Should I add a water filtration system to my kitchen renovation?

Adding a water filtration system during a kitchen renovation is a smart move for many NB homeowners, particularly those on well water or in older homes with galvanized or lead-soldered copper pipes. The cost is modest when bundled with other plumbing work, and it provides cleaner, better-tasting drinking water directly from a dedicated tap at your sink.

The most popular option for kitchen renovations is an under-sink reverse osmosis (RO) system, which removes up to 99 percent of contaminants including sediment, chlorine, heavy metals, and bacteria. These systems cost $300 to $800 for the unit and $200 to $400 for professional installation, which includes mounting the unit under the sink, connecting to the cold water supply, adding a drain line to the sink's drain pipe, and installing a separate filtered water faucet on the countertop. During a renovation, the plumber can pre-drill the countertop hole and run the lines before the countertop is templated and installed, making everything seamless.

For homeowners who want simpler filtration, a carbon block filter system runs $150 to $400 installed and effectively removes chlorine taste, sediment, and some organic compounds. These are lower maintenance than RO systems and do not produce wastewater, but they do not filter as comprehensively. A third option is a whole-house sediment and carbon filter, which treats all water entering the home — useful for well water with high sediment or iron content — and costs $500 to $1,500 installed at the main water entry point.

NB Water Quality Considerations

Your water source matters significantly in deciding what filtration you need. Municipal water in Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint John is treated and tested regularly, so a carbon filter or basic RO system is typically sufficient for taste improvement and chlorine removal. However, many NB homeowners on private well water face different challenges — elevated iron, manganese, hardness, or bacterial contamination are common in rural New Brunswick. If you are on well water, get a water test done before choosing a filtration system. Your local public health office or a private lab can test for a full panel of contaminants for $50 to $150.

Older NB homes present another concern. Homes built before 1990 may have lead solder joints on copper pipes, and homes built before 1970 often have galvanized steel pipes that corrode internally and release particulates. If your renovation includes replacing old plumbing — which it should if you still have galvanized pipes — filtration becomes less critical for metal contamination but is still worthwhile for taste and general water quality.

From a renovation planning standpoint, the best time to install filtration is during the rough-in phase when the plumber is already working under the sink. You will need space in the under-sink cabinet for the filtration unit and storage tank (RO systems include a small pressurized tank about the size of a basketball). Factor this into your cabinet layout — many homeowners forget to account for the space the system occupies, which can conflict with garbage pull-outs or under-sink organizers.

RO system filters need replacement every 6 to 12 months ($30 to $60 per set), and the RO membrane itself lasts 2 to 3 years ($50 to $100). Ongoing costs are manageable but worth budgeting for. Overall, a filtration system is a relatively low-cost addition to a kitchen renovation — $500 to $1,200 all-in — that delivers daily value and can be a selling point for future buyers.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The New Brunswick Construction Network connects homeowners with qualified professionals:

• Thirty Four Renovations
• Gionetterenovations