Direct answer: Rheem water softeners are made by Water Channel Partners, 2805 Dodd Road, Suite 300, Eagan, Minnesota. The January 2026 owner manuals for the Rheem Preferred RHS32 and Preferred Plus RHS42 both say “Manufactured and warranted by Water Channel Partners” on the cover and parts pages, and the warranty page names Water Channel Partners as the warrantor. The same page states that Rheem makes no express or implied warranties on the softener. Rheem is the brand on the cabinet; Water Channel Partners builds the product and stands behind it.
Publisher boundary: Water System Guide is an independent research publisher. It is not Rheem, Water Channel Partners, The Home Depot or an authorized service company. This page summarizes manufacturer documents reviewed October 15, 2026. Corporate ownership, licensing contracts and plant locations beyond what those documents print are outside its scope.
What the Rheem manuals print
Both reviewed manuals carry the same manufacturer statement. The RHS32 manual cover reads “Manufactured and warranted by Water Channel Partners, 2805 Dodd Road, Suite 300, Eagan, MN 55121,” followed by the document number 7386465 (Rev. P 1/20/26). The RHS42 manual prints the same statement with document number 7386473 (Rev. P 1/20/26).
The statement repeats at the bottom of each parts list, next to the line “To order repair parts, call toll free 1-800-754-7027” (RHS32 manual, PDF page 25). The warranty page is the most explicit. It identifies the “Warrantor: Water Channel Partners,” and closes with a capitalized notice: “This product is manufactured by Water Channel Partners. The only warranties for this water softener are those specifically described in the above warranty, which is provided by Water Channel Partners. Rheem makes no express or implied warranties of any kind with respect to this water softener” (RHS32 manual, PDF page 28).
That wording matters when something goes wrong. The company that answers a warranty claim, ships a replacement part or decides whether a failure is covered is Water Channel Partners, not the Rheem company known for water heaters and HVAC equipment.
What Rheem’s own website says
Rheem’s water-treatment website frames the products differently. The Rheem Preferred product page says Rheem softeners are “designed, engineered and manufactured right here in the USA.” The site’s Why Rheem page recounts that Richard and Donald Rheem founded Rheem Manufacturing Company in Emeryville, California, in 1925, and describes Rheem as a maker of water softening, heating, cooling and water-heating products.
Neither page names Water Channel Partners in the text we reviewed. The two sources do not contradict each other on country of manufacture, since both point to a U.S. maker. The difference is who the manufacturer of record is: the website speaks as the Rheem brand, while the owner manuals name the company that builds and warrants the softener. For a warranty or parts question, the manual is the controlling document because it carries the warranty terms.
Our Rheem brand research records the older licensee wording and the NSF/ANSI 44 certification listings, which also appear under the Water Channel Partners name rather than under “Rheem.”
Which Rheem models this covers
Rheem’s water-treatment site lists four softeners. Specifications below come from the manufacturer product pages and, for RHS32 and RHS42, the matching manuals. Our Rheem models comparison sets them side by side.
| Model | Rheem name | Rated capacity at maximum salt dose | Model code |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHS18 | Preferred Compact | 18,500 grains at 10.8 lbs. | LE18 (product page) |
| RHS32 | Preferred | 33,000 grains at 14.1 lbs. | rH32 |
| RHS42 | Preferred Plus | 42,400 grains at 16.3 lbs. | rH42 |
| RHW42 | Preferred Platinum (Wi-Fi) | 42,400 grains at 16.3 lbs. | RH42 (product page) |
We reviewed full owner manuals for RHS32 and RHS42 only. The manufacturer statement above is quoted from those two documents. We did not find RHS18 or RHW42 manuals during this review, so this page does not quote their warranty wording.
The same maker builds North Star softeners
The address in the Rheem manuals is the same one printed in North Star’s softener manuals. The North Star NSC22/NSC31 manual also reads “Manufactured and warranted by Water Channel Partners, 2805 Dodd Road, Suite 300, Eagan, MN 55121.”
The hardware overlaps too. Comparing the two sets of parts lists, the 3/4-inch Rheem RHS32 and the North Star NSC31 list the same order numbers for the seal kit (7129716), nozzle and venturi kit (7398674), valve body (7082053), rotor and disc (7199232), motor, cam and gear kit (7397864) and 24V DC power supply (7351054). Both manuals list the same resin, 0502272, sold by the cubic foot. Our Rheem parts guide has the full list.
That does not make the products interchangeable. The cabinets, faceplates, control boards, warranty terms and support channels differ by brand, and each manual says aftermarket or non-manufacturer parts void all warranties. Our North Star brand research covers that brand’s wholesale-only sales channel and model range.
Who handles Rheem warranty and support
The manuals give one path for Rheem owners. Call 1-800-754-7027 or visit rheemwatertreatment.com, and have the model and serial number from the rating decal inside the salt lid ready (RHS32 manual, PDF page 4). The same number is listed for ordering repair parts and reporting a warranty issue. The “Before You Start” page adds an instruction that surprises some buyers of a retail product: “Do not return the water softener to store.” If parts are missing or the unit arrived damaged, the manual directs the owner to the same toll-free number rather than to the retailer’s returns desk. Record the serial number and photograph the damage before calling.
The warranty described in the manual has four parts (RHS32 manual, PDF page 28):
- One year full warranty on parts and on labor to repair or replace defective parts, from the date the product is delivered.
- Ten years on the salt storage tank and fiberglass resin tank.
- Three years on the electronic control board.
- The one-year parts-and-labor period extends to five years if the owner uses one bottle of Rheem RHWSC Water Softener Cleaner every four months and keeps proof of purchase.
During those periods, the warrantor ships replacement parts directly to the home without charge. After the first year, labor is not covered. Our Rheem running costs guide explains how the cleaner requirement affects ownership costs.
Why the maker matters to a buyer
Knowing the manufacturer changes three practical decisions.
- Certification lookups. A search for “Rheem” in a certification database can come back empty because the listings sit under the manufacturer’s name. Check the exact model under Water Channel Partners.
- Parts. Order parts by the manual’s part number through the 1-800-754-7027 line. The warranty voids coverage for aftermarket, used or non-manufacturer parts, so a part that looks the same from another source carries a warranty risk.
- Service expectations. Rheem water heaters and HVAC equipment have their own dealer and contractor networks. The softener manuals do not route owners to those networks; they route owners to the Water Channel Partners phone line. A plumber can install the softener, but warranty decisions come from the warrantor.
Brand features versus manual features
Rheem’s marketing and the manuals also describe the same controller in different words, which can confuse an owner comparing documents.
The product pages describe Rheem Learning Technology, which “learns your water usage patterns to optimize salt” (Rheem Preferred product page). The manual describes the underlying function in certification terms: a demand initiated regeneration (D.I.R.) feature, and a variable salt dose that “is selected by the electronic controls at regeneration time based on the amount needed” (RHS32 manual, PDF page 4). The control measures water through a turbine meter, which the diagnostics screen displays as a gallon count.
The product pages also list savings figures, such as using “up to 40% less salt than traditional water softeners” and “less than $5 per year in electricity costs,” and footnote them to “the manufacturer’s internal laboratory testing.” The manual’s figures are different in kind: they are NSF/ANSI 44 laboratory ratings, and the manual warns that operational efficiency after installation “is typically less than the rated efficiency.” When the two disagree in tone, rely on the manual’s rated numbers for sizing and treat the marketing percentages as the brand’s own claims.
Frequently asked questions
Who manufactures Rheem water softeners?
Water Channel Partners of Eagan, Minnesota. The January 2026 Rheem RHS32 and RHS42 owner manuals state “Manufactured and warranted by Water Channel Partners” and name it as warrantor, adding that Rheem makes no express or implied warranties on the softener.
Are Rheem and North Star softeners made by the same company?
The reviewed manuals for both brands name Water Channel Partners at 2805 Dodd Road, Eagan, MN as manufacturer and warrantor, and several valve parts share order numbers. Cabinets, controls, warranty terms and support channels still differ by brand.
Who do I call for a Rheem water softener warranty claim?
The manuals list 1-800-754-7027 for installation help, troubleshooting, ordering parts and reporting warranty issues. Have the model and serial number from the rating decal inside the salt lid.
Are Rheem water softeners made in the USA?
Rheem’s product pages say the softeners are designed, engineered and manufactured in the USA. The manuals name a Minnesota manufacturer but do not state a plant location.