If you live in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge or Guelph, you already know the water here is hard — really hard. The good news: fixing it has never been more affordable or transparent. Here's a straight-talking guide to the best water softener deals in the KW region this year, including real installed pricing, the three Canadian-made Excalibur softeners, and the filters that finish the job.
Why hard water is such a problem in KW
Water across the Kitchener-Waterloo region typically runs 20 to 28 grains per gallon (GPG), and well-water homes are often higher. Anything above about 7 GPG is considered hard, so most KW households are dealing with two to four times the level that starts causing damage: limescale on faucets and shower heads, cloudy glassware, stiff laundry, dry skin and hair, and — most expensively — scale building up inside your water heater and appliances. A water softener fixes all of it at the source, swapping the calcium and magnesium that make water "hard" for a tiny amount of sodium, so soft water reaches every tap.
Delivered vs installed — and what the price includes
As an authorized Excalibur dealer, we advertise the delivered price, and you can add professional installation. Two things to know:
- Delivered — the advertised price. We drop the complete system at your door with the manual and phone support. Ideal if you're a confident DIY installer or have a plumber. No labour warranty.
- Installed (+$145; +$195 on the 60k) — our local team handles everything, usually same-day, removes your old softener for free (conditions apply), and includes a 1-year labour warranty (extendable to 5 years for $150).
The three Excalibur softeners
All three are Canadian-made by Excalibur Water Systems, are two-tank designs (resin + brine), and carry strong warranties. The difference is iron capacity, efficiency and what's built in.
1. Value Series — budget-friendly
The most affordable way into Excalibur soft water. Electronic demand regeneration, removes up to 2 ppm of clear-water iron, works on municipal, well or lake water, and carries a 7-year unlimited warranty (lifetime tank). Delivered from $1,250 + tax (professional install +$145). See the Value Series →
2. Superior Series — for well water
Our recommended softener for well water: it removes up to 4 ppm of clear-water iron with on-demand, high-flow regeneration and up to 24% energy savings. Backed by a 12-year unlimited warranty. Delivered from $1,370 + tax (professional install +$145). See the Superior Series →
3. Chlor-A-Soft — soft water + chlorine removal
Our most popular pick for city water. Chlor-A-Soft blends softening resin with carbon media so it softens and removes most of the chlorine taste and odour in one unit, with 80% salt savings and a 20-year warranty. Delivered from $1,520 + tax (professional install +$145). One caveat: its carbon bed is small, so it removes most chlorine but not much chloramine (more on that next). See Chlor-A-Soft →
Don't forget chloramine — and clean drinking water
Most municipal water in KW, Cambridge and Guelph is treated with chloramine, which ordinary carbon struggles to remove. Our whole-house catalytic carbon filter holds a full cubic foot of catalytic carbon that removes almost all chloramine — plus chlorine, THMs, VOCs and heavy metals — in a simple in/out upflow design with no backwash and 10+ year media. It pairs with any softener. And for bottled-quality drinking water at the tap, the Excalibur 4-Stage Reverse Osmosis system removes around 97.5% of dissolved solids; softened water upstream makes its membrane last longer.
What size do I need?
Each softener comes in three capacities:
- 30,000 grains — 1–4 people
- 45,000 grains — 3–6 people
- 60,000 grains — 4–8 people
Because KW water is so hard, our rule of thumb is to size up when you're between two sizes. Don't worry about getting it exactly right on your own — our AI advisor sizes it for you, and we confirm with a free water test before any installation.
Why buy from an authorized Excalibur dealer
Excalibur softeners are Canadian-made with strong warranties, and as an authorized dealer we handle sales, installation and warranty support locally. The whole idea behind WaterSoftenerDeals.com is honest, transparent pricing from a local, family-owned company that's been doing water treatment since 2011 — no inflated quotes, no pressure.
Ready for better water?
Browse the full lineup with live pricing, or call and we'll size it for you in two minutes.
See All Deals → 📞 (519) 954-4547
Serving Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph & surrounding areas.
Have questions about hardness, sizing, or installed vs delivery? Get in touch — we respond within 24 hours.