale on taps and appliances = water hardness. TAC or salt softener — see the cost comparison.
→Chlorine or chemical taste/smell = disinfection byproducts. Carbon block solves this in most cases.
→Rotten egg smell = hydrogen sulphide or sulphur bacteria. Needs KDF or specific oxidising treatment — not standard carbon.
✓Use the tool below to diagnose your specific symptom and get a targeted filter recommendation for your water.

1

Your symptom

2

A few details

3

Your diagnosis

Step 1 of 3

What's the main problem you're noticing?

Select the symptom that best describes your water issue. You can refine it in the next step.

Go deeper on your specific issue

Diagnosed a problem? Here’s the right article

All filter types

Water filter types explained

What each technology does — and doesn’t do

Most contaminants

Reverse osmosis — complete guide

Removes lead, PFAS, fluoride, nitrates, hardness

Scale & hardness (Perth)

Perth water hardness by suburb

Zone-by-zone guide with suburb lookup

Bore / tank water

Bore water filtration guide WA

Iron, bacteria, nitrates, arsenic — what to test and treat

Bacteria / tank water

UV water treatment systems

NSF 55 Class A — the essential guide for tank and bore water

Understanding water filter certifications

NSF 42, 53, 58, WaterMark — what each covers

Water quality updates for your city

PFAS news, seasonal Brisbane taste events, ADWG updates — delivered when they matter. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.

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