Ken's Plumbing | Blog

Have you ever been at somebody else's house and asked for a glass of water? When you took a sip, you couldn't help but notice it tasted very different from your water at home. You may have thought, "That's weird, I thought water was just water," However, the taste says otherwise.

There are several differences between well water and city water, including the source, quality, reliability, taste, and even how you pay for it. Even city water varies from city to city, so water is certainly not "just water."

The Big Differences

Source

• City water comes from a large source (a lake, river, etc.) which is shared by many, many households.
• Well water comes from deep within your own ground.

Quality

• City water is put through a variety of cleaning processes. Before it ever enters your home, it is treated daily and regularly tested to be sure it's safe to consume. The results of city water testing are kept on public record.
• Well water doesn’t go through the same cleaning process, but rather, the water is filtered naturally as it slowly trickles from the surface into your underground reservoir. You'll need to test and track the quality yourself.

Reliability

• City water is highly reliable as there is a constant supply, but if something does go wrong it is quickly corrected by the city.
• Not only can wells run dry, but if there is an issue you are responsible for seeing that it's fixed.

Taste

• City water's taste is affected by natural minerals as well as added chemicals like chlorine and fluoride (both of which are perfectly safe to consume at the levels they're added).
• If the well isn't drilled deep enough or installed properly, the taste of well water can be affected by agricultural runoff like fertilizer or pesticides which won't filter out naturally.
• The tastes of both city and well water can be affected by the pipes through which the water travels.

Payment

• City water is paid for either through local taxes or a separate bill from your water provider.
• With well water, you buy septic and water systems along with your home, and then after that you're paying for the electricity that powers those systems.

Which is Better?

This all boils (Get it? Boils? Because water?) down to personal preference. As far as water superiority goes, this isn't a cut-and-dry situation. As long as your water is properly filtered and the quality is monitored for consistent results, city water and well water are equal.

Regardless of whether you have city water or well water flowing through your pipes and coming out of your faucets, if your plumbing isn't functioning as it should, give us a call at (864) 242-5511. You can also schedule service online. We're dedicated to providing the best possible service you can get, and we're here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 364 days a year (every day except for Christmas).