When we first purchased our house, I was delighted by the large piece of property and the privacy.
We chose a farmhouse with a big kitchen, wide front porch and hardwood floors.
Having lived in the city for most of our lives, my husband and I never considered the potential drawbacks of a water well. We paid for a home inspection and were assured that there is plenty of water. No one mentioned that the water is extremely hard. It’s overrun with minerals. The water has a slight orange hue and smells of rotten eggs. We don’t dare drink it. I don’t even like showering with it. The hard water diminishes the ability of soap to lather and leaves a scum behind. I never feel totally clean. It dries out my skin and causes frizzy hair. The water stains everything it touches, including our towels, clothing and bed linens. I constantly scrub the sinks, tubs and toilets with harsh chemicals, but there is a permanent ring around the toilet bowls. The aerators on the faucets plug so quickly that I’ve removed them all. The water corrodes the faucets and shortens the service life of the washing machine and water heater. I’ve given up trying to run the dishwasher. The glasses, plates and silverware come out looking worse than when they went in. Hard water is especially tough on the pipes. It creates a buildup of iron, rust, calcium and sediment that reduces water pressure and hinders drainage. We have tried several different types of water softeners and filtration systems. The water is especially hard, and these systems can’t keep up with demand.