Why I Upgraded Our Water, And What My Lawn Taught Me About Quality

By a 38-year-old LA dad, husband, lawn fanatic, and lab-owner

I’m a soon-to-be 38-year-old husband, father of two (Jane 5, Luke 2), and caretaker of two energetic labs—not to mention one sun-baked Los Angeles yard. Obsessed might be an understatement when it comes to my grass; my wife threatens to hide the sprinkler timer on a weekly basis.

Why does rain beat my hose every time?

Every winter, those rare weeks LA blesses us with real rain, our patchy lawn turns emerald after a single storm. No sprinkler, hose, or “drought-friendly” cycle makes it look that alive.

If fresh rain super-charges my grass, what could higher-quality water do for the people (and dogs) inside the house?

Shifting the focus: not “bad” water fears, but 

better water gains

Scrolling health blogs, you drown in chlorine charts and PFAS horror stories. I flipped the mindset:

Instead of worrying what “bad” water might do, why not chase the wins from truly good water?

Wins that sold me

• Taste & hydration – Filtered, re-mineralised water made the kids reach for their water bottles a bit more.

• Coffee upgrade (I love coffee!!!) – Same beans, smoother cup.

• Kinder on skin – Luke’s eczema calmed after we switched our shower supply.

• Garden test – Herbs perked up faster when watered with filtered tap (not quite “rain magic,” but close).

LA tap in a nutshell

What’s in it	Why it matters
Hardness (lots of calcium & magnesium)	Scale build-up, flat taste
High chlorine	Necessary for miles of aqueduct, harsh on gut & skin
Aging pipes	Potential metal leaching

Safe by state standards? Yes.

Optimised for flavor, hydration, or toddler skin? Not really.

My simple two-step fix

Upgrade	Cost	Effort
Under-sink RO + remineralisation cartridge	$380 DIY kit	One Saturday
Whole-house catalytic-carbon filter (showers)	$900 installed	One phone call

No spa-level system—just two targeted pieces, and still cheaper than a year of bottled water.

First-month wins

• Extra fridge space after ditching the Brita.

• Sourdough starter doubled faster (good water feeds good microbes).

• We all drink more at home. The labs still prefer the muddy bowl outside—some habits are stubborn.

• Lawn still waits for winter rain—but at least the humans are thriving year-round.

Thinking about your own upgrade?

Casa Biome is rolling out a simple questionnaire, mail-in water tests plus step-by-step improvement plans—built for busy families who want benefits, not chemistry headaches.

Join the early-access list to grab launch pricing and my free PDF: “Three Ways Better Water Boosts Everyday Family Life.”