Rheem water softeners or conditioners

1 report to CPSC, the latest made Apr 4, 2024. A report isn’t a recall.

Watch it to hear when CPSC publishes new reports about it. CPSC’s own search

Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own search is on saferproducts.gov.

At a glance

From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.

1report to CPSC
Apr 4, 2024the latest report was made
Apr 4, 2024the earliest
1with the company’s comments

Brand: Rheem
Maker: EcoWater systems ,LLCMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
Product: Water softeners or conditionersAppliancesCPSC’s product type: Water Softeners or Conditioners (Appliances) (code 125), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Plumbing & Bath

By month

1 report from May 2023 to April 2024; the most in April 2024, 1.

The numbers, as a table

Reports to CPSC by the month each was made, newest first
Month	Reports
April 2024	1

How badly anyone was hurt

No one hurt 1 CPSC: Incident, No Injury

As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.

The reports, as CPSC published them

Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.

Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.

CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

No one hurt
Made Apr 4, 2024, sent to the company Apr 9, 2024, published by CPSC Apr 23, 2024

The product, in the report: Internal 32,000 grain residential water softener designed to operate in line with the main residential water supply.

In April of 2022 we purchased a Rheem RHS32 water softener. On 3/27/24, less than 2 years into its operation, the unit literally exploded. The unit’s lids were blown off, the plastic clamp section had shattered and the valve assembly was dislodged, causing the main water line to flood into the basement. The explosion could have caused serious injury to anyone in the vicinity of the lids being launched, let alone the financial and safety concerns of the resulting flooding. I have reported the issue to Rheem (case number [REDACTED]) yet they have been unable to explain the cause of the explosion. We are on city water with a reducer valve and in internal water pressure of 67 PSI. The unit was installed in April of 2022 per manufacturer instructions in the climate-controlled basement of our house.
Full Address: [REDACTED] Model #: RHS32 Place of purchase: Home Depot, Washington, Utah PO # (if purchased online): Receipt #[REDACTED] Date of purchase: 4/12/22 Date of installation: 4/14/22

Model
RHS32
UPC
090259922369
Serial number
na
Bought from
Home Depot, Utah
Bought
Apr 12, 2022
Where
KANAB, Utah: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Unknown
The reporter’s relation to them
Unspecified
As this report names them
Brand Rheem, made or sold by EcoWater systems ,LLC
How badly, in CPSC’s words
Incident, No Injury

The company’s comments, in its own words

(4/26/2024) EcoWater systems ,LLC: This general comment is provided by EcoWater Systems LLC, the manufacturer of the Rheem RHS32 water softener. EcoWater takes any complaint regarding the systems it manufactures with the utmost concern. As a company, EcoWater is committed to upholding the highest standards for its products, ensuring consistent quality and durability. Accordingly, EcoWater provides this general comment with an understanding of the limited information it has received to date concerning this Consumer’s claim, the rigorous testing performed on the product type during development, and EcoWater’s diligence in ensuring its products are safe through various testing and certifications.
EcoWater received notification of this claim through CPSC. [REDACTED] EcoWater has minimal information about the events leading up to the Consumer’s claim. EcoWater does not have information concerning the use or storage of the subject product, the events leading up to the incident, or the events after the incident occurred. [REDACTED] EcoWater has not been able to review the subject product or determine the manner and method of the failure complained of. [REDACTED]
The incident reported by the Consumer is that a Rheem RHS32 water softener malfunctioned, resulting in a lid being “blown off”, a plastic clamp “shatter[ing]”, and a valve assembly dislodging. The Consumer identified this as an explo[sion] of the product. These events are of considerable interest to EcoWater, especially considering the fact that EcoWater has never received a similar complaint in the past.
All of EcoWater’s products are subject to extensive testing by scientifically driven processes. This testing involves determining the safety of the product through a series of tests conducted by engineers, including vibration testing, structural soundness testing, and drop testing, responses to temperature changes, pressure of water, and other potential exposures. Based on the consistent results, the product type is certified by the National Science Foundation (“NSF”), the Water Quality Association, the Canadian Standards Association, and is registered with the California State Water Resources Control Board.
For example, the product was certified under NSF Standard 44. Part of the purpose of NSF Standard 44 is “for testing structural integrity performance … to evaluate the materials, design, and fabrication quality of the complete water treatment system.” To achieve NSF Standard 44 certification, the product had to pass a series of tests created by NSF, including hydrostatic pressure testing and cyclic pressure testing. To pass either test, the product must “remain watertight throughout the entire length of the test.” In passing the hydrostatic pressure test, the product was able to withstand constant water pressure at 3x its maximum stated working pressure (for this product that was 125 psi of water pressure, so it was tested at 375 psi of water pressure) for fifteen minutes. In passing the cyclic pressure testing, the product was able to withstand 100,000 cycles of the water pressure cycling from 0 psi to 150 psi (above the maximum stated working pressure of 125 psi of water pressure). Both of these tests introduce the product into pressure environments that exceed the maximum pressure warnings provided with the product.
During the manufacturing process, EcoWater audit tests its products. For the product type at issue, one water softener would be tested during every production shift to ensure that the as-manufactured products are meeting the rigorous structural integrity parameters for which they were certified. This on-site testing includes the hydrostatic pressure test and cyclic pressure testing based on the protocols and requirements set forth in NSF Standard 44.

CPSC report 20240404-42426-2147339966. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov

CPSC’s disclaimer

Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.

Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.

Sources

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.

Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.

Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.

Rheem water softeners or conditioners

At a glance

By month

How badly anyone was hurt

The reports, as CPSC published them

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources

How to read a record

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