What's actually in your suburb's water?

Sydney has soft, chloramine-treated water from protected mountain catchments. The primary reason to filter is chloramine taste, not hardness or scale.

Adelaide has Australia's most challenging mains water — Murray River source with high TDS, chloramine, and the highest sodium of any capital city. Filtering makes a real, noticeable difference.

Brisbane's hardness varies dramatically by suburb — from 53 mg/L in North Lakes to 115 mg/L in inner Brisbane. All zones use chloramine, making catalytic carbon essential city-wide.

Canberra is treated with chloramine — not free chlorine — making standard carbon filters largely ineffective for taste improvement. Moderate hardness (80–150 mg/L) causes visible scale. Seasonal algae events in Googong Reservoir produce earthy tastes in late summer.

Darwin has soft, low-TDS water from groundwater aquifer and surface catchment sources. The main practical concern is chlorine taste — more noticeable than southern cities due to the tropical climate. No limescale. Bore water users in northern suburbs should test for PFAS.

Hobart has some of the purest tap water of any Australian capital — very soft, very low TDS, minimal chlorine. Most residents on the TasWater reticulated supply have no practical need for filtration. Rainwater tanks, common in greater Hobart, require proper treatment before drinking.