Is Well Water Hard or Soft?

Water hardness is caused by a buildup of dissolved minerals that can cause problems for your plumbing, fixtures, water-using appliances and even hair and skin. It’s an especially common occurrence in wells, which use groundwater that absorbs minerals from underground rocks and soil.

However, it’s important to remember that water can differ between geographic locations and even individual homes. Your well water hardness level could be high while your neighbor’s is low — which is why it’s smart to let a water test give you all the details.

Read on to more about well water hardness, what it means and why it matters.

Why Is Well Water Hard?

To understand exactly why hard water is common in wells, it’s helpful to take a step back and consider what “hard water” really is.

It all begins with calcium and magnesium. These minerals are found everywhere in nature, including rocks, plants, soil and bones; in fact, calcium is the fifth most common element in the Earth’s crust, while magnesium is the eighth. Although they’re necessary for the human body in certain amounts, you get them primarily from your diet — because when they’re in your water, they can cause a lot of frustration.

The problem is that calcium and magnesium can be “sticky.” They build up on surfaces like faucets, shower doors and dishes — and sometimes in less visible places like inside your home’s plumbing or water-using appliances. They can also cause your shampoo and soap to lather less and accumulate on your skin and scalp, resulting in dryness or irritation.

So, why is this more of a problem for well water? Think about it: Wells generally draw water from aquifers, which are essentially underground storage tanks. This is where groundwater ends up after filtering through layers of rock and soil, likely encountering lots of calcium and magnesium along the way. The result is often a high water hardness level.

But that’s not the whole story. Here are a few more things to know about hard water:

Can You Drink Hard Water?

Yes. Water hardness generally isn’t a health concern, although it may cause problems for your hair, skin and nails. Since issues arise when you bathe or wash with hard water, it’s usually not considered a drinking water problem.

Is All Well Water Hard?

Although hardness is especially common in wells across North America, it isn’t a guarantee for every well. Keep in mind that calcium and magnesium levels differ depending on the natural environment, meaning hardness varies widely — sometimes even between multiple houses on the same street.

Learn more about well water softening solutions.

Can City Water Be Hard?

City water can be hard, too. That’s because this water is occasionally drawn from similar groundwater sources and can otherwise come into contact with calcium and magnesium.

How To Tell If Your Well Has Hard Water

One of the top struggles with high mineral content is that it’s often an invisible issue — at least in the water supply itself. You likely won’t see, smell or taste anything at all when calcium and magnesium are in your glass. However, your home will eventually show the signs — and by that point, hard water can be expensive and time-consuming to address.

That’s the first reason to test your well water regularly. A free water test is a great way to ensure you know exactly what’s happening when you turn on the tap, particularly because well water quality can change over time.

And that doesn’t just apply to hardness levels. These tests can identify other potential issues, including iron and total dissolved solids (TDS) — both of which are also common in wells. More comprehensive professional tests can uncover additional concerns ranging from arsenic, mercury and lead to emerging contaminants like PFAS and microplastics.*

However, this isn’t the only reason well water testing should be an annual habit. There’s another factor to keep in mind, and that’s water quality management.

City water is filtered, disinfected and overseen by a variety of local authorities. It’s also held to standards set by various levels of government. While this doesn’t guarantee that municipal water is perfect, it does provide a level of treatment that private well water doesn’t have. That’s because private wells aren’t managed by the city or federally regulated — which means you’re entirely responsible for your water quality.

Professional vs. DIY Testing

The good news is that, although water testing and treatment are your job, you don’t have to handle these processes alone. In fact, seeking professional support is often easier and faster than trying to piece together DIY solutions.

Take water testing, for example. While there are DIY kits that allow you to test for various contaminants and water issues like hardness, they’re not always convenient. That’s because you have to interpret the results on your own and figure out how that should inform your next steps — and that takes time, money and lots of patience. Professional water testing, on the other hand, is quick and easy; the goal is to provide you with clear insights and expert recommendations based on your unique needs.

Why Hard Water Should Be Softened

If you have a hard water problem, you may be wondering just how urgent it is. After all, this generally isn’t a health concern — so should a water softener really be a priority?

Here are a few reasons hard water can be more serious than you realize:

Hard Water Stains

Hard water stains, sometimes known as limescale or mineral buildup, can show up just about anywhere. They might leave chalky white residue on a shower door or around the sink; they can also look like scaly buildup on a plumbing fixture.

These stains are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Worse yet, when you do manage to scrub them away, they’ll keep coming back until you’ve softened your water to remove the dissolved minerals.

Impacts on Plumbing and Water-Using Appliances

Calcium and magnesium can build up in your pipes, leading to reduced water pressure. The same thing can happen inside water-using appliances like the washing machine or water heater, eventually impacting efficiency and longevity.

Cleaning Problems

Hardness minerals make it more difficult to work up a lather with soaps and detergents, which means your cleaning routine could take longer and cost more over time. Plus, if you try to clean mineral buildup with mineral-rich water, you’ll just end up with more buildup.

Dull, Dingy Laundry

A lesser-known hard water problem starts in the laundry machine. The minerals can make cleaning less effective, leaving your fabrics dull, stiff and faded— and your clothes may even wear out sooner.

Self-Care Struggles

When minerals build up on your skin and scalp, they prevent natural oils from doing critical jobs for your body. That leads to:

• Hair: Dryness, frizziness, tangles, reduced lifetime of hair color
• Skin: Dryness, itchiness, irritation, redness
• Nails: Discoloration, brittleness, flakiness

Do these issues sound familiar?

Download our FREE Hard Water Solutions Handbook to find out what you can do.

What To Know About Water Softening

Although these water problems can seem frustrating, there’s one answer that addresses everything: a water softener.

Water softeners work by using resin beads to attract and trap the hardness minerals in your water supply. They then use brine solution in a process called “regeneration,” which cleans the resin beads and allows them to continue capturing calcium and magnesium with maximum efficiency.

Some water softeners are specifically designed for well water, with additional filtration capabilities that also handle common well issues like iron. However, the most important considerations will always be:

• Your water’s hardness levels
• Your average water usage habits
• Your expectations for efficiency, lifespan and overall quality
• Your preferences for additional features
• Your budget

How do you get all of this information? A water test is the best place to start. You’ll learn your water hardness levels and get personalized recommendations from a local water expert. If you need an additional water filtration system, the test results will tell you that, too. Once you have the details, you’ll get to choose between softeners that fit your needs and expectations — and you won’t even have to install the system yourself.

The Path To Softened Well Water

Whether you already suspect that your well water has high hardness levels or you want to find out, it’s important to start with a professional water test. Guesswork will lead to inefficient decisions that could leave you without some of the biggest benefits of soft water.

Fortunately, it’s easy to get started. Schedule your free, in-home water test and consultation today.

*Contaminants may not be present in your water.