Where Does Your Water Come From and Does it Need Water Conditioning?

Do you know where your water comes from? Knowing where you get the water in your home is key for reducing contaminants and making sure it’s safe for the whole family. Our experts can help you test your water quality and find solutions for contaminants in your home’s water. We test water from both public systems and private wells to keep your water clean and healthy.

To learn more about your water, schedule a free water test with our experts.

The source of your home’s water has a big impact on the types of contaminants that may be present. Therefore, it affects what type of water conditioning solutions you need for your home. Generally, your home’s water will either come from a private well or from city or MUD water systems, which are public systems used by most homes in your area.

City and MUD System Water

Public water systems are systems that supply water to many users. The government generally controls the supply and treatment of water that goes to your home’s pipes. City water systems are generally large and supply water to a whole city like Houston. In many cases, these city systems also supply water to nearby suburban areas.

However, in other cases, your water may come from a municipal utility district (MUD). These are special districts that provide water and other utilities when cities either can’t extend service or want the costs to go to another party. For instance, many master-planned communities have MUD-supplied water, such as:

Bridgeland
Cinco Ranch
Cypress Creek Lakes
First Colony
The Woodlands

Both city and MUD water systems are controlled by local governments that are responsible for treating the water and making sure it’s healthy for their customers. If you get a regular water bill for your home, then you’re likely on one of these systems.

Treatment for these water systems involves many different factors, including using chemical disinfectants like chlorine to kill microbes in the water. They must meet certain standards from the EPA for “safe” levels of contaminants like arsenic, lead, and microbes. Because of the treatment process, your water will likely contain chlorine if you are a part of a city or MUD water system.

Some common water contaminants in these systems include:

Water conditioning with water softening and filtration systems can help remove many of these contaminants to make your water healthier to drink and also taste better. Generally, the contaminants in your water will be similar to other homes on the same system because it all comes from the same source.

Well Water

By contrast, many Texans use water from private wells on their properties. Private wells tap into groundwater aquifers and use a pump to send the water through your home’s plumbing system. Unlike with public water systems, homeowners on private wells are solely responsible for making sure their water is healthy.

Therefore, if you are on well water, you need to get comprehensive water testing to find any contaminants and impurities in your water. Water conditioning with softening and filtration systems are also generally a must if your home uses well water, as there are often many types of contaminants in the water.

Well water can be contaminated by a variety of sources, including industrial waste, oil and gas drilling, animal waste, fertilizer, septic systems, and livestock waste. Anything that can leach into the ground and affect the water table can also affect your private well.

Because it’s not pre-treated, well water can have a wider range of contaminants. In addition to the contaminants that can be present in city and MUD water, well water may also have issues with impurities like:

Nitrates
Radionuclides (radioactive radium and uranium)
Volatile organic compounds
Heavy metals

Therefore, well water is often more dangerous to drink without proper treatment. If you use a private well for your home, our team has the experience you need to properly test and treat the water to provide you with clean, healthy water for your family.