The Job
This Essendon home had been on unfiltered mains water for years. The owners had noticed a chlorine taste in the tap water, scale buildup on tapware and in the kettle, and general discolouration when running the cold tap after the water had been sitting in the pipes. They wanted whole-house filtration — not just a bench-top unit, but proper treated water at every outlet in the home.
We installed a Waterman 3-stage Big Blue canister system on the external brick wall beside the water meter — the ideal location, as it treats water at the point of entry before it reaches any fixture in the house. The installation is weatherproof, the canisters are easily accessible for filter cartridge replacement, and the copper connections are made to last.
The System
The Waterman Big Blue 3-stage system is one of the most robust whole-house filtration options available for Melbourne homes. The three canisters each serve a distinct purpose:
- Stage 1 — Sediment filter: removes sand, silt, rust particles, and suspended solids that enter via the mains supply
- Stage 2 — Carbon block filter: removes chlorine, chloramines, herbicides, and the compounds that cause taste and odour issues in Melbourne tap water
- Stage 3 — Fine carbon filter: polishes the water and removes any remaining fine particulates before it enters the home's pipework
The result is clean, clear, good-tasting water at every tap — the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and outdoor taps all run through the same filtration system. Unlike an under-sink unit, there's no separate filtered tap to remember to use.
Big Blue cartridges are replaced every 6–12 months depending on usage and local water quality. The canisters use a standard filter wrench and take about 10 minutes to service. We recommend noting the install date on the housing — it's easy to forget when they were last changed.
Why Outdoor Installation Works in Essendon
Many Essendon homes don't have a garage or utility room in a convenient location relative to the water meter. Installing the filtration system on the exterior wall beside the meter keeps the pipework run minimal and ensures the system treats all incoming water before it branches to any part of the house. The Waterman housings are UV-stabilised and rated for outdoor installation, so weathering isn't a concern.
The copper inlet and outlet connections we used will outlast the filter housings themselves. We avoid compression fittings on whole-house filter connections — the flow volumes and pressure cycling over time can work compression joints loose, whereas soldered copper stays permanent.
Want Filtered Water at Every Tap in Essendon?
We supply and install whole-house water filtration systems across Essendon and all of Melbourne's north and west. Fixed price, same-day where stock allows.