US Water Systems Matrixx catalytic carbon review
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Short answerA well-built self-cleaning catalytic carbon tank for chloramine city water, at about $2,730 over 10 years for the 10 gpm size, if you have a drain and an outlet near the main line. It holds no system certification, the $1,325.50 entry size is too small for most homes, and returns can cost up to 40%.
The US Water Systems Matrixx Catalytic Carbon is a strong choice for city water treated with chloramine if you have a drain and an outlet near the main line: it backwashes itself, uses only catalytic carbon, and carries a lifetime tank warranty with 10 years on the valve. It holds no system certification, the entry size is too small for most homes, and US Water’s restocking fee runs up to 40%.
Prices checked September 2026 run from $1,325.50 (5 gpm) to $1,775.50 (20 gpm). US Water shows these as “Factory Direct” prices about 40% below a list price (the 5 gpm list is $2,209.17), and a fall banner advertises another 20% to 25% off select systems, so check the cart. The size most homes need, 10 gpm at $1,415.50, comes to about $2,730 over 10 years with a plumber.
This review draws on US Water’s product page and manual, the NSF listings and owner reviews. We did not install or use the system; see how we research.
Who it is for
- City water with chloramine. Catalytic carbon is the media built for chloramine, and the Matrixx uses it for the whole bed. If you are not sure what your utility uses, see chloramine vs chlorine.
- Owners who prefer a self-cleaning tank to cartridges. There is no sediment or post-filter cartridge to change; the valve backwashes the bed on a schedule.
- Homes with a floor drain, laundry tub or standpipe and a 120V outlet within 6 feet of the tank.
- People staying put. The lifetime tank and 10-year parts warranty requires registration within 30 days of installation, and transfer to a new owner needs US Water’s written approval and a fee.
Who should skip it
- No drain near the main line. Non-backwashing tanks such as the SpringWell CF1 or Aquasana Rhino need neither a drain nor power.
- You want PFAS reduced. The Matrixx makes no PFAS claim. Our PFAS picks cover systems that are actually certified, including US Water’s own Pioneer.
- Plain chlorine only. US Water’s cheaper Matrixx GAC version ($1,235.50 to $1,685.50) targets chlorine but not chloramine.
- Well water with iron or sulfur. This is a city-water filter. US Water’s InFusion line handles iron and sulfur.
- You may want to return it. Unopened items can go back within 60 days, with a restocking fee of up to 40%.
What is in the tank
According to the manual, the tank holds catalytic granular activated carbon, steam-activated from coconut shell, over a quartz gravel underbed. You pour both in yourself at installation: gravel first, then carbon, through the supplied funnel. The manual suggests a dust mask and goggles.
| Model | Max flow | Backwash flow | Tank | Media | Price (Sept 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 081-MXF-CX-100 | 5 gpm | 4 gpm | 9 x 48 in | 1.0 cu ft | $1,325.50 |
| 081-MXF-CX-150 | 10 gpm | 5 gpm | 10 x 54 in | 1.5 cu ft | $1,415.50 |
| 081-MXF-CX-200 | 15 gpm | 8 gpm | 12 x 52 in | 2.0 cu ft | $1,595.50 |
| 081-MXF-CX-250 | 20 gpm | 10 gpm | 13 x 54 in | 2.5 cu ft | $1,775.50 |
US Water publishes media volume, which lets you check contact time. For the 10 gpm model: 1.5 cubic feet × 7.48 gallons per cubic foot is about 11.2 gallons of bed, so at the full 10 gpm water spends about 67 seconds in the carbon. Every second of that is catalytic carbon, not a blend of several media sharing the tank.
US Water says the carbon “typically lasts 5+ years.” The electronic valve connects to the Legacy View app over Bluetooth and runs on a 12V transformer that US Water says costs under $2 a year in electricity.
Certification reality check
US Water’s page and manual say the Matrixx “uses all NSF and FDA approved components, including the catalytic granular activated carbon.” That is a statement about components. It names no standard (such as NSF/ANSI 42 for chloramine) and no certifier, and it is not a listing for the system.
In NSF’s drinking water treatment directory, US Water Systems’ only listing is for small drinking water filter cartridges under NSF/ANSI 42, material requirements only. The Matrixx is not there, and we found no IAPMO or WQA listing either.
No data sheet, either
US Water publishes no performance data sheet with chloramine reduction figures for the Matrixx. For comparison, Aquasana’s Rhino Chloramines is also uncertified, but its data sheet shows chloramine reduction falling from 99.7% at 20,000 gallons to 68.7% late in its life. With the Matrixx you have the maker’s description of the media and nothing to check it against.To US Water’s credit, the Matrixx page makes no PFAS claim. When US Water does sell a PFAS product, the Pioneer ($1,669.09), it is a rebadged Enpress unit that IAPMO certifies to NSF/ANSI 53 and P473 for PFOA and PFOS only, at 4.51 gpm.
Flow and sizing
The 5 gpm entry model is the one that sets the headline price, and it is smaller than the 7 to 9 gpm ratings other brands sell for 1 to 3 bathrooms. Two showerheads at the federal maximum of 2.5 gpm already reach 5 gpm. Most homes should start at 10 gpm, and larger homes at 15 or 20 gpm. Our sizing guide shows how to estimate peak flow.
Backwash flow matters too: the valve needs 4 to 10 gpm available during the cycle depending on size. On city water that is rarely a problem.
The manual caps pressure at 80 psi and water temperature at 110 F, and the tank must not freeze. If your house pressure runs above 80 psi, add a pressure-reducing valve.
Installation needs
- Drain. A 1/2-inch ID drain line (5/8-inch OD) to a floor drain, laundry tub or standpipe with an air gap. The manual says not to connect directly into a waste pipe and to secure the line, because “the system will drain with force.”
- Power. An indoor, grounded 120V outlet within 6 feet; the transformer cord is 6 feet long.
- Media loading at installation, as above.
- Built-in bypass is included.
- Backwash schedule. Default every 7 days, in the early morning. Each cycle is a 10-minute backwash, 2-minute rest and 10-minute rinse, about 25 minutes in all, with water running to the drain.
US Water does not state water use per cycle. By our arithmetic for the 10 gpm model: 5 gpm × 20 minutes of backwash and rinse is about 100 gallons per cycle, and 52 cycles a year is about 5,200 gallons. On city water you pay for that water and sewer.
For the cost math we assume $800 for a plumber, reflecting the drain run and outlet on top of the main-line work. Your quote may differ.
Running costs over 10 years
Assumptions: 10 gpm model; $800 install; one carbon rebed in the decade. US Water lists no Matrixx-branded rebed kit, so we use its inFusion 10 x 54 kit, which contains the same 1.5 cubic feet of catalytic carbon plus gravel for the same tank size.
| Item | Arithmetic | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Matrixx 10 gpm | Factory Direct price | $1,415.50 |
| Installation | our assumption | $800.00 |
| Carbon rebed | 1 × $498.95 (inFusion 10 x 54 kit) | $498.95 |
| Electricity | under $2/year × 10 | $20.00 |
| 10-year total | $2,734.45 |
That is about $273 a year, plus about 52,000 gallons of backwash water over the decade. If the carbon needs replacing at year 5 and again at year 10, add another $498.95 for $3,233.40.
For the 15 gpm model, the 2.0 cubic foot kit is $648.95, giving $1,595.50 + $800 + $648.95 + $20 = $3,064.45.
For comparison on similar assumptions, the SpringWell CF1 comes to about $2,453 (no drain water), and the Aquasana Rhino Chloramines to about $3,342.
Owner complaint patterns
- Product page reviews: 4.86 stars from 7 reviews on the Matrixx page. Owners report the chlorine taste and smell gone and like the automatic backwash; one wished US Water had supplied a full piping layout. Seven reviews is too few to show failure patterns.
- Trustpilot: US Water Systems scores 4.1 from 1,034 reviews, across all products. Recent negative reviews cluster around orders shipping later than the site’s stated cutoffs (April and August 2026), refunds slow to arrive after cancellation (June 2026), emails going unanswered (August 2026), and the return terms (“Enjoy eating the return shipping costs and a 40% restock fee,” June 2026). One June 2025 reviewer reported a leak two months after installation that damaged flooring. Positive reviews repeatedly praise the technical support staff.
- Terms to confirm in writing. US Water’s one-year money-back guarantee applies to systems specified by its water specialists, typically after a lab water test. Its commercial policy lists backwashing filters as non-returnable, so confirm the residential terms before you order.
Alternatives
- No drain, lower 10-year cost: the SpringWell CF1 at $1,160.25, also uncertified, with a lifetime warranty for the original owner. Our SpringWell vs US Water Systems comparison goes line by line.
- Chloramine with published data: the Aquasana Rhino Chloramines at $1,399, uncertified but with a data sheet you can read.
- Certified PFAS reduction: the Aquasana HealthShield, WQA-certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for five PFAS.
- More city-water options: our best filters for city water.
Questions people ask
Does the Matrixx Catalytic Carbon remove chloramine?
US Water Systems says its catalytic carbon is highly effective on chloramine, and catalytic carbon is the standard media for it. The system has no certification and US Water publishes no chloramine reduction data, so you are relying on the maker's claim.
Is the Matrixx NSF certified?
No. US Water says it uses 'all NSF and FDA approved components', but no standard or listing is named for the system. Its only NSF drinking water listing is a materials-only NSF/ANSI 42 listing for small cartridges.
How much water does the Matrixx use to backwash?
US Water does not state a figure. For the 10 gpm model, the 5 gpm backwash flow times the 10-minute backwash and 10-minute rinse is about 100 gallons per cycle, or about 5,200 gallons a year at the default weekly schedule.
Which Matrixx size should I buy?
Size by peak flow, not the entry price. The 5 gpm model is smaller than the 7 to 9 gpm ratings other brands sell for 1 to 3 bathrooms, so most homes should start at 10 gpm ($1,415.50).
Can I return the Matrixx?
Unopened US Water brand residential items can be returned within 60 days, with a restocking fee of up to 40%. The one-year money-back guarantee applies to systems specified by US Water's water specialists, typically after a lab test.
Sources
- US Water Systems Matrixx Catalytic Carbon product page
- US Water Systems Matrixx product data (JSON: sizes, prices, backwash table)
- US Water Matrixx Catalytic Carbon Backwashing Filter manual (PDF)
- US Water Systems Matrixx GAC (chlorine) product data
- US Water Systems inFusion 10 x 54 rebed kit (1.5 cu ft catalytic carbon)
- US Water Systems inFusion 12 x 52 rebed kit (2.0 cu ft catalytic carbon)
- NSF drinking water treatment unit listings, search for US Water
- US Water Systems guarantee
- US Water Systems return policy
- Trustpilot: uswatersystems.com
- US Water Systems Pioneer product page
- IAPMO R&T file W-9981 (Enpress Pioneer, NSF/ANSI 53)
- Aquasana Rhino Chloramines WH-1011 performance data sheet
