How to Install a Water Filter with a Separate Faucet

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Just bought a countertop or under-sink water filter that comes with an included faucet? Scratching your head over the best way to install the faucet at your kitchen sink?

We’ve shared a quick guide covering the step-by-step process of installing a water filter faucet. By the end, you’ll know the tools you need, and the processes involved, in installing a faucet for your cold water line.

📌 Key Takeaways:

  • To install a faucet for a water filter, shut off your water supply, gather your materials, then drill a hole in your kitchen countertop and place the faucet above the hole, attaching it in place with a nut and washer.
  • Use a T-valve and the provided flexible tubing to connect the faucet to your cold water supply line.
  • The exact process of installing a dedicated drinking water faucet depends on the filter manufacturer. Check the instructions in your user manual for steps and tips dedicated to your own filter’s installation.

🚰 Which Water Filters Come With Separate Faucets?

There are two main water filtration systems that come with their own dedicated kitchen faucet: under-sink systems (especially reverse osmosis systems) and countertop systems.

Under-sink systems intercept the cold water line. They send water through several filter cartridge stages, before sending water up through a flexible tube to a dedicated faucet.

💡 Not all under-sink systems come with their own faucet, but you can usually make a new hole in your sink and install a dedicated faucet if you prefer.

Some countertop filtration systems may take water from your faucet, then send it back to your sink and out of a dedicated faucet. This is rarer; usually, the system will just dispense water from its own dispenser somewhere on the unit.

Acuva arrow 5 faucet and uv filter system

📋 How to Install a Faucet For Water Filter: Step-By-Step

Follow these 4 steps to install a filtered water faucet for your countertop or under-sink system.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

First of all, gather the tools and materials you’ll need to install your filter system’s faucet. The exact tools you need depend on the system you’re installing, but you’ll typically need:

  • A bucket
  • A rag
  • Plumber’s tape
  • Pliers
  • Scissors or a sharp knife
  • A drill and drill bits

📌 Check your user manual to see if the manufacturer advises you to buy any materials yourself, such as flexible tubing, nuts, and washers. Ideally, these will be provided with the filter and faucet.

Installing a water filter faucet

Step 2: Drill a Hole In Your Countertop (Recommended)

Most people choose to install a dedicated faucet next to their existing faucet, giving them the option to use unfiltered water for washing dishes, watering plants, and other activities that don’t require filtered water.

If you prefer to do this, you’ll need to drill a separate hole in your countertop. Choose a spot next to your faucet or at the side of your sink (depending on your preferred faucet location). Select the correctly-sized drill bit for your faucet diameter, then drill the hole.

Step 3: Install The Faucet & Shut Off Your Water Supply

Once you’ve drilled a hole in your countertop, install the faucet above the hole, securing it in place with the included nut and washer.

Before you intercept your cold water pipe, shut off your under-sink cold water supply line to prevent a leaking during the installation process. Place a bucket underneath the water pipe just in case. Open your existing faucet to drain the remaining cold water and release trapped air from the pipes.

how to install a water filter faucet

Step 4: Install the T Valve

Next, install the T valve. Wrap plumber’s tape around the ends of the plastic faucet line and the home cold water supply line to secure the connection, and measure the amount of tubing you need to reach the filtration system.

Cut the tubing to size, then connect the plastic tubing to the T valve.

And that’s it! That’s how to install a faucet for your water filtration system.

Keen to know how to install the rest of your filtration system?

📌 Again, we recommend looking in your user manual first, since that will have the most specific information based on the filter type and installation location.

Usually, though, for an under-sink filtration system, the installation process goes like this:

  1. Mount the filter on the wall using the included bracket
  2. Connect the tubing from the T valve to the left side of the filtration system, then attach the separate tubing to the right side of the system
  3. Align the filters in the filter housing and slot or twist them in place
  4. Turn on your water supply and open a faucet slightly
  5. Check for leaks. If no leaks are found, the system is ready to use

We’ve covered the entire process of installing an under sink water filter in this guide!

Installing an under-sink water filter

❔ How to Install a Faucet For Water Filter: FAQ

Can you install a water filter faucet on your bathroom sink?

No, you can’t install a water filter faucet on your bathroom sink. Most bathroom sinks are made from ceramic, which is a material that’s essentially impossible to drill through to install a faucet. Most under-sink filter systems are intended to be installed underneath your kitchen sink.

Where do I drill a hole in a faucet?

To install a filtered water faucet, choose whether you’d like to drill the hole. You might want the hole close to your current faucet, or you might want it at the side of your sink, rather than the center. Some under-sink systems have relatively short pipes to connect the filters to the faucet, so this might affect where you drill the hole, too. In short, there’s no right or wrong location to drill the hole, as long as it allows you to send filtered water directly into the sink from the faucet.

Do you need a separate faucet for under sink water filter?

Not all under-sink water filters need a separate faucet. Some filters, especially reverse osmosis filters, come with an included lead-free faucet, guaranteeing that no metals will be reintroduced into your water. This is especially important for reverse osmosis kitchen sink filters because RO water contains virtually no impurities, which makes it more susceptible to metal leaching.

Even if your under-sink filtered water system doesn’t come with a faucet, you can buy a lead-free faucet separately if you’d like a dedicated faucet just for your filtered drinking water.

  • Jennifer Byrd
    Water Treatment Specialist

    For 20+ years, Jennifer has championed clean water. From navigating operations to leading sales, she's tackled diverse industry challenges. Now, at Redbird Water, she crafts personalized solutions for homes, businesses, and factories. A past Chamber President and industry advocate, Jennifer leverages her expertise in cutting-edge filtration and custom design to transform water concerns into crystal-clear solutions.

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