“Having recently acquired from Jim McMahon a water system for my home, I thought that others in similar circumstances might benefit from my comments about the experience. In short, Jim has proved to be an invaluable resource for acquiring the ideal water system to meet one’s needs at reasonable cost.

I first met up with Jim online after many fits and starts in an effort to replace a malfunctioning ion exchange system inherited with the purchase of my home. The local company that had installed the system 20 years ago could not keep it from consuming over 100 pounds of salt per week. They recommended replacing it with a new system, whose only upgrade over the old one was an electronic metering option to synch water and salt consumption, bringing the price to over $2000. I demurred, and was glad when I found at Lowe’s a top-of-the-line Whirlpool system, with much higher specs, for sale under $500. That deal fell through (lucky me!), when the Lowe’s attendant could not find the right lift to remove the carton from the high shelf and abandoned me. I was to find over the following weeks that these early frustrations were but of the iceberg-tip of what was to come.

The fundamental problem with water systems is that most vendors (your local plumber or well driller, the major chains like Lowe’s, or the makers of treatment systems) all seem to offer but a single solution, whatever the problem, which in most cases is not even determined. And even the Internet isn’t much help, for the most attractive websites do not offer the best system–much less, a system designed to solve an individual’s problems.

One site offered “…the best available water softener alternative to salt-based water softeners,“ which seemed attractive. Deeper into the site was found the promise that, “Our Products are certified and tested to ensure the cleanest best tasting water!” Who could want more? I filled out a form and was quickly deluged with literature belittling other systems (especially mine) and drumming the vague promises of “a Whole House Water System [that] uses NO Salt, NO Chemicals or Magnets and is Maintenance Free.” After a few days of eager expectation a sales person called. He told me they would not sell me a system until they had a detailed testing of my water, the $150 cost of which would be credited against my purchase. The test showed that EPA limits were exceeded only for iron and manganese, and only moderate hardness. Another salesperson called and characterized mine as “pretty mellow water.” Unfortunately, the flagship system, said “to ensure the cleanest best tasting water!”, would not remove the metals, and thus I would need two other components upstream from the main system. I asked for a quote, and by return email got one for nearly $6000. Despite his assurance that his company “design[s] systems that are ideally designed for specific well water problems,” in fact the quote was for simply the “standard well water treatment system.” (So much for the promised system specific for my water!) To make matters worse, the quote included, in bold red font the following disclaimer: “This MAY OR MAY NOT be the best water system for your well water…. It may or may not be the right system for your needs….” Hardly the solution I had in mind.

Back to the Internet and a deeper Google search. This led to Jim and led me down the road to satisfaction. Jim sent me his ultimate guide (IMHO the best information available on the subject, a clear, readable and technically comprehensive text), which I read thoroughly before calling his 800 number. After nearly an hour gratis of discussing various treatment systems, and my water test, I asked Jim what he recommended. To my surprise, he recommended a system to remove the metal contaminants. It was then that I—not Jim—first broached the 7 stage system that he also sells, and Jim only then began to describe how it could give me even better water.

I ended up ordering his 7 stage whole house system, the water revitalizer and a water meter from Jim and have been using the system now for nearly two months. My water now is nearly the same as water from a mountainside well in the Adirondacks on 72 pristine acres bordered by “Forever Wild” protected park land, which tasted like the finest natural spring water. My family each fall would carry large bottles back home to treasure for drinking. Now, thanks to Jim I can get the same taste from our home water taps.”

Douglas Whitney, Chadds Ford, PA