Really depends on the filter too. There's a huge difference between a plastic mesh filter with some activated carbon in a fridge line vs a whole house RO setup.
There's indeed less waste involved this way. But not everywhere you go in the world, has good drinking water from the tap. Water filters are at times, a continual necessity.
We've had this issue recently on our fridge where it's dispensing water with occasional bio film in it... how do you completely clean the waterlines in a fridge lol