Well water in Menomonee Falls: village wells and private wells
Well water in Menomonee Falls can mean the Village's own wells, which run 27 to 32 grains, or a private well of your own, which has no published number at all.
Call (262) 829-5961Mon to Fri, 7am to 5pmThe Village's wells: 27 to 32 grains
The part of the village not on purchased lake water is served from the Village's own wells. Its utility FAQ puts that water at 27 to 32 grains per gallon, roughly 462 to 547 milligrams per liter.
The USGS line for very hard sits at 180 milligrams per liter, and the village wells run between two and a half and three times that. On this side of the village, softening is the main job.
A private well of your own
If your water comes from a well on your own lot rather than a Village connection, neither published range applies. The number comes from the lab report you have, or from a test the plumber runs before the work.
The Village did one conversion for you: 462 to 547 milligrams per liter is its 27 to 32 grains. Do the same with your own lab figure by dividing it by 17.1.
A private well may also carry iron; if your lab measured it, that figure belongs on the call.
Where a softener's job ends on a well
Inside the tank, hardness is swapped for sodium, or, when the brine tank is stocked with potassium chloride, for potassium. On bacteria and nitrate, a softener has no role at all.
Wisconsin's DNR puts it simply: test a private well for bacteria at least annually.
Village well water and a private well, side by side
Both are groundwater, and both reach the softener the same way, through the main line. The difference is the paperwork: the Village publishes the hardness of its wells, while a private well is measured only when you, or the plumber, test it.
Common questions
Are the Village's wells the same as a private well?
No. Village well water is published, at 27 to 32 grains. A private well stands apart, with a number only a test can give.
Could I be on village well water without knowing it?
It happens. Your address decides the supply, so ask the Village utility, and the hardness test at your tap will show which range you are in.
Does the well side need anything besides a softener?
Hardness is what a softener addresses. If your water carries iron, say so on the call, and the call will spell out what the quote includes.