Stamford Well Water - discussion on minerals and Salt

In the mineral post at first glance it might seem hardness is an issue, however if you look at what the US EPA's guidance on hardness is the problem resolves into a slight problem with about 16% of the wells having significant hardness in the water. When you look at the type of hardness, calcium hardness is much more benign than magnesium hardness, the wells with difficult water drops to less than 5%. So what is the issue here. Hard water (or water that is presented as being hard) sells softeners, which a lucrative business. The true issue, acidic water, is not as lucrative and not addressed unless a softener can be sold as well.


This next presentation is of Salts in well water, the major source of which is softener backwash. Most backwash is pumped into septic systems, which will destroy the cement of the septic and is against public health code for a very good reason. The water pumped into the septic system goes back into the water a well draws from.

Test	Average value	High			Okay	% Okay
SALTS in mg/L
		above 250	100 to 250
chlorides	105.69	441	1337		3632	67.13%
chlorides with softener	138.84	147	358		583	53.58%
chlorides without softener	69.04	0	923		2789	75.13%
		above 100	28 to 100
sodium	49.84	547	1481		2417	54.38%
sodium treated	85.74	263	371		217	25.50%
sodium untreated	51.14	577	1423		2209	52.48%
		more than 2500	500 to 2500	Above Average
potassium	25.27	0	2	281	371	56.73%
potassium treated	95.47	0	2	109	23	17.16%
potassium not treated	4.75	0	0	23	71	75.53%

The wells with problem salts that do not have softeners are linked to their neighbors softener backwash except in only 4 cases where the wells have road salt drain over them.