Picking up Brown's old client list and expanding into new territory might seem a stretch for a real estate company, but Yager said he sees a natural connection. After Kachemak Group Realtors acquired Homer Property Management, he noticed the company paid from $65 to $105 an hour to subcontractors for maintenance work like lawn mowing, house and carpet cleaning and snow removal.

"I thought, 'Why can't I do that in house?'" Yager said.

By hiring his own crews at a good wage, he brought the cost down to about $42 an hour, the flat rate he charges property owners for such maintenance services.

Yager had noticed a lot of the rental and vacation properties he manages had water issues rust stains in plumbing fixtures, hard water or bad tasting water. At the same time, Steve Eayrs of Eayrs Plumbing and Heating had noticed the need for someone to sell and service water treatment systems. Yager's wife, Jonnie, works at Eayrs, and Eayrs told the Yeagers, "I don't know if you have any interest in this, but "

That "but " led to Yager and Water Purification Systems employees Del Bolles and John Howe going to Appleton and learning how to service and sell Water-Right systems.

As with his maintenance services, Yager now has another product he can offer clients with Homer Property Management and other businesses and homeowners.

Water Purification Systems can do everything from analyzing water problems to designing and maintaining a system for every need. On the lower Kenai Peninsula, well water can have many problems. Some wells have a lot of iron. Others have bacteria issues. Some water has a sulfur or rotten eggs taste. Some people also don't like the smell or taste of chlorine in city water. Chlorine can be filtered with in-faucet or whole-house systems to make water taste better.

"It's just like buying bottled water in the store," Yager said.

Some East End Road wells have problems with tannin and coal, too.

"We probably have a system that will make their water OK," he added.

Testing for minerals can be done on site while testing for bacteria can be done at a Soldotna lab or through Water-Right's lab. Once water is evaluated for any issues, Water Purification Systems can make recommendations for treating it. Water-Right has developed a crystal media, Crystal-Right, for filtering for iron and minerals. Other Water-Right systems can kill iron-related bacteria and treat unpleasant odors and tastes. Newer technology can sterilize water with ultraviolet light or treat it through reverse-osmosis filters. Systems generally run from $1,500 to $2,500.

While Water Purification Systems sells Water-Right products, it also can service other brands, such as Culligan.

Yager said he's pleased that Water-Right wants to work with a company in such a small town to be its Alaska distributor, he said.

"This is a really great company to work with," Yager said. "We're pretty excited about it, to be honest with you."

Yager is in the process of acquiring a work space for Water Purification Systems. He also plans to set up a Web page. For now, the company can be reached through Homer Property Management in the ReMax of Homer building on Pioneer Avenue, or by calling 235-1841.

"I think it's going to be good for us and I'm hoping it's good for Homer," Yager said.

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong.@homernews.com.