Many people often wonder if the water in wells is hard or soft. To get to the answer, you have to understand the basics. When minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, latch onto the oxygen and hydrogen molecules, the water becomes hard. Instead of coming from the dedicated reservoirs, well water is not inherently hard, but likely to become so as it comes from the ground. Well water may in fact have excessive mineral content because it is stored in the ground, taking on the attributes of the soil surrounding it. With that in mind, we at AAA Water Team would like to take the opportunity to expound on the hardness of well water.
Need for Well Water Testing
In order to reach the water table beneath the ground, a well used to be a long and wide shaft, dug deep into the soil. From precipitation and nearby bodies of water, a collection of water seeps into the ground, being referred to as a water table. Depending on the local geology, the water table usually sits atop a hard bedrock layer, containing water-soluble minerals. Suffering from the same quality issues, wells today are drilled to be smaller in size and reach deeper water deposits. Whether you have a well drilled, or are using an existing well on a new property, it is ideal to perform a test on the well water. Not only do so initially, but because over time, well water can change in chemical composition, it is essential to continue monitoring your well water to ensure the quality.
Water Table; How Deep Should a Well Be for Drinking Water
The geological features of your land dictate the depth of a water table. Where few well survey stations may not be in close enough proximity to your land to give an accurate representation of the depth of your water table, it should at the least give you an idea to the levels. For those near a stream, lake, pond, or any type of body water collected on the surface, the water table will be closer to the surface, with the surface water saturating the soil and surrounding area. The land fixed atop a hill will have to go deeper, making it a challenge to find groundwater. With the help of gravity and the flow of downhill elevations, the groundwater and precipitation is found downward. Pockets will be more difficult t rejuvenate and be seasonal when some pockets of groundwater are found on the hill. Because water does not have anywhere to go on the flatlands, except to seep into the soil, they have a high water table. A Large amount of water stored in the water table below the surface is relied on heavily by agricultural success of the Great Plains.
Signs of Hard Water on Skin, Hair, Plumbing Fixtures etc
Hard water is not easily visible to the untrained eye. In order to know if the water is hard, the best way is to look for the signs. Minerals and discoloration in toilet bowls, sinks, and on shower heads is a red flag of hard water. A strong sign of hard water is the rust stains amongst the fixtures because the mineral that is making your water hard is eating away at the home’s internal piping system. In the shower, you can feel the difference between hard and soft water because hard water will make the soap on your body and the shampoo in your hair harder to rinse clean and often leave a film of soap scum. Soft water easily rinses the filth and soap residues.
Water Softener Systems & More in Golden Gate Estates, Naples, Cape Coral, Fort Myers & Lehigh Acres Florida
Well water should be tested periodically and when you first start using it to ensure it is clean and the level of hardness. Issues can arise due to weather or a shift in geological activity. Toxins can also be introduced to well water under different circumstances. Contact AAA Water Team for water testing, water softener systems and other quality water services today!
