Water Filters Auckland

Auckland's water is safe, treated and consistent — and it's also the most heavily treated supply in the country. That's exactly why so many Auckland households filter it. This guide covers what's in Auckland tap water, what changes between summer and winter, and which filter fits which Auckland home. We supply under sink, reverse osmosis, whole house and shower filters across Auckland, with installation available through our install partners.

Where Auckland water comes from

Watercare supplies Auckland from a mix of sources: the Hūnua and Waitākere Ranges dams, the Waikato River, and a smaller amount of groundwater from the Onehunga aquifer. Which source reaches your tap depends on where you live, and the blend shifts with the seasons and with dam levels — in dry years more Waikato River water is pulled into the network.

Every source is treated to the same standard before it reaches you, but they don't taste the same, and they don't need the same filter.

What's in Auckland tap water?

• Chlorine. Auckland's entire network is chlorinated, and the residual is kept high enough to protect water all the way through a very long pipe network. The chlorine taste and smell is the number-one reason Aucklanders buy a filter, and it's what dries out skin and hair in the shower.
• Fluoride. Auckland has been fluoridated for decades. If you'd rather not drink it, you need reverse osmosis — carbon filters and jugs don't remove it.
• Taste and odour compounds. Dam water picks up organic material, and river water even more. Watercare treats for it, but seasonal earthy or musty notes are common, especially in late summer.
• Disinfection by-products. Chlorine reacting with organic matter creates trihalomethanes and similar compounds. Levels are within limits, but a good carbon or ultra-filtration stage removes them.
• Soft water. Auckland water is generally soft, so scale isn't the issue it is in Canterbury. Softeners are rarely needed in Auckland.
• Old pipes. Inner suburbs and older stock in Mt Eden, Ponsonby, Devonport and the like can add sediment and rust from the last few metres of pipe, regardless of what leaves the plant.

Which water filter for an Auckland home?

Want chlorine out and better-tasting water at the kitchen tap

An under sink water filter. The UFX3 removes chlorine, disinfection by-products, sediment, PFAS, microplastics and bacteria, with no power, no tank and no wastewater. For most Auckland homes on Watercare supply this is the right system, and it keeps the minerals in.

Want fluoride out

Reverse osmosis. The RO Mineral+ removes fluoride along with 99.9% of dissolved contaminants and adds minerals back in so it doesn't taste flat. With Auckland fluoridated citywide, this is the most common reason Auckland customers go RO.

Renting or in an apartment

The Smart RO benchtop. Full reverse osmosis, plugs in, no plumbing, dispenses hot or ambient water — and it comes with you when the lease ends. A big share of Auckland households rent, and this is the system built for that.

Skin, hair, eczema

A shower filter. Auckland's chlorine residual is exactly what the NaturaWai is designed for. Screws onto a standard shower arm in minutes, no installer.

Every tap in the house

The Pro-Home whole house water filter removes chlorine and sediment where water enters the home, so showers, laundry and appliances all benefit. Needs a plumber; suits owner-occupiers.

Lifestyle blocks and tank water — Rodney, Franklin, Waiheke, west coast

A lot of greater Auckland isn't on Watercare at all. Rainwater tanks in Rodney, Franklin, Waiheke and the Waitākere foothills need a whole house system with UV — the Elite-Home — to handle bacteria, plus a sediment stage for roof runoff.

Installation in Auckland

Under sink and whole house systems are installed by our install partners across Auckland — North Shore, central, west, east and south. Fixed-rate installation can be added at checkout on under sink systems, or booked separately. Shower filters and the Smart RO benchtop need no installer.

Not sure what's in your water?

Check your supply, call us on 0210 882 4509, or book a call and we'll match a system to your street. Free shipping on NZ orders over $200. 30-day money-back guarantee on every system.

For a full comparison of every filter type, read Best Water Filter NZ: How to Choose.