We read the laboratory result, choose equipment only for the problems it shows, and install it in the right order in Riga and the Riga region. An iron removal unit with installation costs from €600, a water softener from €600, a reverse osmosis filter from €250. In your request, give the water source and attach the test result if you have one.
Water treatment system for a private house: which result needs which equipment
Each unit removes something specific from the water, and none removes everything. So we first look at the test and only then put the system together. The table shows the most common results in borehole, spike well (“spice” in Latvian) and well water, and what is done about them.
| What the test shows or what you see | Equipment | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sand, cloudiness, fine particles | Mechanical filter (mesh or cartridge) | Always first, because it protects the valves and the other equipment |
| Iron above 200 µg/l, brown stains, water turns yellow on standing | Aeration and an iron removal filter | If there is manganese too, the media is chosen for both |
| Manganese above 50 µg/l, black spots | Iron removal filter with media that also removes manganese | Manganese often needs a higher pH than iron |
| Limescale in the kettle, boiler, on the tiles | Water softener (ion exchange filter) | There is no limit value for hardness, the decision is practical |
| Ammonium above 0.50 mg/l | Multi-media filter or more powerful aeration | We compare the media with the manufacturer's data for ammonium |
| Smell of rotten eggs | Aeration; for a weak smell an activated carbon filter | We first check whether the cold water smells too |
| Smell, taste, high oxidisability | Activated carbon filter | Fitted after iron removal |
| E. coli or coliform bacteria | Sorting out the source and UV disinfection | UV does not work in cloudy water or water with iron |
| Nitrates above 50 mg/l, a lot of dissolved salts | Reverse osmosis filter under the sink | For one drinking water tap, not the whole house |
The figures in the table are the values of Cabinet Regulation No. 547 on drinking water. For a single household's well or borehole this regulation is not mandatory, but the laboratory compares the result directly against it, so these are the best reference values. If you have no test yet, start with water testing.
Cabinet Regulation No. 547 of 26.09.2023 “Mandatory Safety and Quality Requirements for Drinking Water, and the Procedures for Monitoring and Control Thereof”, Annex 1: iron 200 µg/l, manganese 50 µg/l, ammonium 0.50 mg/l, nitrates 50 mg/l, E. coli and coliforms 0 CFU/100 ml; no limit value is set for hardness. Sub-point 4.5: the regulation does not apply to abstraction sites used by fewer than 50 people or where no more than an average of 10 m³ per day is taken. Source: likumi.lv, checked 03.11.2026.
Iron in water: the most common reason for a filter
Iron in borehole or spike well water is usually dissolved, so the water runs clear from the tap and only turns yellowish in the glass after a while. On contact with air, the iron oxidises and settles as rust: brown stains in the sink and toilet bowl, yellow laundry, clogged tap aerators.
In iron removal, the iron is first oxidised with air in an aeration tank or by the filter media, and then the filter holds back the deposits. The filter regularly cleans itself by backwashing, so it needs a drain and a pump that gives enough backwash flow. Types of equipment and how to choose: iron removal for a private house.
Filter order: why it matters
The units protect one another, so they are fitted in a set order. If the order is mixed up, a filter clogs within a few months or does not work at all.
- Mechanical filter After the pump and pressure tank, it holds back sand and particles that would damage valves and media.
- Aeration and iron removal Removes iron, manganese and hydrogen sulphide. Iron would clog the softener resin and coat the UV lamp.
- Water softener Removes calcium and magnesium, so limescale no longer builds up in the boiler and on the fittings.
- Activated carbon Removes smell, improves taste and catches remaining organic substances.
- UV disinfection Last in the whole-house chain, because it only works in clear water.
- Reverse osmosis Separately under the kitchen sink, for drinking water, after all the other units.
Not every house needs the whole chain. Often a mechanical filter and iron removal are enough, or a single multi-media filter that removes iron, manganese and hardness in one column. The garden watering tap is usually left before the filters, so they do not do unnecessary work.
Water filter installation: what to prepare in the house
- Space: a utility room or basement that stays above zero all year. A frozen column and valve have to be replaced.
- Electricity: a socket for the control valve, the UV lamp and the aeration compressor.
- Drain: a sewer connection or another suitable place for the backwash water. The filter backwashes itself, and this water has to go somewhere.
- Pump output: iron removal and softening columns need a certain flow for backwashing. If the pump does not give it, a different column or pump is chosen.
- Bypass: so the filter can be switched off during maintenance and the house still has water.
Two columns and a brine tank usually need 1–1.5 m² of floor by a wall; an aeration tank needs extra space. If the house is still being built, we plan the space for filters together with the water supply system.
Reverse osmosis for drinking water
A reverse osmosis filter pushes water through a membrane with very fine pores. It removes most dissolved salts, including nitrates and sodium, so it is used for drinking and cooking water at one kitchen tap. It is usually not fitted for the whole house: the unit produces water slowly, and part of the water goes down the drain.
Osmosis needs pre-treated water, because iron and hardness quickly clog the membrane. So for borehole water it is fitted after iron removal and softening. Some filters have a remineralisation cartridge that returns some of the calcium and magnesium to the water. A reverse osmosis filter with installation costs from €250.
How the work goes
- Test If there is no result, we take a water sample and deliver it to an accredited laboratory. If there is, attach it to the request.
- Inspection We look at the space, the pump, pressure tank, pipes and drain, and find out the number of people and water consumption.
- Offer We name the units, their order and the price. If some unit is not needed, we say that too.
- Installation We connect the filters with a bypass, load and rinse the media, and set the backwash according to the test and consumption.
- Check After a few weeks we recommend a test after the filters, to see how the system works with your water.
What water treatment costs
The prices are starting prices for a typical private house, with the unit and installation. The final sum depends on the test result, water consumption (number of people, bath, sauna), the number of units and how much pipework is needed on site.
| Equipment | Price | When it is needed |
|---|---|---|
| Iron removal unit with installation | from €600 | Iron or manganese above the Cabinet Regulation No. 547 values |
| Water softener with installation | from €600 | Limescale, hard water |
| Reverse osmosis filter with installation | from €250 | For drinking water at one tap |
| Filter installation work | from €40/h | Connecting or rebuilding equipment you bought |
All prices in one place: prices.
Water treatment jobs by topic
- Iron removal for a private house: aeration, media, backwashing.
- Water softener installation, if hard water is a problem.
- UV water disinfection, if the test shows bacteria.
- Hydrogen sulphide smell in water, if the water smells of rotten eggs.
- Water filter maintenance: salt, cartridges, media replacement.
We work all over Riga and the Riga region, including Mārupe, Ķekava, Salaspils and Ādaži.