When my husband and I moved our family from the city to the suburbs, we purchased a home with a water well.
- Since we had always enjoyed the benefits of city water, we were not prepared for the problems of hard water.
We were delighted to have a newly remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, not realizing that this was due to excessive damage to everything the water touches. It didn’t take long to become aware of the unpleasant smell and color of the water supplied from the faucets. The water is overrun with minerals such as lime, rust and calcium. It clogs the aerators and diminishes water pressure, corrodes the finish on faucets and stains the tubs and sinks. All of the pipes in the house were restricted by sediment build-up. Our appliances don’t last as long as expected. Water heaters tend to rupture and burst within a year or two. With such hard water, we need to use a great deal more soap, shampoo and detergent. We have concerns with frizzy hair, dry skin and soap scum residue. We’ve consulted with multiple plumbers and gotten estimates for various types of water softening systems. Unfortunately, our water is of such poor quality that the water softening systems can’t keep up. We no longer bother to use the dishwasher because the dishes look worse afterward. We purchase bottled water for drinking and cooking. At least, we have plenty of water to handle the demands of our household. However, the quality of the water adds to expenses, inconvenience and requires a great deal of time and work.