Why We Installed an Orca Blue Soft Water System in Our Home (And Why You Might Want to, Too)

Let me start with a confession: I never really thought much about the water coming out of our taps, or faucets as you say here in America. I just assumed it was clean enough, safe enough, and “water is water,” right? Wrong.

It wasn’t until Kevin, the owner of Orca Blue, and his son came to our home and turned our kitchen into a mini science lab that everything changed. We were absolutely stunned by what we learned.

A Personalized Science Lesson Right in Our Kitchen

Kevin and his son arrived for our in-home consultation and immediately made us feel comfortable. They brought along their testing kits and performed a few eye-opening water experiments right at our sink. Think: visual tests that show the hardness of your water, chlorine levels, and the surprising number of undetectable contaminants in what we assumed was clean water.

They explained everything in a way that was clear, respectful, and empowering. No scare tactics—just facts, science, and a genuine passion for helping families improve their home environments.

We were introduced to their ‘next generation” Maytag water filtering system and the importance of pairing it with a reverse osmosis drinking and cooking system. Within minutes, we were sold. I mean, how could you not?

Once you learn how soft water can help keep your skin looking younger, it’s a total game-changer. What a great natural alternative to Botox!! I wish I knew about it 20 years ago! We suggest you schedule a free in-home consultation to learn more about your water, see if it’s a good fit for your home, and discuss options available to you. 

NOTE: We have organized a $500 DISCOUNT with Orca Blue if you choose to install a system. Mention Caroline and Craig from THIS IS RALEIGH to receive your discount!

What We Installed: The Orca Blue Clean Water System

Reverse Osmosis System

This is strictly for drinking and cooking water, delivering ultra-pure, fresh-tasting water right from our kitchen faucet. The Drinking Water Maytag® M550 was installed under our kitchen sink (see image above).

We had a drinking water faucet installed into our sink (we had a hole there already, but the Orca Blue team can cut one if needed for your sink) They were able to install a faucet that matched the design of our main one in the sink.

Water Softener System

The water softenery system treats all the water throughout our home, protecting appliances and enhancing our bathing, cleaning, and laundry experience. The Maytag^® ITR Series water treatment system was installed in our crawl space next to our water heater. We love how easy it was to hide it away here.

We were also impressed with the quality of the system—backed by a lifetime guarantee—and loved that Orca Blue offers financing options to make it even more affordable.

The Immediate Benefits We Noticed

I was skeptical when Kevin said we’d feel the difference immediately just by running our hands under the water. But…he was 100% right. It’s honestly bizarre how different soft water feels—almost silky. Below are some of the other benefits we noticed within days:

• Softer Feeling Water: It’s real. It’s amazing. And yes, you can feel the difference.
• Incredible Tasting Drinking Water: Our reverse osmosis water tastes like Evian or Fiji Water. It’s smooth, fresh, and dare I say—luxurious. I mean, I carried my refillable water bottle with me everywhere before this. Now, I’ll be carrying a backup so I don’t have to refill it when I’m out and about with less luxurious water!
• No More Berkey Maintenance: We said goodbye to the time-consuming task of refilling and maintaining our Berkey water filter. And after Kevin tested our old system, we discovered our regular tap water was actually cleaner than what the Berkey was giving us. Yikes. I guess we were not staying on top of changing those filters! #toomuchwork
• Brighter, Softer Laundry: I noticed way less lint in the dryer, which surprised me. Turns out, softer water is easier on fabrics, preventing breakdown and shedding. And, Kevin told me, with three grown sons, his laundry now smells better and he can use less powder. I was stunned to be surrounded by the aroma of fresh scented laundry during my yoga class the other day. It took me a while to realize it was coming from my yoga gear!! The only thing that’s changed – our water filter system. #theOrcaBlueDifference
• Lower Cleaning Product Use: We’re using less detergent, less shampoo, less soap. Everything works better. One of the craziest science experiments Kevin performed was seeing how our regular town water reacted to soap in comparison to softened water. It was astounding how much bubbled soap sat on top of the soft water, whereas the town water kind of just sank – meaning you can use way less soap and shampoo with your softened water. Saving money in so many ways! 
• Less Cleaning Time: No more scrubbing hard water stains off sinks, faucets, and shower doors. Another huge revelation? Kevin pointed out the small white particles around our fridge’s water dispenser—evidence of hard minerals building up from the water. (Okay, maybe our cleaning game needs work too!) But that buildup? It stops here. And with it…
• No more fridge filters to replace every six months—thanks to the water filtering system, that’s one less recurring cost and hassle we have to think about! 
• Spot-Free Dishes: No more chalky white spots or cloudy glasses. Everything shines. Now I understand why they never did before #hardwaterrealities
• Healthier Skin & Hair: The dryness and itchiness we just accepted as normal? Gone. And my shampoo actually lathers now. And my hair is already feeling softer and brighter – that surprised me how immediately that happened.
• Appliance Protection: This is huge. Our dishwasher, water heater, and washing machine are now protected from scale buildup and corrosion – meaning that they’ll last longer and will save you in costly replacements and repairs. 
• Money Savings: Between reduced cleaning products, less appliance maintenance, and better water heater efficiency, this system is already starting to pay for itself and definitely will in the long run. But more importantly, my body will experience the greatest benefits. 

Why Choose Orca Blue

There are plenty of water treatment companies out there, but what stood out to us about Orca Blue was the personal touch. It’s a family-run business that’s only been around for two years, but they’re growing quickly—and for good reason.

Kevin and his team offer a level of service that’s rare these days. They make everything as seamless as possible. Maintenance? They schedule it for you and check in regularly. Your job? Add salt every 3 or 4 months, which is cheap and easy to grab from Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sam’s Club or CostCo.

The team at Orca Blue are trustworthy, knowledgeable, and genuinely care about their customers. That’s the kind of company we love supporting. Plus, with every purchase of a whole house water system, Orca Blue makes a donation to Filter of Hope, an organization that brings clean water to those living in poverty around the world.

These are the reasons – apart from transforming our home into a clean water environment – we decided to partner with Blue Orca to experience the difference to share with you! And the most important, our cat Peach inspected the entire process from in-house consultation to installment and water tasting – she’s a majar fan!

The Maytag Water Treatment System

If like me, you probably have no clue about what makes a good water filtering system. But I’m sure you know of the Maytag brand! Kevin was very thorough in explaining why this is one of the highest quality systems you can buy. Orca Blue offers great competitive  prices for their system and services. They even offer an “Apples to Apples” price match guarantee!

Orca Blue is the only authorized dealer for Maytag® Water Products in North Carolina. The Maytag® water treatment system is more efficient than other water treatment systems in regard to water and salt usage, it’s environmentally friendly too.

Mention Caroline and Craig from THIS IS RALEIGH when you call to receive a $500 discount!

Water Softener vs. Reverse Osmosis: What You Need to Know?

We had no idea how different these systems were, so below is a quick breakdown:

• Water Softener: This is for all the water in your home. It removes minerals like calcium and magnesium that cause hard water problems. It also removes chlorine which causes a bad odor and taste. Finally, it removes bacteria that stains toilets, bath tubs, and grout. All of these issues are removed from the water before it enters your home.
• Reverse Osmosis: This is next-level filtration specifically for your drinking and cooking water. It removes up to 99% of contaminants and produces water that’s comparable to high-end bottled brands. Most importantly, it removes PFAS—short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—which, thanks to Kevin, we learned are known as “forever chemicals.” Once the forever chemicals are in your body, they’re IN for life! I’d much rather keep them out – I want  pure H2O.

Both are valuable, but together… Game-changing!

Final Thoughts: It’s A No-Brainer 

Before this experience, I really didn’t give much thought to our water. Now I can’t imagine going back. We’re healthier, our home is cleaner, and we’re already seeing long-term savings.

This is one of those upgrades that impacts nearly every aspect of your day-to-day life—from the water you drink and bathe in, to the life span of your appliances. Any home, from old to new, can benefit from the Maytag water treatment system. 

Curious what’s in your water?

Get a free in-home consultation from Orca Blue. It’s educational, eye-opening, and might just change how you see your water, too. We’re so glad we made the switch—and even happier to support a local family business doing amazing work in our community.

Don’t forget to mention Caroline and Craig from THIS IS RALEIGH to receive a $500 discount!