Your tap water may look clean and taste fine — but what’s really flowing from your faucets could surprise you. Even in cities like Melbourne, where water treatment is rigorous and generally reliable, trace contaminants and ageing infrastructure can introduce health risks that most people never see coming.

Melbourne’s Water: Safe, But Not Perfect

Melbourne’s tap water is sourced from protected catchments and treated according to high standards. It’s regularly tested for bacteria, minerals, and basic chemical safety. But recent reports show that “safe” doesn’t always mean “pure.”

A 2024 investigation from News.com.au revealed the presence of PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) — often called “forever chemicals” — in several water supplies across Australia. These chemicals are linked to cancer, liver damage, and reproductive issues, and they’re incredibly hard to remove.

While the U.S. recently lowered safe PFAS levels from 560 to just 4 parts per trillion, Australia’s standards haven’t caught up. That means water deemed “safe” here might fail in other countries.

Common Contaminants Found in Tap Water

Even if PFAS isn’t a concern in your postcode, here’s what might still be in your water:

  • Chlorine: Added for disinfection, but often affects taste and can form harmful by-products.

  • Lead: Can leach from old household plumbing or underground pipes.

  • Pesticides & herbicides: From agricultural runoff, especially after heavy rains.

  • Sediment & rust: From ageing pipes and construction disturbances.

  • Microplastics: Increasingly found in urban water supplies, though under-tested in Australia.

What Filtration Really Adds

Government testing stops at the water meter. Once it enters your home, the quality depends on your plumbing — and what you do to filter it.

Smart Home Filtration uses a true 4-stage system:

  1. Sediment filter: Removes visible dirt, sand, and rust.

  2. Resin: Softens water and reduces scale using ion exchange.

  3. UDF carbon: Targets chlorine, chemical residues, and bad taste.

  4. KDF-55: Removes heavy metals like lead and mercury.

Unlike “2-in-1” filters that combine stages, each of our filters is purpose-built — delivering cleaner, safer water for every tap in your home.

Do You Need a Filter If Your Water Is Safe?

Yes — and here’s why:

  • Treatment isn’t perfect. Disinfection chemicals like chlorine do their job but linger.

  • Infrastructure varies. You don’t control what happens in ageing pipes or tanks.

  • Standards lag behind science. Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

What You Can Do Today

  • Request a Free Water Assessment — We’ll test your home’s supply on-site.

  • Download our Tap Water Toxin Checklist — Know what to look for.

  • Take control — A whole-home filter gives your family peace of mind every time they shower, brush, or cook.

Better water isn’t a luxury — it’s a daily necessity.

Proudly helping Australian families protect what matters most, one home at a time.

Smart Home Filtration
Water your family can trust.