Raising standards in water quality

In the water industry, premium products, top-tier service and a splash of peace of mind make all the difference, particularly around water quality.

In an industry where health, safety, and trust are essential, Suzanne Dodds has dedicated herself to delivering certified, high-quality water solutions that exceed industry standards. As co-founder and managing director of Complete Home Filtration, she has led the business to become a recognised player in whole-of-home water filtration at the residential level.

“Originally, my water industry journey started with Call-a-Cooler, a water cooler/dispenser rental business in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne,” Dodds said. “We focused on the SME market, as we did not want to enter the residential market. However, we started getting inquiries about water coolers with filters already built into them.”

She pointed out that many people tend to store these 20-litre bottles in the garage or outside. This is not good for water quality, given that most suppliers advise keeping the bottles below 30 degrees Celsius. One reason for this is the degradation of plastic, which is a separate but equally challenging issue.

“I saw that other countries were providing whole-of-home water filtration systems, particularly in the United States,” she said. “I had never seen them in Australia, but our customers were getting requests for such an option. It’s why I exited out of Call-A-Cooler back in 2018. I wanted to dedicate my time and effort to building a residential-focused business that addressed what I saw as a real gap in the market.”

Educating the market on water quality

One of the big challenges for Dodds and Complete Home Filtration has been educating residents about what they are doing. Also known as whole-of-home or point-of-entry water filtration systems, it’s very new for Australians, so providing an initial understanding of what these units can do and their existence has been vital.

“I had to show customers that there is a smarter way to get better water at home, outside of having a water cooler or a single under-sink filtration unit,” Dodds said. “You can get the benefits of filtered water through every tap in the house. We can help clients in hard water areas get better quality water. There is a whole range of different benefits, and it’s available throughout the house.”

Educating customers on the available opportunities has led to Complete Home Filtration providing bespoke solutions for different water profiles across the country. Accounting for people’s preferences has been key to its wider success.

“We know that in some water supplies, there has been a lot of chlorine used in cleaning the water as part of the treatment process,” said Dodds. “In some cases, the water has a very high mineral content. There are also some places where the water has other contaminants that the residents are concerned about. It is why we can work with them and account for what the customer is experiencing and wanting.”

Despite the known benefits of fluoride in the water system, Complete Home Filtration has had people request that this be filtered out of their water. While it is not a standard addition, it is an option for those keen.

Certification

Complete Home Filtration understands the importance of using high-quality parts in its products. As such, Dodds has spent considerable time and effort getting the company’s products certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO). Both fall under the auspices of the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

“Everything that goes into our products is NSF-certified,” Dodds said. “We are now chasing IAPMO certification because they can turn things around quicker, they do not have as big a backlog as NSF, and they have a lot of former staff from NSF working there.

“Both certifications are important to get because they play a role in ensuring that quality products are produced for the market. However, IAPMO is currently more cost-effective.”

Both organisations run initial audits and then random follow-up audits after that. The goal is to ensure that every component part is certified and that all the materials are being sourced from the same places they are supposed to be.

“We are using IAPMO for our new PFAS product, which will launch during 2025,” said Dodds. “It’s just a matter of time until they provide that certification.”

One issue Dodds and Complete Home Filtration are finding is that certification is costly. Education and innovation are at the core of the work, particularly with new iterations that need to be certified. However, it’s not just that.

“The factory we are working with in Taiwan already has the NSF certification, but it is in its name,” she said. “We are now in the process of paying to have the NSF certification on our products and the NSF certification from the factory on each part of each product. That includes the cartridge, housing, heads, sumps and everything that comes in contact with water. Every piece has already been certified, but not the whole piece once it’s assembled.”

The future

In the eyes of Dodds, the company has been working hard to deliver on its brand promise of premium products, premium service and peace of mind. While getting the NSF and IAPMO certifications is an important part of what Complete Home Filtration is working towards, it’s also knowing that it is providing excellent service to its customers.

“We want to remain the best fit for our customers. I hope that as we continue to build our brand, we are increasingly known for being the experts in the field.”

For more information, visit completehomefiltration.com.au