When it comes to well water, contamination and hard water often go hand in hand. So why shouldn’t your water treatment as well? What you need is a well water filter system that will take care of your problems together.
I’ve used my decades of experience in the water treatment industry to analyze systems that do just that, personally researching and testing various water filters and softener combinations. I’ve also interviewed verified customers and plumbers, all to provide you with an impartial review.
By the end of my SpringWell WSSS1 review, you’ll know if this system is the right choice for your home.
Quick Verdict
With its efficient filtration technology, minimal upkeep, and filter longevity, the SpringWell WSSS1 Well Water Filter and Salt Based Water Softener is a worthy investment for users dealing with mild well water contaminants and hard minerals.
SpringWell has a solution for every household, regardless of its size. If you have one to three bathrooms, the WSSS1 is the whole-house well water filter and softener for you. For larger homes with more than three bathrooms, SpringWell offers the WSS4, a larger system but otherwise the same.
If you’re dealing with a combination of hard water minerals, ferric and ferrous iron, hydrogen sulfide — the source of that rotten egg smell you’ve been noticing — and manganese in your well water, SpringWell offers the solution with its WSSS1 Well Water Filter and Salt Based Water Softener.
Who Is the SpringWell WSSS1 For?
While this filter-softener combo may be the best choice for some users, it may not address every issue for everyone.
The SpringWell WSSS1 is for you if…
- You live in a one-to-three-bathroom household with a private well.
- You have iron, hydrogen sulfide, and manganese in your water.
- You have mild to moderately hard well water.
- You need a system that requires minimal maintenance.
- You want to control your whole-house water filter system through your smartphone.
- You want to treat water throughout your home and not just one faucet.
- You don’t like replacing filters.
- You’re not dealing with serious dangerous contaminants, like pesticides and lead.
- You want a filter softener combo with lifetime protection and a six-month money-back guarantee.
The WSSS1 won’t suit you if…
- Your water contains lead, copper, tannins, nitrates, and other pollutants beyond iron, manganese, and sulfur.
- The contamination is due to poor construction of your well. In that case, no filter can help, and you must renovate your well first.
- You’d rather skip the hassle of refilling salt every few weeks or you live in a place that prohibits salt-based softeners; in that case, check out the SpringWell FutureSoft salt-free water conditioner.
- You have a large property with four or more bathrooms, or you have very hard water; in that case, the larger WSSS4 is a better option.
- You have highly acidic or highly alkaline water; the oxidation filtration process requires a pH range of 6.8 to 7.8.
SpringWell Features Breakdown
I have reviewed several other whole-house filters and water softeners, and most have similar filtration technology, component quality, and durability, but here are the features that are most notable in the SpringWell WSSS1.
Filtration technology
What sets SpringWell’s air injection oxidation (AIO) apart from other oxidation methods is its ability to remove iron and hydrogen sulfide without adding unpleasant and costly chemicals like chlorine and hydrogen peroxide into your water or relying on ozone, which is corrosive and can damage pipes.
The air oxidation process removes up to 7 PPM of iron, 8 PPM of hydrogen sulfide, and 1 PPM of manganese simply by drawing in air from the surrounding environment, and as the water moves through the resulting air pocket, it oxidizes the elements. The solid oxidized particles are then trapped in a flushable, long-lasting Greensand filter media.
Sound reduction
Older air injection technologies typically make a blasting noise during regeneration cycles. But SpringWell’s air injection oxidation tank eliminates this noise by releasing a small amount of air charge before regeneration.
This is particularly useful in small homes where filter regeneration can be heard in every room. You don’t want your filter blasting noises in the middle of the night and disturbing your family.
Smart features
The WSSS1 comes with smart Bluetooth technology in its electronic head. That means you can control the frequency and duration of the backwashing cycle from the palm of your hand, virtually anywhere.
Simply connect the water filter to your smartphone and adjust your valve settings and air draw, and monitor your water usage. You can also monitor the softener resin-bed backwashing and regeneration.
Controlled backwashes mean you can time the self-cleaning cycle when the water is not in use, which is specific to every household. Additionally, you can save water that often goes wasted in untimed and unnecessary backwashes. This helps eliminate some of the environmental concerns directed at salt-based water softeners.
Longevity
The SpringWell WSSS1 system will last more than a decade without any maintenance. The air oxidation process and self-cleaning cycles will function that long without any interruption.
Similarly, the water softener will continue to soften the water, backwash, and regenerate its resin bed as long as you continue refilling the brine tank.
However, if your water has high sediment content, you may need to invest in a sediment pre-filter to protect your well water filtration system. The WSSS1 doesn’t come with one, and sediment can wreak havoc on the components.
A long filter life means you won’t have to spend your hard-earned money on replacing filters or dealing with maintenance. Plus, you’ll be doing your part for the environment by cutting down on the waste of expired filters in landfills and the hassle of ordering new ones all the time.
Minimal maintenance
Once the WSSS1 is installed, it demands minimal maintenance, with the only exception being the periodic refill of the brine tank for water softener regeneration, a task that typically takes no more than 10 minutes to complete. Purchasing salt might seem like a hassle at first, but you can have it delivered on a schedule, right to your door.
The AIO tank will continue to produce iron-free, fresh water without any maintenance from your end. It’s designed to backwash and regenerate itself using free air, so you won’t have to worry about constantly purchasing and refilling chemicals, as is often necessary with the chemical injection process.
This not only ensures hassle-free operation but also saves you a significant amount of money in the long run that you’d otherwise spend on regular filter checkups.
Available upgrades
I won’t pretend the WSSS1 is a universal cure for all water quality issues. It’s not designed for many contaminants and problems — but SpringWell itself is. You can add a sediment filter, UV sterilizer, or point-of-use reverse osmosis filter to your WSSS1 to remove almost 99% of microbial contamination and toxic heavy metals.
A single filter may not effectively address all types of contaminants, which is why testing your water is absolutely essential. This allows you to tailor your treatment to address each specific contaminant effectively. If you want to test your water at home, read my list of the best at-home water testing kits.
Lifetime warranty
The SpringWell WSSS1 offers an outstanding perk with its lifetime warranty and six-month money-back guarantee. This means your tanks, housings, and valves are safeguarded from manufacturing defects for life. You also have the freedom to test the filtration system for six months, and if it doesn’t meet your standards, you can return it.
However, the warranty does not include defects caused by improper installation and misuse. And you will have to pay the shipping fees involved in returning the unit.
What I Like About the SpringWell WSSS1
I absolutely love the Springwell WSSS1 unit for several reasons. First, I appreciate that it’s not overkill. With water filtration, often it’s either not enough or too much. The WSSS1 is the Goldilocks of well water filtration systems. If you don’t live near industry or agriculture, you likely don’t need something to remove every contaminant under the sun.
I also love the convenience of controlling the backwash and regeneration cycles for both the filter and softener right from my smartphone. At this point, I won’t buy any appliance I can’t control from my phone or tablet. This level of automation ensures the system remains optimized without any fuss.
It’s also nice that maintenance is such a breeze, except for the occasional salt refill for the water softener regeneration, which is a requirement in any salt-based water softener. I loathe the fuss and waste of filter cartridges.
The icing on the cake is the lifetime warranty, offering peace of mind that my investment is protected for the long haul.
What You Might Not Like About the SpringWell WSSS1
One notable downside is that it doesn’t come with a sediment pre-filter, which is essential for preventing potential damage to both the AIO filter and the water softener resin. This means an additional purchase and added cost to ensure the system’s longevity.
The WSSS1 is designed to treat iron, hydrogen sulfide, manganese, and hard water. It does not treat serious contaminants, such as lead, arsenic, nitrates, tannins, VOCs, pesticides, herbicides, or pathogens and microbes. For clean and safe drinking water, you should also install SpringWell’s reverse osmosis under-sink filter.
Always test your water and identify the contaminants in your well. In cases of bacterial pollutants, it’s a good idea to have a professional plumber inspect your well for quality, especially for older wells that may have cracks or poor design, which can lead to contamination.
Methodology
Here’s the breakdown of my seven-step approach that helped me analyze and test the SpringWell WSSS1.
Step 1: A list of all SpringWell whole-house water filter systems
To start my research, I compiled a list of SpringWell’s well water filters. Among these options, the WSSS1 stands out as a fitting solution for mild well water issues.
Conducting a comparison between WSSS1 and other well water filters as well as filter-softener combinations from different brands provided me with valuable insights into the unique features that set the WSSS1 apart.
Step 2: Product analysis
I then took to Google and asked important questions about water filters and water softener technologies:
- How does air injection oxidation work and how does it differ from chemical injection?
- How common is the combination of well water pollutants and hard water in private wells?
- What filter technologies should one look for to treat sulfur, iron, and manganese?
- What grain capacity is best for treating hard water?
- Are other pollutants common in well water?
- How do smart technologies make water filtration systems more efficient?
- What warranty should I expect from a whole-house filter and softener combo?
- Can I install a whole-house filter myself?
Step 3: Online reviews
In the next step, I turned to online reviews and testimonials about the WSSS1. I scoured websites like Consumer Reports, Trustpilot, and Angie’s List to gather insights from people who had used this product.
I needed to look for repeated complaints and praise to know which direction to focus my research. Some people loved that the WSSS1 was just for mild well water issues and hard water. Others needed something with a bit more oomph or had issues fulfilling their warranty. But performance wasn’t much of an issue.
Step 4: Interviews with real customers
In the following phase, I made a point to reach out to actual customers for their input. This approach was especially crucial since I took online reviews with a grain of salt, understanding that not all of them could be entirely reliable.
It proved incredibly beneficial, providing me with details I had previously overlooked, such as information about the delivery service and shipping fees.
Step 5: Interview with SpringWell
In the next phase, I aimed to assess their customer service, so I emailed them my questions regarding their water filter. I even included some of the complaints mentioned by other customers to gauge their response to criticism.
To my surprise, SpringWell replied within an hour, addressing all my queries. Moreover, they expressed a willingness to schedule a call for a more in-depth discussion and clarification of my questions.
Step 6: Test drives
For this step, I rented the WSSS1 and set it up in my own home. Throughout this process, I meticulously analyzed the ease of installation and the quality of the components. I played with the Bluetooth settings and observed regeneration and backwash.
Over the course of three months, I rigorously tested the filter, closely monitoring the water’s quality using an at-home testing kit.
Step 7: Ranking
By the end of this extensive evaluation, I had gathered all the information necessary to compose a comprehensive report encompassing everything one should know about the WSSS1. My final analysis was based on the following criteria:
- Filtration technology
- Grain capacity
- Filtered water quality
- Eco-friendliness
- Smart features
- Longevity and durability
- Ease of installation
- Maintenance
- Warranty
Conclusion
I can easily recommend the SpringWell WSSS1 for a private well that has iron, hydrogen sulfide, manganese, and mild to moderate hard water.
Using AIO technology and smart backwashing, the WSSS1 filter effectively reduces orange and black stains produced by iron and manganese, eliminating the need for filter replacements.
The WSSS1 water softener equipped with 10% crosslink resin will effectively soften the water while smart technology reduces salt usage and the frequency of backwash cycles. The cherry on top is SpringWell’s lifetime warranty and six-month money-back guarantee.
It may not be a powerhouse for removing every contaminant in the world, but why pay for that if you don’t need it? If your well water has a rotten egg smell and stains your fixtures with iron and scale buildup, invest in the SpringWell WSSS1 Well Water Filter and Salt Based Water Softener today.
Alternatives
While this system is my top choice to treat hard well water with iron and hydrogen sulfide, it may not fit every household based on water quality issues. For more info, read my list of the best whole-house filter and water softener combinations. Here’s a sneak peak at some alternatives I frequently recommend:
SpringWell WSSF Whole House Water Filter and Salt-Free Softener
If you have only mild hard water and live where salt-based water softeners are not allowed, consider SpringWell’s WSSF filter and conditioner. It doesn’t take salt, so you won’t have to refill the brine tank regularly, saving you money on salt purchases.
However, keep in mind that a conditioner will not soften your well water but will neutralize hard minerals and reduce scaling around the house.
The WSSF system will effectively reduce iron, hydrogen sulfide, and manganese in water while also improving the objectionable taste and color caused by these pollutants.
If you need further information, you can access my comprehensive review of the Springwell WSSF-1 here.
US Waters Systems Filter and Softener Combo
If you’re on hard city water, you might want to go with the US Water Systems filter and softener combo that treats chlorine, chloramine, PFOA/PFOS, and hard minerals. Like SpringWell, you can connect this with your smartphone and monitor water usage and control regeneration cycles.
One benefit of this water softener over SpringWell’s is that it has a built-in safety feature to prevent overflow or flooding.
Crystal Quest SMART Water Filtration System
The Crystal Quest SMART filter system gives you the choice of a water softener or salt-free conditioner. Unlike the WSSS1, it effectively eliminates chlorine, chloramine, trihalomethane, lead, mercury, and herbicides from tap water, making it a decent choice for homes on city water or those with industrial or agricultural pollution in their well water supply.
It’s a multistage filtration system that makes sure you get clean and healthy water throughout your home.
If you’re on the lookout for water filter evaluations beyond the SpringWell WSSS1 filter, you’ve come to the perfect destination. Our comprehensive library of water filter assessments includes a diverse selection of brands and models currently on the market. Count on our detailed reviews to offer you valuable insights.
Here, we present a selection of water filter brands and models that we’ve rigorously examined.
