Is Well Water Hard or Soft?

July 24, 2019 10:58 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

One question we commonly receive from our clients is whether well water is considered soft or hard water. To answer this, you must understand what makes water “hard” to begin with. If there is a concentration of minerals like calcium or magnesium that attach themselves to the hydrogen and oxygen in the water, that is considered “hard” water. While well water is not inherently hard to begin with, it is more likely to become hard than other sources of water because the water is being brought up from the ground rather than from protected reservoirs, which means it has the potential to take on the characteristics of the soil around it.

Here’s some information about the hardness or softness of well water and why water softeners in Monroe, NC may be necessary in your circumstances.

Consider the source

Wells are designed to reach down deep below the soil to reach the water table, or the collection of water below the surface that builds up due to precipitation and from bodies of water in the nearby area. The water table generally sits on top of bedrock, which may or may not contain minerals that are soluble in water, depending on the area in which you live.

Today’s wells are generally smaller than they once were, but there are still the issues associated with potentially having water that has soaked up and dissolved minerals. This can make for issues with hard water and require you to use a filter or water softener.

Part of this depends on the location of your water table, as well as the quality of the soil in your area. Exactly how deep down the water table is located near you depends on your geological features. There is a tool on the website of the U.S. Geological Survey that allows you to check the water table depth in your area, though survey stations might not be near enough to your home to give you an exact depth or even a close estimate.

Generally, if you’re located close to a body of water like a lake, river or pond, you’ll have a water table that’s closer to the surface than you would if you were in an area that did not have any collections of water nearby.

If you’re on top of a hill or mountain, it becomes significantly more difficult for you to find the water table in your area, because water is less likely to collect in that area. You’d need to dig down much farther to be able to access it. Flatlands, meanwhile, have a higher water table because the water doesn’t have anywhere to go but straight down into the soil. This is one of the reasons why the Great Plains are so great for farmland, because there’s a high water table making for rich soil.

For more information about determining the hardness of your well water and installing a water softener in Monroe, NC, contact the experts at Love Well & Pump Supply, LLC today.

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