Autotrol Well Rust + Hardness System

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If you have seen reddish stains on your sinks or noticed water that leaves spots on dishes and glassware, you might be dealing with rust and hardness from your well water. In Merrimack County, NH, these concerns prompt many households to consider treatment systems and face the question of choosing the right size system to manage their water quality.

Stepwise Checks Before Choosing a Treatment System

Begin by inspecting visible signs such as rust-colored staining or scale buildup on faucets and fixtures, which can indicate oxidized iron and hardness minerals. Next, take basic water hardness tests available at home supply stores to get preliminary hardness levels. However, for precise and reliable data to size a system correctly, a certified laboratory test of your specific well water is necessary. This test should include analysis of iron content, hardness minerals, and other relevant parameters.

What Changes to Expect in Tap Water with Treatment

When using a treatment system designed for rust and hardness, such as the Autotrol Well Rust + Hardness System, you can expect a reduction in staining and scale formation. The system’s technology reduces minerals causing hardness and iron-related discoloration, resulting in clearer water, improved taste, and fewer maintenance issues for household appliances. The water feels softer and can extend the life of plumbing components and fixtures.

Understanding Laboratory Test Reports for Your Well Water

A certified laboratory report for iron and hardness will typically list concentrations in micrograms per liter (µg/L) or milligrams per liter (mg/L). For example, iron concentrations are commonly expressed in µg/L. The report may show detection limits, median values, and ranges for multiple samples if taken. These figures reflect the actual measurements in your water sample and are essential for sizing the treatment system accurately.

Interpreting the Terms ‘Detected’, ‘Median’, and ‘Range’ in Area Sampling

Local government sampling data from Merrimack County’s aquifer 112SRFD, collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, found iron detected in 5 out of 6 measurements from three wells at depths of 28 to 49 feet. The median iron concentration was 137.0 µg/L with a range from 12.5 to 511.0 µg/L. These numbers represent the variety of iron levels measured in the region’s groundwater, not in your well specifically. 'Detected' means the instrument measured iron present, not that it is a violation or unsafe. 'Median' is the middle value among samples, and 'range' shows the spread from the lowest to highest measurements found.

What the Measured Iron Range Tells You and What It Does Not

All the sampled iron concentrations in the local wells were below federal health-based thresholds. This means the detected iron levels do not indicate a health concern but may affect water aesthetics, such as taste, color, or staining. The presence and concentration of iron can vary seasonally and with local geology. Therefore, regional data provides useful context but cannot substitute for an individual analysis of your well water to inform treatment needs or system sizing.

In conclusion, to settle the question of whether a treatment system sized at 32,000 grain capacity like the Autotrol Well Rust + Hardness System is appropriate, order a certified laboratory test of your own well water focusing on iron and hardness. This test will provide the specific data needed for an informed decision that matches your household water characteristics.

Where this information comes from

Source: USGS groundwater sampling. Sampled 2019-10-08. These figures describe groundwater sampled in this area. They are not a test of any individual private well - only a test of that well can establish its own water.

On record: U.S. Geological Survey sampling of Iron in the 112SRFD aquifer (Merrimack County): 6 results from 3 wells, median 137.0 ug/L, range 12.5-511.0 ug/L; none above any federal threshold