Check your supplier before buying a softener
If your bill is from Bonita Springs Utilities, start with BSU’s water-quality guidance. Its published average hardness is below 100 mg/L. That is a reason to check your own supply and goals rather than assume every Southwest Florida home needs the same treatment system. Homes on another supply need information for that source.
Describe where the problem appears
An odor, particles or discoloration at one outlet raises different questions from a change throughout the house. Note whether hot water, cold water or both are affected, and whether the symptom began after work on a filter or water heater. For an area-wide supply concern, check with the utility as well as arranging any needed household plumbing assessment.
Choose treatment for a specific purpose
Taste preferences, hardness deposits and sediment are different concerns. A softener and a drinking-water filter are not interchangeable. Bring recent results, existing equipment details and your maintenance expectations so the discussion covers what a proposed system does—and what it does not address.