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SpringWell Vs. Clean Water Store: Which Company Has the Right Whole House Water Filter for You?
Gerry Bulfin | October 2, 2025
As you research whole-house water filters, you’ll likely compare SpringWell with Clean Water Store. One thing to note upfront is that we sell and support these systems, but the aim here is to provide practical guidance you can verify. We’ll break down the key differences and the tradeoffs that matter so you can choose the right fit for your home and budget.
Below you’ll find a simple side-by-side of system options, installation help, pricing, upkeep, and long-term value. By the end, you’ll know which one lines up best with your water, your house, and your budget.
We’ve spent 25 years helping families on well and city water, and we know what makes a system easy to live with and what can turn into headaches. That experience guides this comparison.
What Are The Company Backgrounds and Philosophies Of SpringWell and Clean Water Store?
SpringWell: An Overview
SpringWell Water Filtration Systems (springwellwater.com) was founded in 2017. They are based in Daytona Beach, Florida. In February 2024, they were acquired by Fortune Brands Innovations (Moen). Their mission is to make clean, contaminant-free water accessible to families across the U.S. Their focus is on simplifying the water treatment process and offering high-quality residential filtration products.
SpringWell’s Philosophy
The company was founded on three guiding principles:
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- Simplicity: Helping customers understand their water and filtration options with clear explanations.
- Quality: Using high-grade materials such as coconut shell carbon and fine-micron cartridges in their systems.
- Customer Service: Offering accessible support through phone, chat, and email with a commitment to personalized solutions.
Clean Water Store: An Overview
Clean Water Store was founded in 1986 by Gerry Bulfin and remains independently family-owned and operated. Clean Water Store is based in Santa Cruz, California. Their focus is on making clean water easy for residential, commercial, agricultural, and community applications. Clean Water Store emphasizes cost-effective and environmentally friendly water treatment systems.
Clean Water Store’s Philosophy
Clean Water Store operates under the principle of putting customers’ needs first. The company avoids sales commissions and instead prioritizes recommending solutions that are the best fit for each customer. They also follow the Water Quality Association’s Code of Ethics, which emphasizes accuracy, transparency, and responsible system design using high-quality media and valve options.
What Products and Technology Do Springwell and Clean Water Store Focus On?
SpringWell’s Approach
SpringWell focuses on packaged water filtration systems designed primarily for residential customers, especially those on city water. Their product line includes whole-house filtration systems, water softeners, and specialty filters for chlorine, chloramines, and other contaminants. They also offer well water systems for issues like iron, sulfur, and tannins, giving homeowners solutions for both city and well water needs. However, SpringWell does not currently provide whole-house systems for arsenic removal. For fluoride, their option is an under-sink reverse osmosis filter.
Clean Water Store’s Approach
Like other direct-to-consumer brands, Clean Water Store offers bundled whole-house water filter systems, reverse osmosis, and softeners for city water and common well water problems—without the middleman markup. But unlike many DTC companies, Clean Water Store also offers customized solutions for tight spaces, larger residential and commercial applications, and customized solutions to unique water issues, backed by expert support and training resources. Their product catalog includes a range of products such as arsenic, tannin, iron bacteria, sulfur odor, and PFAS removal systems.
What Does The Buying Experience Look Like From SpringWell Vs. Clean Water Store?
SpringWell: The Buying Experience
SpringWell sells primarily through a direct-to-consumer model. This approach makes purchasing straightforward and accessible for homeowners. They also offer a six-month money-back guarantee, which provides additional reassurance for new customers.
How Clean Water Store Sells
Clean Water Store also sells through a direct-to-consumer model as well as offers a consultative approach. Homeowners can submit a water test for a free review, and the team will walk them through system options with personalized diagrams. Clean Water Store also offers a 6-month satisfaction guarantee on complete systems, even if used, excluding special order items, which are clearly marked on product pages.
What Kind Of Installation and Support Does SpringWell and Clean Water Store Provide?
Installation Process
SpringWell
SpringWell provides installation guides on its website to help customers set up their systems. They also offer video tutorials and customer support available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST.
Clean Water Store
Clean Water Store offers step-by-step diagrams, video resources, and direct line support options by phone, email, or chat with a WQA-certified water expert Monday through Saturday, 8am to 4pm PST.
Customer Support and Troubleshooting
SpringWell Customer Support
SpringWell offers customer support for both product questions and troubleshooting. Customers can reach their team through the website and service channels, including live chat. While chat can handle technical support as well as sales, more in-depth issues are often best handled over the phone for a quicker resolution.
Clean Water Store Customer Support
Clean Water Store provides customer support from water testing to ongoing support after the purchase. Customers have access to technical help by phone, email, or chat, as well as a direct line to a WQA-certified water expert if requested.
Cost Transparency and Pricing Philosophy
SpringWell’s Pricing
SpringWell presents pricing in a packaged, upfront format, giving customers a clear idea of costs at the time of purchase. This pricing applies to equipment only, as the company does not provide installation services. However, they can check their database to recommend local plumbers if a customer prefers professional help.
Clean Water Store’s Pricing
Clean Water Store has pricing available online for all of their products and also provides custom quotes to help customers put together multiple systems, emphasizing long-term value options, including such methods as ozone or batch chlorination. Pricing discussions typically include system cost, filter changes, servicing, and media replacement so that customers can better understand the full scope of ownership and decide what system would suit their water chemistry and preferences for maintenance.
How Do Customers Review SpringWell and Clean Water Store?
What Customers Say About SpringWell
SpringWell often receives positive feedback for simplicity and ease of purchase. Some customers also mention that the direct-to-consumer model makes the buying process straightforward. At the same time, a few reviews note that packaged systems may not address every unique water issue.
What Customers Say About Clean Water Store
Clean Water Store customers consistently praise our affordability, clear explanations, and responsive support. Many say they appreciated the ability to send in a water test and receive personalized guidance. Some reviews, however, mention that with so many system options available, it can take time to determine the best fit without expert help.
Key Comparisons: SpringWell vs. Clean Water Store
| Feature | SpringWell | Clean Water Store |
| System Sizes | Primarily designed for common residential flow rates. | Full range of residential and commercial systems, including short tanks for tight spaces and large tanks for high demand. |
| Disinfection Options | Limited selection (1–2 types available). | Wide variety, including multiple chlorination types, hydrogen peroxide systems, ozone, and UV sterilizers. |
| Experience | Primarily residential, with the ability to handle small-scale commercial projects depending on the main line size. | Residential, agricultural, public-sector (national/state parks, U.S. embassies), and custom community projects. |
| Product Range | Smaller overall selection focused on packaged residential systems. | Extensive selection of water treatment products, including filters, media, pumps, tanks, and accessories |
Which Company is Right for You?
Homeowners have several strong options when it comes to improving water quality, including providers like SpringWell and Clean Water Store.
SpringWell is recognized for its straightforward, packaged systems and direct-to-consumer buying process, which appeals to customers who want a simple path to cleaner water.
Clean Water Store offers comparable packaged systems as SpringWell for common well water problems and popular whole-house filtration systems for city water, but also places a strong emphasis on tailored solutions and options, particularly for well water and larger projects where different paths to clean water are possible.
If you’re unsure which system is the best fit, the most reliable first step is a water test. Understanding your water chemistry makes it easier to see whether a packaged setup will work or if a customized solution is the smarter choice for your needs and budget.
