At Water Doctor, standard systems rely on a process known as cation exchange. A water softener works by replacing hard calcium or magnesium molecules with sodium molecules, balancing the electrical charge in the water to leave it properly softened.

While acidic water itself is not a safety issue, it can pose a risk of copper or lead if present in the home plumbing. Acidic water with a pH below 6.5 is corrosive and may leach lead and copper into your drinking water, as well as cause leaks and staining. Left untreated, this imparts an unpleasant metallic taste to your water and leaves stubborn stains on laundry, sinks, and toilets. An issue effectively resolved with a whole house filtration system.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than 1 in 5 U.S. households rely on septic systems for wastewater treatment, a setup that often comes with unique water quality and treatment considerations. Ultimately, the exact treatment your home needs depends on its specific mineral and chemical makeup. To find out, our certified water quality professionals can perform an in-home inspection to test your pH levels, check for iron, sample for bacteria, and determine if a whole house filtration system is the right fit for your water supply. The presence of blue/green stains, orange or brown discoloration, or sediment is an indicator that treatment is needed. A Water Test is needed to determine the source of the issue and the appropriate treatment.

Orange stains around the waterline of your toilet and bathtubs are caused by mineral deposits from iron in the water. A water softener and other media filtration will address this. A Water test will indicate which system is appropriate.

Hard water is simply water with a high mineral content, formed as it slowly percolates through underground limestone and chalk deposits. These deposits are primarily made of calcium and magnesium carbonates, which leave behind the white residue you see on bathtubs, sinks, and fixtures unless addressed with a water softener.

Water softeners improve the water we bathe in and use for cleaning our home. However, they do not filter drinking water like reverse osmosis systems and ultraviolet light sterilizers, and they will not remove a wide range of potential contaminants flowing through your taps. Even if you have a water softener, you may consider adding a water filtration system to ensure the water is safe to drink. The Water Doctor team can ensure you have soft water for cleaning and bathing and filtered water for drinking and cooking.

If your well water has a noticeable rotten egg smell, it is a strong indicator of excessive hydrogen sulfide, which typically stems from decaying organic matter. While there are other potential causes for this sulfur odor—feel free to contact our staff for a helpful tip sheet—the issue can be effectively eliminated. A water treatment professional can remove this unpleasant odor using Aeration or Chlorine Injection Systems. Reach out if you want to learn more about this cleansing process or a whole house filtration system.

While small amounts of sulfur won't pose health problems, high levels can cause diarrhea and dehydration. To protect your health, it is best to remove excess sulfur from your water supply using a whole house filtration system.

These systems introduce small doses of chemicals into your well water as it flows through your plumbing to correct acidity or eliminate odors—issues that fall outside the scope of a standard water softener. While Water Doctor prefers natural mineral acid neutralizers for residential setups, we utilize chemical injection feeders for commercial applications.

Whether installed at a single tap or integrated into a whole house filtration setup, reverse osmosis systems rely on a high-pressure pump to force water through a semipermeable membrane. In our experience, as water passes through the membrane, it filters out between 75% and 95% of chlorine, dissolved solids, and other impurities.