Corrie, Here is another advert I just read re: eliminating chloramine: Removing Chloramines from Water Chloramine, which consists of a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, is added to the water of many cities as a substitute for free chlorine. It is often referred to in the plural, as "chloramines," because it can take on a number of forms according to the pH and mineral content of the water. The whole reduction discussion for chloramines can become quite complex, but the main thing you need to know is that chloramine is removed from water with essentially the same strategies that are used to remove chlorine. This means that carbon filtration is the best removal method, and, contrary to urban legends, filter carbon does indeed remove chloramine. The problem is that it takes more carbon and more contact time to do the job. In practical terms this means that if your city disinfects your tap water with chloramines youÂll need to get a larger and better carbon filter than you would need if chlorine alone were used. For drinking water you can consider high quality carbon units like Multi-Pure, or double and triple units that use lots of carbon. And, contrary to another widely promoted myth, reverse osmosis units do remove chloramine. In fact, they do it well, because any good RO unit contains a couple of carbon filters and the water gets an extra slow pass through the first one. In choosing carbon for chloramine removal, a specially prepared carbon called "catalytic" carbon is far superior to regular carbon. Catalytic carbon is a specifically processed grade of filter carbon that is designed especially for, among other things, exceptional chloramine removal. Your thoughts?? Raybo

If you have enough issues with water quality that you need under sink filtration, then you have enough issues that your whole home will benefit from treatment. It's more than taste. It's about the mineral deposits that accumulate inside your pipes and faucets and shower valves. It's not just about the deposits on the outside. So, what does your water test say about your water quality? And how do you anticipate using your filtered water and heated water? Analyze the functionality of the situation first, before starting to talk actual components. Putting in the latest and greatest GW must have isn't always needed. It's often overkill for your actual needs.

I love mine. We've had it about 4 years now. There was a problem with something internally leaking. DH called the customer support for Watts and they helped him right out. I like the faucet it came with but you can purchase other faucets as well that may be more to your liking. They have several finishes available. I usually purchase the replacement filters at Sam's Club. Between DH and I we go through at least 2 gallons of water a day. At night I fill up the bottles to refrigerate. After the first gallon the water flow slows down some but it's still acceptable. Not many people will be filling 2 gallons of water at a time. Here is a link that might be useful: Available Faucets

Culligan sent out two technicians today (the second guy was experienced in the field, but new to Culligan, so he was on ride-along). They were both friendly. The main guy tasted the water, noted that it had a taste, and said that that was how soft water tasted. The other guy tasted it and he did not care for the flavor. On the one hand, they wondered whether the carbon in the tank needed to "settle in". But on the other hand, they said that the softener was removing magnesium/calcium and replacing it with sodium--and that carbon would not change that if this is simply the taste of the soft water. They asked me to keep the system in place for another week or two to see if the taste goes away. Culligan has a 30 day guarantee, so they will take the system out if it does not resolve. They also said that they would offer to swap the tank with a new one, before yanking it, if I remain dissatisfied. I still find it hard to believe that soft water is supposed to taste like this. I have to believe that I would have read or heard about it in my research and in my discussions with people who have softeners. So I guess I am in a holding pattern for the next week or two to see what happens.