Well Water & Septic in Milton (how much, houses, water heater)

[jojo80]

Can anyone give me some info on having well and septic in Milton area. I have a few questions that may sound stupid to some, but I've never had well water or septic and I'm not sure exactly how good or bad either is. A few questions I have about wells are: are there any problems anyone knows of, specifically in the Milton area? I know you have to get the water tested, but how often, do you need a whole house purifier, if so, in your experience, which is the best to get, what happens if you or your neighbor uses fertilizers on the lawn, how can you know how much water you have? Can the well dry up? Also, on septics, is there certain dos and don'ts, like using too much water, certain toilet papers, garbage disposals? Like I said, they may sound like stupid questions, but any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[maryCh]

Hi jojo80,

No, I don't think your questions are stupid... they sound quite logical and thorough to me. But then again, we too have well and septic and I am trying to learn the same sort of thing. However, we are NOT in the Milton area, so I can't give you too much information.

As far as purifier systems, I for one would NOT recommend the salt process ones. Especially if anyone in your house has blood pressure issues, or any sensitivities to salt in their system. I have read that the salt in the "processed" water CAN be absorded into your body through showers, etc., so beware of the potential health risk.

I understand there are many other purifier systems, and we have had experience in 2 homes with the salt pellet systems. As far as using a purifier/softener system, I would recommend having the well water tested to decide. We chose to go with the whole house process, to avoid residue/mineral deposit build up on all incoming plumbing. A bit of prevention, we hope!

Hopefully, you will get better replies than mine; I will be interested in ready what others have to advise.

Take care,

Mary

[jojo80]

Hi MaryCh,
Thanks for your reply. Still doing research. How do you like having a well and septic. Do you have to be careful of how much water you use, or problems flushing toilets? Any do's or don't's you can tell me about well or septic. Thanks

[Gary Slusser]

There are many millions of private wells in the US. On average the water quality is the same or better than 'city' water, which comes from wells in many instances. Unless you have a low producing well and us too much water, like 45 minute showers and have leaking toilets or faucets, you shouldn't have a problem with a dry well.

You may have hard water and an amount of ferrous iron sufficient to cause white water spots and rust stains although there are many causes other than hardness that cause spotting. Usually a correctly sized water softener removes both hardness and iron.

Water softeners use either sodium chloride or potassium chloride to regenerate the resin that removes positive charged ions that make up hardness; calcium and magnesium, ferrous iron, manganese etc. etc.. Too much potassium is not good for you. The added sodium is calculated by a formuls of 7.85 mg/l of added sodioum per grain per gallon of ion exchange. I/.E. compesated hardness of say 15 gpg time 7.85 = 117.75 mg of added sodium per roughly a quart of softenerd water with 15 gpg hardness. A slice of white bread usually has 120-160 mg of sodium. An 8 oz glass of skim milk usually 500+ mg of sodium. So added sodium is not a concern for most of us and those on a restricted sodium diet know how to control their sodium intake... eat one slice of white bread less and actually reduce that day's intake after drinking a quart of their softened water. Postaaium chloride may require a higher salt dose in lbs and it costs up to 4 times more for the same size bag if you can find it today because China has been buying up all of it it can find.

Nothing other than toilet paper should be going into a septic system unless it passes through you first. And some TP brands are not good for a septic system. Be careful with garbage disposals. Oils and fats kill septic systems, and they are very expensive to replace and most can not be fixed without replacement. You can learn more with simple searches of the web.

[jojo80]

thanks gary for your info

[maryCh]

Hi jojo80,

Gary gave you some excellent information... and I am simply responding to your direct question. We have had wells and septic for years; here in DE and back in NC. Personally, I prefer well water. And a properly operating septic system, IMHO, functions as efficiently as public sewers.

We have never had problems with water pressure, nor have we had extraordinary trouble with the septic systems over time. Obviously, as Gary mentioned, common sense comes into play; especially with "stuff" being dumped into the septic.

Good luck with your research!

Mary

[jojo80]

thank you mary

[linicx]

I have a well and septic. I will disagree with the poster who does not recommend a water conditioner. But one subject at a time and please understand the contents are my opinion and has nothing to do with the location of the OP. I have never been there.

There are two kinds of salt pelts. Sodium Chloride and Potassium Chloriide. I used sodium for years until I develped a skin condition and the sSodium Chloride burned. I switched to Potassium Chloride, the burning sensation stopped, and I learned Potassium Chloride is ecologically friendly. It will not hurt water, people, plants or animals.And it laaves the water softened which is a good thing. I have minr - on hot an cold - the kitchen sink can be bypassed - for good reason.

I use less laundry soap, less hand soap, less dishwasher detergent and less time to clean sinks, toiletsl tubs and showers. Water pipes do not rust, toilets and faucets do not accumulate lime build up, and do not affect the taste of water, and it is good for baby. Generally speaking, old houses with bad tasting water is self correcting, but it may take as long as a year. My water in a previous house reeked of sulpher for ten months. Once the pipes were cleaned out from daily use the odor disappeared and the water was pretty good.

Potassium Chloride has much less sodium. But there is a caveat. A conditioner must be set to factory formula to use Potassium as it is a different formulae than Sodium Chloride. Most watersoftners sold today are set for use with Sodium Chloride.

The next problem is finding the stuff. Sears does sell it, but whether or not it is in your area is unknown to me. Some local plumbers. and farm and feed stores carry it too. Sears sells, installs and repairs their own water condition units. sp do national water conditioinng chains Sears does it for 2/3 less than the others. The last national company wanted $3500 for the same $300 unit Sears sells. One of the best units I had was a used commercial unit with a rebuilt all brass German head. It was sold by the local water conditioner company. I paid $500 installed. I moved it twice and in 20 years it was never serviced.

Warning: NEVER. EVER ;lay a water conditioner on its side for any reason as this messes with the rosin bed and is expensive to repair. Been there done that too. A so called contracator insalled a new Water Boss. It has never worked correctly, By the way, while I think about it, I only use natural eco-friendly soaps in my house and laundry. It is one of the best decisions I ever made. I buy all the soaps, shampoo and conditionrs - especially the laundry soap at Trader Joe's. This natural soap is rated for the top load washers and front loadrs, too. HE soaps for front loades do not produce as mnay suds - which is good for the septic tank. I like the front loaders becaues the clothes are not tanbled as badly.

While I am talking about water, one of the biggest mistakes I made was not installing and on-demand hot water heater. The only time he water heats is when the hot water faucet is on; saves money. The only problem I had with a water conditioner is replacing the outlet hose. I did that once in 25 years. The water condisionter/softner is the one unit best left to experts to install because of tests and manufactures specs. It is not the handman's delight. A water conditioner does add resell value to your home. .

I installed a septic too. Yhere are two things to worry about: Local ordinance and a Perk test. If local ordinances prohibit a septic, you cannot install it. If the ground does not pass a PERK test, you cannot install it. In Oklahoma test was done by the county health department as I was in the country. They say where it can be installed, how deep, where the leach field is incalled and how deep to the last grain of sand, and size of rock. A new septic not installed to specs will either be torn up and reinstalled to spec, or it will not be certifed for use. A septic and power line must be separated by at least 50 feet, but a gas line can be laid parallel to a leach field. Whether or not your water is any good depends upon the source.

The worst thing you cando to a septic is fill it with non-soluble items like cigarette butts, grease and great wads of toilet paper. You can use a food disposal with a septic tank. How often a septic is emptied is conrolled by the amount of household use. If you have a big busy family you might pump out every year. If you have a family of two that works all day, you might not pump for five years.. The average is probably closer to three years. The cost of installing a septic varies from area to area because of the soil and the time it takes to dig the hole. I do not live in clay or rock, so a new septic for me would cost little compared to what it cost me to insall it in mostly hardpan clay and rocky soil.

Septics and land are a which came first game. Before I purchased any land, I would pay for a perk test. Any county health department can tell you the quality of water you are drinking and what is in it, the hardness and just about any other thing you want to know about water.

Another thing to know about septics is they cannot be placed closely together. In Oklahoma the lot size could be nor smaller than 3/4 acre -- and only one per family.. However, if grandma moved next door she could hook to yours, but the next guy who lived there could not. He had to have his own septic This whole issue has to do with laundry water leaching to the ground surface.

I have have had eight septic systems, installed two, pumped four, repaired at least three well water pumps, but I never installed a well. As I understand it, the cost is associated with how deep a well must be dug to reach a " good" water source - which can be serveral hundred feet - and how much casing is used to build it.

To me installing a well and septic is a lot like a craps game. Some times you win and sometimes you loose, but to me, it is worth the toss of the die for good tasting water. The county should retest water on demand. I play $75 to certify the well and septic systems every year. .

I hope this helps.