Typical Florida installed cost for reverse-osmosis drinking system: $200–$1,500 — a curated 2026 planning range, not a bid. The most accurate figure for your home comes from a verified local pro (free, below).
Salty-tasting water in Florida can come from a softener over-salting, saltwater intrusion into a coastal well, or high minerals — a test tells you which, and a drinking-water system can help.
Plan it — not an emergency.
Common causes:
• A water softener set to add too much sodium
• Saltwater intrusion into a coastal or shallow well
• Naturally high sodium or chloride in the water
• A softener malfunction over-brining the water
• Assuming it's the softener when it's well intrusion
• Ignoring possible saltwater intrusion in a coastal well
• No water test to find the sodium or chloride source
• Water-treatment equipment itself isn't a licensed trade, but the plumbing or electrical tie-ins can be — verify a licensed plumber or electrician for those connections
Why does my water taste salty?
A few possibilities: a water softener adding more sodium than it should, saltwater intrusion into a coastal or shallow Florida well, or naturally high sodium or chloride. If you have a softener, it may be over-brining; near the coast, intrusion is possible. A water test identifies the source, which points to the fix.
How do I fix salty-tasting water?
It depends on the cause. If the softener is over-salting, servicing or adjusting it helps; a reverse-osmosis drinking system removes sodium and salts at the tap for drinking and cooking. Saltwater intrusion into a well is a bigger issue needing assessment. A water test first tells you which situation you're in.
Reverse-osmosis drinking system: $200–$1,500 (typical ~$500)
Under-sink point-of-use is cheapest; a whole-house RO system costs much more.
Curated Florida 2026 estimate — installed cost for a typical FL single-family home, not a bid.
This trade spans two license realities in Florida. Drilling, constructing, or repairing a water well is licensed by the regional Water Management District. Installing water-treatment equipment — softeners, filters, reverse-osmosis — is generally not a state-licensed trade on its own, though the plumbing and electrical connections can require a licensed plumber or electrician. Verify the credential for the specific work.
Different scopes here carry different permit and license needs — ask who holds which before work starts.
Basis: FL Stat. 373 (well construction, Water Management District) · treatment equipment largely unregulated.
Your request goes to a single verified Well & Water Treatment pro in your area — you stay anonymous until you tap connect, and we never sell your info.
Covered: Lee · Pinellas · Sarasota · Charlotte · Hillsborough · Manatee | As of 2026-08-21 | Local numbers appear only when the sample is large enough to protect privacy.