Please know this up front: Kind Water Co wrote this page and is one of the companies compared. We put ourselves first. So we show our reasons, we use only what each company says about itself on its own website, and we point out where another company may suit you better.
Kind Water Co wrote this page and is one of the companies compared. Kind is listed first as our pick; the specialists follow in alphabetical order, with plumbing companies last. Other companies' details come from their own websites, read on October 17, 2026.
| Company | Our label | What they sell | Price on their website | Warranty or guarantee on their website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kind Water Co (that's us; we wrote this page) | #1 overall (our opinion) · #1 for service (our opinion) · Lowest posted price for a softener on its own (as of October 17, 2026) | Softeners, whole-home carbon filtration, reverse osmosis and well systems, plus salt delivery in the Des Moines metro | Yes, tax included: $1,900 softener only · $2,500 with whole-home carbon · $2,850 with reverse osmosis | Lifetime on parts, 5 years on media, 1 year on labor, plus a written water guarantee |
| BrightWater Home Services (BrightWater Kinetico) | Best for non-electric Kinetico systems | Kinetico softeners, filtration, drinking water systems and UV | Not posted; free water analysis | 10 years on parts for most equipment, 2 years of service-related labor |
| Culligan of Des Moines | Best for bottled water and softening from one company | Culligan softeners, drinking water and filtration systems, bottled water and coolers | No installed price; maintenance program from $35 a month | 30-day satisfaction guarantee; terms in owner's manuals |
| EcoWater Systems MidAmerica | Best for buying the EcoWater brand locally | EcoWater whole-home and drinking water systems | Not posted | Terms not stated on the pages we read |
| Iowa Soft Water / Aqua Systems of Des Moines | Best for a long labor warranty | Aqua Systems softeners, reverse osmosis, problem-water systems, bottled water, salt delivery, rentals | Yes: softeners from $2,199 plus $250 installation · reverse osmosis from $549 plus $200 installation | 10 years on labor and parts for SmartChoice Elite softeners; 90-day money-back guarantee |
| Prime Flow Filtration | Best for drinking water at one sink | Under-sink reverse osmosis only | Yes: $699, $899 or $1,099 installed | 1-year coverage with its $899 option, 2-year with its $1,099 option; none listed at $699 |
| RainSoft of Des Moines | Best for water and air purification from one company | RainSoft water conditioning, drinking water systems and air purification | Not posted; free in-home water test | Not stated on its home page |
| Water Treatments Des Moines | Best for picking a brand from a posted price list | North Star, Whirlpool, Aquasure and Heartland softeners; APEC, Waterdrop and iSpring reverse osmosis; whole-house filters | Yes: softener packages from $2,095 · softener with under-sink RO $2,950 · RO from $895 (its package notes say before tax) | 60-day workmanship guarantee on its packages |
| Plumbing companies: Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Des Moines and Schaal Heating, Cooling & Plumbing | Best for softener work done with other plumbing | Softener installation and repair alongside plumbing work | No figures posted | Not compared |
We read each company's own website on October 17, 2026, and wrote down five things: what it sells, whether it posts a price, the warranty or guarantee it states, whether it serves the Des Moines metro, and how you get a quote. Where a site didn't say, we wrote "not stated" instead of guessing.
We did not score anyone, count reviews, ask for quotes or visit showrooms. This isn't every company in the area. We picked well-known local water treatment companies and two plumbing companies, and left others out, including some whose websites we could not check. Only Kind Water Co is ranked; every other company gets a "best for" label we think is fair. If we got something wrong about your company, email hello@kindwaterco.com and we will fix it.
We think Kind Water Co is the best all-around choice for most Des Moines-area homes. Here is why:
Of the companies on this page that post prices, ours is the lowest posted price for a softener on its own: $1,900 installed, with tax included. Water Treatments Des Moines lists its softener package from $2,095, installed but before tax. Aqua Systems lists its Series 4000 softener from $2,199 plus a $250 installation charge, and its site doesn't say whether tax is included. The other companies on this page don't post a softener price.
That label covers a softener on its own. Ours is also the lowest posted price for a softener with reverse osmosis. It is not the lowest for everything. Prime Flow Filtration posts an installed reverse osmosis system from $699, below our $897. Aqua Systems lists a standard reverse osmosis system at $549 plus $200 installation, also below our $897. Water Treatments Des Moines lists a 2-in-1 softener and filter unit at $2,395, below our $2,500 for a softener with whole-home carbon filtration; its list doesn't say whether that includes installation or tax.
| What you're buying | Kind Water Co (tax included) | Water Treatments Des Moines | Iowa Soft Water / Aqua Systems of Des Moines | Prime Flow Filtration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Softener on its own | $1,900 | From $2,095 (package, before tax) | From $2,199 + $250 installation | Doesn't sell softeners |
| Softener with whole-home filtration | $2,500 (softener with whole-home carbon filtration) | $2,395 or $2,495 (2-in-1 unit, list price) | $3,700 (City Stack, a softener its site recommends for chlorinated city water) | Doesn't sell softeners |
| Softener with reverse osmosis | $2,850 (includes whole-home carbon filtration too) | $2,950 (package, before tax) | Sold separately (from $2,199 + $549, plus installation) | Doesn't sell softeners |
| Under-sink reverse osmosis | $897 tank · $997 tankless | $895 tank · $995 tankless (packages, before tax) | From $549 + $200 installation | $699 installed ($899 or $1,099 with filter changes and coverage added) |
Prices as posted on each company's website on October 17, 2026. Aqua Systems lists installation as a separate add-on on some products, says pricing is subject to change, and doesn't say whether tax is included. Water Treatments Des Moines' package notes say taxes are excluded, its softener list doesn't say what its prices include, and its About page says its pricing covers taxes, so ask for the total in writing. Equipment and capacity differ from company to company.
See what local customers say in our Des Moines Google reviews.
Kind Water Co comes first as our pick. The water treatment specialists follow in alphabetical order, and plumbing companies come last.
We sell and install water softeners, whole-home carbon filtration, reverse osmosis and well systems across Des Moines and Polk County, and we deliver water softener salt in the Des Moines metro. We're family-owned, founded in 2021 and headquartered in Des Moines. Call or text 515-709-4674.
Price: $1,900 softener only · $2,500 with whole-home carbon filtration · $2,850 with reverse osmosis, all with equipment, installation and tax included. Warranty: lifetime on parts, five years on media, one year on labor. See our systems or the whole-home water softener.
An authorized independent Kinetico dealer on SW 63rd Street in Des Moines. Its site says it has served the area for more than 25 years. It sells Kinetico softeners, filtration, drinking water systems and UV, and its twin-tank softeners run without electricity.
Price: not posted; it offers a free water analysis. Warranty: its site states 10 years on parts for most equipment and 2 years of service-related labor.
The Culligan dealer on 7th Street in West Des Moines. It sells Culligan softeners, drinking water and filtration systems, bottled water and coolers, and it offers a free water test.
Price: no installed price posted; its Better Water for Life maintenance program is listed from $35 a month. Warranty: its page mentions a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and points to owner's manuals for warranty terms.
Sells and installs EcoWater systems across the Des Moines metro and Central Iowa, including Ankeny, Waukee, Altoona and West Des Moines. Its line includes whole-home and drinking water systems.
Price: not posted. Warranty: described as comprehensive; terms not stated on the pages we read.
Locally owned for 40 years, according to its site. It sells Aqua Systems softeners, reverse osmosis and problem-water systems, plus bottled water, salt delivery and rentals, across a long list of Central Iowa towns.
Price: posted: a Series 4000 softener from $2,199 plus a $250 installation charge, SmartChoice Elite softeners from $3,000, and a standard reverse osmosis system at $549 plus a $200 installation charge. Warranty: 10 years on labor and 10 years on parts for SmartChoice Elite (the Series 4000 lists 1 year on labor), plus a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Under-sink reverse osmosis only. Its site says it does not install softeners or whole-house systems, and that it serves the Des Moines metro.
Price: $699 installed; its $899 and $1,099 options add filter changes and service visits. Coverage: its site lists 1-year coverage with the $899 option and 2-year coverage with the $1,099 option, and none for the $699 option.
Family-owned and locally operated since 1978, according to its site. It sells RainSoft water conditioning and drinking water systems, plus air purification.
Price: not posted; it offers a free in-home water test and free estimates. Warranty: not stated on its home page.
A West Des Moines company that describes itself as licensed and family-owned. It installs North Star, Whirlpool, Aquasure and Heartland softeners, APEC, Waterdrop and iSpring reverse osmosis units, and whole-house filters.
Price: posted: softener packages from $2,095, a softener with under-sink RO package at $2,950, and RO packages from $895, before tax per its package notes. Its softener list also shows 2-in-1 softener and filter units at $2,395 and $2,495. Warranty: a 60-day workmanship guarantee on its packages.
Some plumbing companies install and repair softeners too. Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Des Moines, a locally owned franchise, says it tests your water and gives a flat-rate price before any work starts. Schaal Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, which says it has served Iowa homes for 80 years, lists softeners, reverse osmosis and whole-house filtration.
Price: no figures posted. Warranty: not compared.
A water softener does not treat nitrate. A softener takes out hardness, the calcium and magnesium behind spots and scale. If nitrate is on your mind, start with a certified lab test. On a private well, your county health department can tell you about Iowa's free well testing. Our in-home water test also gives a nitrate screening reading. It is a quick first look, not a lab result.
Kind Water Co also installs Whole-Home Nitrate Removal, its own tank installed after the softener. We have your water tested for nitrate and arsenic first, choose the system from the lab results, and test again after installation. It is quoted after testing, so mention it when you book. Among the other companies on this page, Water Treatments Des Moines also lists whole-house nitrate systems on its website.
Des Moines Water Works runs three treatment plants for Central Iowa Water Works, and softening is part of the treatment. In 2025 the treated water averaged about 8.5 to 8.9 grains per gallon of hardness across the three plants. Many families still choose a softener for fewer spots and less scale on fixtures, but test your own tap before you buy.
Find your town: Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Waukee, Altoona, or the rest of Polk County.
Call or text 515-709-4674, email hello@kindwaterco.com, or get an instant quote. You can also read about water softeners and water treatment in Des Moines, whole-house water filtration in Des Moines, reverse osmosis in Des Moines and how our whole-home bundle compares with national brands.
Our pick is Kind Water Co. Please know that Kind Water Co wrote this page and is one of the companies compared. We pick ourselves for posted, tax-included prices, a written water guarantee and a reply within one business day. Other good local choices: BrightWater Home Services for Kinetico systems, and Iowa Soft Water / Aqua Systems of Des Moines for a long labor warranty.
On October 17, 2026, Kind Water Co, Water Treatments Des Moines and Iowa Soft Water / Aqua Systems of Des Moines posted softener prices on their websites. Prime Flow Filtration posts reverse osmosis prices but doesn't sell softeners. BrightWater, Culligan, EcoWater, RainSoft and the plumbing companies we checked did not post an installed price.
Ours is $1,900 for a softener on its own, $2,500 with whole-home carbon filtration and $2,850 with reverse osmosis added, with equipment, installation and tax included. Among other companies that post prices, Water Treatments Des Moines lists softener packages from $2,095 before tax, and Aqua Systems lists softeners from $2,199, plus a $250 installation charge.
Not always. Des Moines Water Works softens as part of its treatment, and in 2025 its treated water averaged about 8.5 to 8.9 grains per gallon of hardness. Many families still want a softener for fewer spots and less scale. Test your own tap first; our in-home test is free.
No. A softener takes out hardness, not nitrate. Nitrate needs its own treatment, chosen after a certified lab test. Our in-home water test gives a nitrate screening reading as a first look. Kind Water Co installs Whole-Home Nitrate Removal as its own tank after the softener. We have your water tested for nitrate and arsenic first, choose the system from the lab results and test again after installation.
We picked well-known companies whose own websites show they sell or install water treatment in the Des Moines metro, and read each site on October 17, 2026. It isn't every company in the area. Only Kind Water Co is ranked; the others are listed in alphabetical order, plumbing companies last, each with a "best for" label.
Whole-home water softening, filtration, and reverse-osmosis drinking water — professionally installed and built to last a lifetime.
Serving Des Moines, Polk County & homes across Iowa
Kind Water Co is a d/b/a of Zero Cap Investments LLC · 600 SE 15th St, Des Moines, IA 50317
.webp)
