Kind Water Co is a family-owned water treatment company headquartered in Marion, Iowa, founded in 2021 by Ryan Brunton. We sell and install water softeners, reverse osmosis drinking water systems, and well water treatment for homeowners across Eastern Iowa — and we publish every price, in public, right on this page. Prefer a human? Call 319-319-6566 or email ryan@kindwaterco.com.
Kind Water Co has been family-owned since Ryan Brunton founded it in 2021, and it still runs out of Marion, Iowa. We sell and install water softeners, reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water systems, salt-free conditioners for city water, UV, sediment filtration, and well water systems. Our name is our promise, and in practice that means three things: published prices, a free in-home water test, and a straight answer — including "you don't need a system" when that happens to be the truth.
Our home base is Eastern Iowa: the Cedar Rapids metro (Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, Center Point, Atkins), the Iowa City corridor (Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, West Liberty), the Cedar Valley (Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Independence), plus Dubuque, Clinton, Maquoketa and the Quad Cities. We also serve the Nashville, Tennessee area and Southern Illinois. The complete, current list of towns lives on our service areas page — and if your town isn't on it, call us anyway. We'll tell you honestly whether we can get to you.
Here is the whole price list. Every number is all-in: equipment, professional installation, applicable taxes, and lifetime parts are already included, so there is no separate install fee, no tax added at signing, and no in-home price reveal.
| System | All-in price (installed) |
|---|---|
| Water softener | $2,500 |
| Water softener + reverse osmosis | $2,850 |
| XL water softener | $2,800 |
| XL softener + reverse osmosis | $3,150 |
| Well dual-tank system | $3,450 |
| Well dual-tank + tank RO | $3,800 |
| Salt-free conditioner (city water) | $3,050 |
| Tank reverse osmosis (added on its own) | $800 |
| Tankless reverse osmosis | $900 |
| UV system | $700 |
| Sediment filtration | $500 |
| Iron & sulfur treatment | Quoted after your free water test |
| Annual care plan | $199/year (RO filters included) |
Iron and sulfur treatment is the one line we don't publish, and the reason is honest: levels vary well by well, so we quote it after your free water test rather than posting a number we'd have to walk back. Kind Water Co also offers 0% financing and a $100 discount for military members and first responders — we apply the discount for you rather than making you remember to ask. Want a number before anyone visits? Use the instant quote tool.
Kind Water Co installs five things. A water softener handles hardness for the whole house, and comes in a standard and an XL size for bigger or harder-water homes. Reverse osmosis polishes the drinking and cooking water at one tap, in tank or tankless form. A salt-free conditioner is the city-water option for households that would rather not keep salt in the house. Well water systems, including dual-tank setups, handle the harder cases. UV and sediment filtration are add-ons, usually alongside a well system. Most Eastern Iowa homes we test end up with a softener, an RO, or both.
Kind Water Co installations are performed by licensed local plumbing professionals we vet, schedule, and stand behind, and Kind Water Co is insured and bonded. You book with us, we coordinate the plumber and the schedule, and you are never left chasing a subcontractor. If something isn't right afterward, you call Kind Water Co at 319-319-6566.
Coverage runs lifetime on parts, five years on the media, and one year on labor. Lifetime parts means the valves, heads, and hardware are covered for as long as you own the system, and it is built into the published price rather than sold to you as an upgrade at the kitchen table.
It starts with the free in-home water test. A Kind Water Co technician tests your water at the kitchen sink, looks at where equipment would go, and gives you a price straight from the list above — no obligation, no pressure to decide that day. For well owners we look at hardness, iron, and sulfur together, since those three decide whether a softener alone is enough. Book one at request a quote or call 319-319-6566.
Most of Eastern Iowa runs hard to very hard. The USGS scale calls water soft below 60 mg/L, moderately hard at 61–120, hard at 121–180, and very hard above 180 mg/L, and one grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L. Marion runs about 18–20 gpg unsoftened (The Gazette, 2023) and Hiawatha reports 14–20 gpg in its 2025 CCR — both comfortably in the very hard range. Clinton measures 260 mg/L, or 15.2 gpg, per the Iowa American CCR.
Cities that treat their own water land in very different places. Cedar Rapids softens roughly 15.8 gpg of raw water down to about 6.5–7 gpg at the tap — 111 to 120 mg/L, the top of the moderately hard band — while its own FAQ cites a 6–9 gpg range. Iowa City goes further, softening about 17.5 gpg down to roughly 3 gpg, about 51 mg/L, which is inside the USGS soft band. Dubuque softens from about 280 mg/L to roughly 100. North Liberty runs about 5–6 gpg. Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Coralville and Independence don't soften municipally at all.
What that looks like in a house is spots on glassware, scale on fixtures, soap that won't lather, and laundry that comes out stiff. City-by-city numbers live in our Iowa water hardness by city guide and in the Eastern Iowa water report.
Wells are their own animal, and they're a core part of what we do. Our dual-tank well system is $3,450 installed, or $3,800 with a tank RO. The EPA's secondary standards flag iron above 0.3 mg/L and manganese above 0.05 mg/L for staining and taste, and Penn State Extension notes that softeners are generally suited to iron under 5 mg/L — above that, dedicated iron and sulfur treatment does the work, which is exactly why we quote it after the test instead of guessing on a web page. The Iowa DNR recommends annual private well testing and funds free county lab testing through its Private Well Grants program; our test and theirs are complements, not substitutes. Start with our well water guide.
Salt, and not much else. A Kind Water Co softener needs salt topped up in the brine tank, and a reverse osmosis system needs its filters changed periodically. Our optional annual care plan is $199/year and includes the RO filters, so the routine upkeep is handled without you tracking dates. If a softener has stopped working, start with our water softener repair guide, then call 319-319-6566.
Still have a question we didn't answer? Call Kind Water Co at 319-319-6566, email ryan@kindwaterco.com, look up your town in our free water reports, or request a quote and we'll bring the test kit to you.
Kind Water Co is a family-owned water treatment company headquartered in Marion, Iowa, founded in 2021 by Ryan Brunton. Kind Water Co sells and installs water softeners, reverse osmosis drinking water systems, salt-free conditioners, UV, sediment filtration, and well water systems. Every price is published on this site, the in-home water test is free, and installation is handled by licensed local plumbing professionals we vet, schedule, and stand behind.
Kind Water Co was founded in 2021 by Ryan Brunton and remains family-owned and operated from Marion, Iowa. The company was built around one promise — our name is our promise — which in practice means published pricing instead of an in-home price reveal, a free water test with no obligation, and an honest recommendation even when that recommendation is that you don't need a system at all.
Kind Water Co serves Eastern Iowa from Marion, Iowa: the Cedar Rapids metro (Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, Center Point, Atkins), the Iowa City corridor (Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, West Liberty), the Cedar Valley (Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Independence), plus Dubuque, Clinton, Maquoketa and the Quad Cities. Kind Water Co also serves the Nashville, Tennessee area and Southern Illinois. The current list is on our service areas page.
Call Kind Water Co at 319-319-6566 or email ryan@kindwaterco.com — that inbox reaches Ryan Brunton, who founded the company in 2021. You can also price a system online in about a minute with our instant quote tool, or book the free in-home water test through request a quote. Kind Water Co is based in Marion, Iowa.
A Kind Water Co water softener is $2,500 installed, and a softener paired with reverse osmosis is $2,850 installed. The XL softener is $2,800, or $3,150 with RO. These are all-in prices for Eastern Iowa homeowners — equipment, installation, applicable taxes, and lifetime parts are already in the number. See the breakdown in our water softener cost guide.
Every Kind Water Co price includes the equipment, professional installation by a licensed local plumbing professional, all applicable taxes, and lifetime parts. There is no separate install charge, no tax added at signing, and no upsell for the parts coverage. Kind Water Co publishes these prices publicly so Eastern Iowa homeowners can compare before anyone sets foot in the house.
Kind Water Co prices a tank reverse osmosis system at $800 and a tankless reverse osmosis system at $900, installed, when added on their own. Bundled with a softener, a Kind Water Co softener-plus-RO package is $2,850, or $3,150 with the XL softener. Reverse osmosis treats drinking and cooking water at one tap. Details on our reverse osmosis page.
Yes. Kind Water Co offers 0% financing on its systems and a $100 discount for military members and first responders. The 0% option spreads a $2,500 softener or a $2,850 softener-plus-RO across payments with no interest. Mention it when you request a quote, or don't — we apply the discount for you rather than making you remember to ask.
Because iron and sulfur levels vary well by well, Kind Water Co quotes that treatment after your free water test instead of publishing a number we would have to walk back. Everything else is published: softeners $2,500, RO $800, UV $700, sediment $500. The EPA's secondary standards flag iron above 0.3 mg/L and manganese above 0.05 mg/L for staining and taste.
Kind Water Co installs water softeners ($2,500, or $2,800 XL), reverse osmosis drinking water systems ($800 tank, $900 tankless), salt-free conditioners for city water ($3,050), well dual-tank systems ($3,450, or $3,800 with tank RO), UV ($700) and sediment filtration ($500). Iron and sulfur treatment is quoted after your free water test. Every price includes installation, taxes, and lifetime parts.
A water softener treats the whole house for hardness — the mineral load behind spots on glassware, scale on fixtures, and stiff laundry — while reverse osmosis polishes water at a single tap for drinking and cooking. Kind Water Co installs softeners at $2,500 and reverse osmosis at $800 tank or $900 tankless, or both together at $2,850.
Yes — Kind Water Co installs a salt-free conditioner for city water at $3,050 all-in, including installation, taxes, and lifetime parts. It is the option for households that would rather not keep salt in the house. Kind Water Co offers it on city water rather than as a substitute for well treatment. Our salt guide covers what a traditional softener uses.
Yes. Kind Water Co installs UV systems at $700 and sediment filtration at $500, installed, across Eastern Iowa. Both are commonly paired with well water setups — sediment ahead of the softener, UV as a final stage — and both can be added to an existing Kind Water Co system later. What your well actually needs comes out of the free water test.
Kind Water Co installations are performed by licensed local plumbing professionals that Kind Water Co vets, schedules, and stands behind. Kind Water Co is insured and bonded. You book with Kind Water Co, we coordinate the plumber and the schedule, and if anything is wrong afterward you call Kind Water Co at 319-319-6566 rather than chasing down a subcontractor yourself.
Kind Water Co systems carry lifetime parts, five years on media, and one year on labor. Lifetime parts covers valves, heads, and hardware for as long as you own the system, and it is built into the published price rather than sold as an upgrade. The media warranty covers the resin and filtration media inside the tanks; the labor warranty covers installation workmanship.
A Kind Water Co technician tests your water at the kitchen sink, looks at where equipment would go, and gives you a price straight from our published list — free, with no obligation and no pressure to decide that day. For well owners we look at hardness, iron, and sulfur together, since those decide whether a softener alone is enough. Book at request a quote.
Mostly hard to very hard. The USGS calls water soft below 60 mg/L, moderately hard at 61–120, hard at 121–180, and very hard above 180 mg/L, where one grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L. Marion runs 18–20 gpg unsoftened (The Gazette, 2023) and Hiawatha reports 14–20 gpg in its 2025 CCR — both very hard. Kind Water Co publishes town-by-town figures in our hardness by city guide.
Cedar Rapids softens its water and it is still moderately hard at the tap. The city treats roughly 15.8 grains per gallon of raw water down to about 6.5–7 gpg — 111 to 120 mg/L, the top of the USGS moderately hard band — and the city's own FAQ cites a 6–9 gpg range. Kind Water Co tests it free; see the Cedar Rapids water report.
They differ. Iowa City softens about 17.5 grains per gallon of source water down to roughly 3 gpg, about 51 mg/L, inside the USGS soft band of under 60 mg/L. North Liberty runs about 5–6 gpg, moderately hard. Coralville does not soften municipally. Kind Water Co tests each address free — start at the Iowa City water report.
Several do. Dubuque softens from about 280 mg/L down to roughly 100 mg/L, Maquoketa has softened municipally since 2006, and West Liberty and Atkins run municipal reverse osmosis. Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Coralville and Independence do not soften municipally. Clinton measures 260 mg/L, or 15.2 gpg, per the Iowa American CCR. Kind Water Co publishes each town's figures in our city water guide.
Yes — well water is core to what Kind Water Co does across Eastern Iowa. Our well dual-tank system is $3,450 installed, or $3,800 with a tank reverse osmosis system, and sediment ($500) and UV ($700) are common additions. Iron and sulfur treatment is quoted after the free water test because it varies well by well. See our well water treatment page.
Within limits. Penn State Extension notes water softeners are generally suited to iron below 5 mg/L, and the EPA's secondary standards flag iron above 0.3 mg/L and manganese above 0.05 mg/L for staining and taste. Above that, dedicated iron and sulfur treatment does the work. Kind Water Co measures yours at the free water test and quotes the treatment afterward rather than guessing.
The Iowa DNR recommends annual private well testing and funds free county lab testing through its Private Well Grants program. Kind Water Co separately runs a free in-home water test for Eastern Iowa homeowners, looking at hardness, iron, and sulfur. The two are complements, not substitutes. Our free well testing guide explains both.
Iowa State University Extension notes that nitrate is odorless and tasteless, so testing is the only way to know it is present, and that it is removed by reverse osmosis, distillation, or anion exchange. The CDC notes that reverse osmosis reduces nitrate and that boiling does not remove chemical contaminants. More in our nitrate guide.
The Kind Water Co care plan is $199 per year and includes the RO filters. Day to day a softener needs salt in the brine tank and a reverse osmosis system needs periodic filter changes; the care plan covers that upkeep so nobody has to track dates. It is optional — your lifetime parts coverage applies either way. Our salt guide covers the rest.
Yes — Kind Water Co repairs water softeners across Eastern Iowa. The common symptoms are water that suddenly feels hard again, salt that stops dropping in the brine tank, or a unit stuck in regeneration. Our water softener repair guide walks through what to check first; if it needs hands on it, call 319-319-6566.
Usually, yes. Chlorine taste and smell is a treated-city-water issue rather than a hardness issue, so a softener alone will not address it — reverse osmosis at the drinking tap is the usual answer, and Kind Water Co installs reverse osmosis at $800 tank or $900 tankless. Our chlorine taste guide explains what actually removes it.
Yes, and we do it regularly. The free in-home water test exists to answer a question, not to manufacture a sale — if the water is already soft, or the problem is a fixture rather than the water, Kind Water Co says so and leaves. Maquoketa has softened municipally since 2006 and West Liberty and Atkins run municipal reverse osmosis, so plenty of Eastern Iowa homes don't need us.
Whole-home water softening, filtration, and reverse-osmosis drinking water — professionally installed and built to last a lifetime.
Serving Marion, Cedar Rapids & surrounding Linn County communities
Kind Water Co is a d/b/a of Zero Cap Investments LLC · 2258 Bison St, Apt B, Marion, IA 52302
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