Water, softner and filter or just drink it! (El Paso, Lubbock: sales, appliances)

[meredithmyoung]

Hi again, its me again, the one who just moved here (yesterday as a matter of fact!) We are getting moved into our new home. We had to purchase a new fridge since the last homeowners took the fridge and looked at Water softeners. Here is my question, is the water in El Paso harder than most places? In Nebraska the water was really hard and everyone had water softeners and they were a necessity. We are originally from Idaho and we didn't need one there. What is the water status here? Do I need a filter for the water that we drink and do you have water softeners?
We are busy trying to get into the neighborhood and getting settled.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Meredith

[alliswell]

I had a water softener system in my old house. Reverse osmosis, etc. The city water was considered excellent, but we still chose a to install a system.

Here in EP I must say I have been pleasantly surprised and pleased with the quality and taste of the water right out of the tap. I have no clue about it's documented quality. We do have a system on the fridge to filter our drinking water. I would suggest that so you have an option -- it is nice for company, nice having a resource besides the kitchen sink to fill up a glass, not to mention I like the taste of filtered water.

My opinion is if you can get a filter on the fridge, then do so. Other than that, I don't see a need to worry about a whole-house system. I think the quality of EP city water is just fine to rather excellent and you have a million other things to focus on with just moving. I really don't think the quality of water should be a worry.

Will be interested in the comments from long time EP residents...

[ZSP]

El Paso has excellent water right from the tap. The water utility puts out an annual report and includes it in the monthly bill. The city also has the distinction, along with Ft. Bliss, of having the the largest and most high tech desalination facility in the country.

Our water conservation efforts of the past 20 years has assured ample water for at least the next 200 years.

As for a water softener/filter system, I'm sure that's a personal choice.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by meredithmyoung

Hi again, its me again, the one who just moved here (yesterday as a matter of fact!) We are getting moved into our new home. We had to purchase a new fridge since the last homeowners took the fridge and looked at Water softeners. Here is my question, is the water in El Paso harder than most places? In Nebraska the water was really hard and everyone had water softeners and they were a necessity. We are originally from Idaho and we didn't need one there. What is the water status here? Do I need a filter for the water that we drink and do you have water softeners?
We are busy trying to get into the neighborhood and getting settled.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Meredith

As the other poster mentioned, it really is a personal choice.

I have always had hard water in every place in WT I've lived. I had friends in EP that I visited, and the water straight out of the tap did taste good. EP has done a good job with their water resources, as I understand it.

However, that hard water has a downside in that it is hard on all of the appliances--dishwasher, hot water heater, icemaker in the fridge, washer, pipes, et al. The resulting minerals and sediment are all detrimental.

When I moved to Alamogordo, I just thought I'd seen hard water. The water here is so unbelievably hard that it left a white ring in the dog's water bowl at the end of the FIRST day. So...in went RO and water softener, because water this hard will ruin appliances in short order.

If I had to do it over again in TX (Midland, Lubbock), I'd have soft water. And if I had to plumb a house over again, I'd make it WHOLE house with the exception of the outside faucets. You don't want salt water going to what few plants you might have outdoors.

[fakeguy]

I actually prefer tap water and will turn down other water for it.

[XChucoresident]

well...all of my family,,the 6 generations that have lived there in EPand still continue to live and have drunk the tap water..we are still all here and kicking..so I could bet my money on it that it is ok!

[kidicarus89]

El Paso water is considered 'hard', due to the high mineral content, but it's great. Certainly better than the toilet-quality stuff I tasted along the Mississippi. I don't know if they use the river itself as a source, but it's not very good.

[watery]

here is a Mispresentation in Sales and Promotion of Water Filtering Units:
........................
Salesman frequently places electrolytic bar into water sample and energize for electrolysis and claim that the tap-water is not clean. During electrolysis, the following results observed:

1. Electrolyzing tap water will produce yellowish brown and floating dregs.

2. Electrolyzing filtered pure water is clear and transparent free of yellowish brown color and dregs.

But if you add salt into filtered electrolyzed pure water and electrolyze again the water turns yellowish brown and with dregs again.

The explanation of above experiment is:
When tap water is containing ions (especially chloride), energize to electrolyze with electrolyzing bar, the anode will have metallic iron dissolved and when it reacts with chloride (ferric chloride or iron(3) chloride) turn the water into yellowish brown, which is not actually came from tap water. The pure water after filtering, it is free of mineral and is not electrically conductive; hence there is no such phenomenon. When salt is added, it is conductive again and electrolysis gives the same effect as the electrolysis of tap water.
..............
source: http://www.fullhealth.net/Mispresentation-in-Sales-and-Promotion-of-Water-Filtering-Units_5403.html (broken link)