Our Story

It Started With a Water Problem

Captain Filtration was built from a simple idea: customers deserve someone who understands their water and knows how to solve the problem—not someone who is simply trying to sell them a system.

That belief started with Todd Buchman, who has been in the water treatment industry since 1995.

Todd's journey into water treatment actually began with a problem in his own home in Maryland. His family was dealing with hard water and high levels of iron, and Todd became frustrated trying to find someone who could actually diagnose and solve the problem.

He called company after company. He was presented with expensive water treatment systems, but no one could clearly explain what was happening with his water or give him confidence that the equipment they were recommending would actually solve the problem. Even a plumber Todd knew who offered to fix the water couldn't completely eliminate the iron staining.

Todd decided there had to be a better way.

Instead of continuing to purchase equipment and hope it worked, he decided to learn the science behind water treatment himself. He joined the Water Quality Association and became certified as a Certified Water Specialist, Certified Installer, and Certified Water Representative.

Todd wanted to understand water chemistry, contaminants, and proper treatment methods so he could accurately identify water problems and recommend the right equipment for each customer's specific situation.

After gaining experience working for other water treatment companies, Todd eventually started his own water treatment business in the early 2000s.

Then Came Lauren

Lauren's path into the water treatment industry was very different.

Before joining Captain Filtration, Lauren was a chiropractor for 15 years. After deciding to change careers, her journey eventually brought her together with Todd.

By that time, Todd's business had grown to the point where one person simply couldn't handle everything. There were too many customers, phone calls, appointments, service calls, and responsibilities.

Todd asked Lauren to step in and help.

For Lauren, it was a natural fit. Her background in health and wellness had given her a strong desire to help people improve their quality of life. She also brought years of business experience and a mindset focused on serving people and building relationships.

She started by answering the phones and helping wherever she was needed. For the first six months, she spent much of her day taking messages while Todd was out in the field working in the Florida heat, rain, and everything else Florida weather could throw at him.

Then Lauren went with Todd to the National Water Quality Convention.

That's where she says she "caught the water bug."

She quickly realized that water treatment was much more than answering phones and taking messages. There was an opportunity for her to learn the industry, help Todd, support the team, and—most importantly—better serve their customers.

Lauren spent the next year taking classes and became certified as a Certified Water Specialist and Certified Water Representative. That education allowed her to move into a true management and ownership role and become an integral part of the business.

Today

Today, Todd and Lauren work side by side building Captain Filtration around the same principles that started Todd's journey more than 30 years ago.

We don't believe in selling customers equipment simply because it's what we have available. We believe in testing the water, understanding the customer's needs, and recommending a treatment system based on the home's actual water conditions.

Our goal is simple:

To provide high-quality water treatment solutions, exceptional customer service, and the knowledge our customers need to make confident decisions about their water.

After more than three decades in the water treatment industry, we're still passionate about what we do—and we genuinely enjoy doing it together.