Water Softener Replacement - Water Tests

[SK78]

Its time for a new project, looking to replace my 2002 Kenmore UltraSoft 800 (45k Grain?) water softener, which came with the house, with a new system.

From researching on the forum I see that the starting point is a water test, I looked into the options with the county and they offer an a la carte selection of tests. Could someone steer me in the right direction as to what I need to select the right system for our well water? I would like to replace what we have with a Fleck, based on what I read on the forum.

Thanks in advance for all the help, I greatly appreciate this forum and its members!

Bacteriological Analysis of Water
1. Coliform, Total (Bacteria)
2. Coliform, Fecal

Chemical Analysis of Water
3. Arsenic
4. Barium
5. Chloride
6. Conductivity
7. Fluoride
8. Iron
9. Hardness
10. Lead
11. Manganese
12. Nitrates
13. Nitrites
14. Sodium
15. Sulfate
16. Tannin

Another option is a Partial Chemistry that they do at the state lab, at a lower cost:
Partial Chemistry (Chloride, Fluoride, Hardness, Iron, Nitrates, Nitrites, Sodium, Sulfate)

https://www.washtenaw.org/DocumentCenter/View/4548/Available-Water-Quality-Tests-and-Fees-PDF?bidId=

 

[ditttohead]

http://watercheck.myshopify.com/?aff=5

Use this link and check out the well test. You should get the complete well test.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

You have not listed pH and you will likely want to test for E.Coli

Compare the standard basic tests offered by National Labs WaterCheck as a good minimum standard.

http://watercheck.myshopify.com/?aff=5

Edit: I didn't realize Ditttohead was online and replied while I was responding.

 

[Reach4]

I infer you have a well.

If you test for coliform, good sampling techniques must be followed. It is easy to get a false positive.
There are variations on suggested sampling techniques, but they have some other things in common:

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/331-225.pdf
https://www.anra.org/divisions/wate...nking_Water_Samples_for_Coliform_Analysis.pdf
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Alberta/Pages/Bacteria-Testing.aspx
https://www.digbydistrict.ca/559-water-testing-sample-taking-procedure/file.html
https://servitechlabs.com/Services/Water/WaterSamplingProcedures/tabid/128/Default.aspx​

These all describe methods to avoid contaminating the sample. Don't read them all.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my well and plumbing sanitizing writeup, aimed primarily at bottom-feeding wells with submersible pumps and pitless adapters, or a way to inject liquid through a well seal.

https://envirotestkits.com/product/safe-home-select/ seems like a good deal, and hits the important stuff if you are not in an area that has chemical and other contamination. They provide a home coliform test, and the rest of the testing gets mailed to a lab. If coliform is negative, the E.coli is negative. Usually coliform, and certainly E.coli, that is not due to sampling wrongly would only occur in shallow wells. It is possible to have a deep well with a flaw that admits yard water.

 

[WorthFlorida]

A complete test is better than no information at all, however, a water softener only interacts with calcium, iron, and magnesium.

Water Softening (Ion Exchange)
Conventional water softeners are sometimes effective for removing iron and small amounts of manganese. Water softeners are typically used to remove calcium and magnesium hardness in water by an exchange process. ... Oxidized forms of iron and manganese will foul the softener resin.

Some info on drinking water from wells.
https://extension.psu.edu/iron-and-manganese-in-private-water-systems

 

[SK78]

Thank you for the quick and detailed answers! I will send out for a kit.

@Reach4, thanks for the well sanitizing link, I will add that to my list of spring tasks!