Water Quality
The RFWSD potable water supply comes from wells drilled in the Roaring Fork River alluvial gravel deposits. The water source is an excellent water supply which relies upon the sand and gravel deposits to naturally filter water that feeds the wells. The water quality is excellent and the only treatment required to meet all the mandated health standards is disinfection through chlorination. Alluvial ground water does contain dissolved minerals that cause moderate hardness in the water. Dissolved minerals are considered beneficial for health. Hardness can cause aesthetic concerns however. The dissolved minerals can evaporate out on plumbing fixtures and on dishes cleaned with a dishwasher. Some homeowners have elected to install water softeners to reduce the hardness. Homeowners should be aware however that many commercial softeners while reducing hardness (minerals) will add salt ions to the water. Contact our office if you would like to receive a free test strip to check the hardnesss of your water. Below you will find some suggested alternatives to using commercial water softeners.
Water Hardness Rating
| Rating | Hardness (mg/1) |
| Soft | Less than 50 |
| Moderately Hard | 50 - 150 |
| Hard | 150 - 300 |
| Very Hard | More than 300 |
Bulletin: Drinking Water Quality and Health
Alternatives to Commercial Softeners
Periodically run your dishwasher using 2 tablespoons of citric acid powder in each dispenser of the dishwasher.
Set your dishwasher on the Air Dry cycle and remove glasses immediately to hand-dry with a lint-free cloth.
If you have a water softening system, be sure to use less dishwasher detergent than the recommended amount to avoid possible etching on your glasses which can be confused with mineral deposits.
Clean faucets, sinks, bathtubs, etc. with products that are designed to remove mineral deposits.
If lathering is difficult in the bath tub, adding about a 1/2 cup of baking soda to the water should soften it considerably.
Whether you have a water softening system or not, be sure to use distilled water in your iron.
If you do consider putting in a water softening system, installing it on just the hot water will still allow you to receive the benefits from the minerals in your drinking water. You also won’t be getting the extra sodium that comes with most water softening systems.