City Water or Well Water (Manchester, Littleton: homes, live in, softener)

[CoffeeTalk]

We are planning on relocating to New Hampshire from Texas next summer (getting a little tired of 107 degree heat). Don't panic, we know cold weather very well just not New Hampshire weather specifically. Husband grew up in Mass.

City water vs. well water - does one have any advantage over the over? Does city water carry past the city limits? Is city water potable without a filtration system and is your water hard or soft? I.e., do you need a water softer in your home.

Thanks very much.

[WannaComeHome]

in most cases you won't have a choice whether to have city services or private water/septic. Mostly only the cities and a few towns for maybe just the downtown area will have it, everyone else has their own.

[DareToDream]

We live in the town of Littleton (in northern NH) and have town water/sewer. We don't need a water softener and have had no problems with the water. Each year the water company sends us the "breakdown" or whatever of what is in the water and there has never been anything alarming or out of the ordinary in it. When we lived in NYS we had town water/sewer as well, and they never sent us anything like that and we always used bottled water.

When we first moved here, we rented a place about 5 miles outside of the town proper, which had its own well and septic system and had no problems with that water either.

With all the rain we're having this summer, I'm ready to put out barrels to collect the rain water and use that, though!

[AngelaK]

I live in Manchester and have city water and sewer--there are many advantages......your well never goes dry! you don't have to pump your septic tank! you can run your water even when the electricity goes out! it is clean and filtered and fluoridated! SOOOOOOO much easier than a well!

I think almost everyone in Manchester has city water, there may be some that do not, but I am not aware of that.

Some people might say they like the taste of their well water better than the city water, but my pediatrician once told me that Manchester water was rated the best in the state, because they constantly check it for all kinds of things...and I think it tastes great!

I have had well water before, and that can be good too, but the only thing is that depending on where you are, if you have a very dry summer, you can some times run dry, so you need to be very careful of your consumption, etc.

[Valerie C]

Hey, were you spying on me yesterday during the downpours?? I was watching the huge amounts of water coming off the roof, and ran in to get some big cups to collect. Amazing--it filled a 32-oz. container within 2 minutes! I'm thinking gutters and a cistern (only half kidding here!) Looking on the bright side, I could probably keep my gardens watered with rain water only with these tropical downpours

Originally Posted by DareToDream

With all the rain we're having this summer, I'm ready to put out barrels to collect the rain water and use that, though!

OK, keeping on topic--the choice of city or well water is one that will be decided by location--as noted, most towns in NH don't have it, a few do, and it'll mainly be offered in the areas closest to "downtown", unless you're in one of our few cities that offer it throughout.

City water is monitored, and if there is anything nasty in it, the water department is required to let residents know. Well water is generally tested when property changes hands--I recommend yearly testing just to be sure that things haven't changed. It's a couple hundred bucks that is well spent, IMO.

[CoffeeTalk]

Great info everyone! Thanks.

Okay, so lets say your well goes dry, then what? We had a well when we lived in South Carolina but never had a worry of it going dry.

Also, what are you using the water for that you are collecting during rain showers? Is it for drinking? Is there any worry of acid rain or run-off into your well?

One more thing . . .is everyone in New Hamshire as helpful and friendly as y'all are?

[BF66389]

Well vs. City Water
It really depends on the specific area; as you've seen mentioned above some localities have awesome city water, others don't. I'd consider most of it "potable" though- there are minimum guidelines. With a well it depends as well on a case by case basis, some can be contaminated while others are suitable for bottling/selling...

With City it *generally* works when the power is out, but you also have a seperate water bill. With well there is no seperate bill as the pump is powered from your homes electrical that said it goes out when the power does (although many systems have a pressure tank installed that will hold several gallons at pressure for use).

There really are no blanket statements that can address either.

[Valerie C]

If I had a metal roof I would consider using the water for something else, but with asphalt shingles, the water from the roof is gritty and grainy. OK for watering the flowers, but I wouldn't recommend for personal use

Originally Posted by CoffeeTalk

Also, what are you using the water for that you are collecting during rain showers? Is it for drinking? Is there any worry of acid rain or run-off into your well?

[BF66389]

Originally Posted by CoffeeTalk

Great info everyone! Thanks.

Okay, so lets say your well goes dry, then what? We had a well when we lived in South Carolina but never had a worry of it going dry.

Also, what are you using the water for that you are collecting during rain showers? Is it for drinking? Is there any worry of acid rain or run-off into your well?

One more thing . . .is everyone in New Hamshire as helpful and friendly as y'all are?

1) First, a properly designed well should be located in the right spot and deep enough that if the water table drops (drought) it is still submerged. That said, there were cases a few years ago in MD/VA where wells went dry and companies/the gov "injected" water into them which sustained the homeowners until rain recharged the water table. In more extreme cases the well will need to be re-drilled.

2) Acid rain will probably be neutralized by minerals in the ground long before it reaches the water table and most contaminates *should* be filtered as well by the earth (a lot of well water is actually thousands of years old- depends on the area). Testing will tell you your well water's condition and complex filters can be installed if necessary.

3) Rainwater should *generally* be treated as grey water unless steps have been taken to ensure it not getting contaminated (bugs, plant-life, etc- that then rots). Collecting rainwater is an excellent way to get water for your grass, garden, etc...

[Idunn]

This isn't specific to New Hampshire, but if collecting rain water for general use the entire system should be designed for potable water use. Most particularly that means the roof: no asphalt shingles for one thing. The idea being that everything between rain in the sky and your mouth can influence the water.

If, as in many applications, for no more than the garden, no matter. But vegetables? See above.