Many residents of Dripping Springs and its surrounding communities rely on a private domestic water well as their primary source of potable water. In 2019, the United States Geological Survey estimated that 15 percent (43 million) of the U.S. population relies on a residential well as their primary water source.
Whether you depend on a public water supply (PWS) or private well, if you live in Dripping Springs, there’s a good chance that the water supplied to your home is from a water well. In addition to a raw water contract with the Lower Colorado River Authority for surface water, the Dripping Springs Water Supply Corp. operates four PWS wells to supply water to residents.
So, what’s the difference if your water comes from a private well or PWS? The primary difference is treatment. A PWS distributor is required to treat the water they provide to make it safe to consume. This raises the question, “Is the water from my private well safe to drink?” Many times, the answer is yes. There are many solutions to treat a residential well to ensure the water is safe to consume and use throughout your home. Collecting a sample from the water well and testing it for known constituents that could impact water quality is the easy first step.
If your home is set up with treatment, consider a checklist for keeping track of routine maintenance to ensure your system is operating at peak performance. We get a lot of questions from customers experiencing a sudden loss of pressure in their water system. Most of the time, a loss in pressure is directly related to a blockage in the system; typically, that blockage occurs from a clogged or neglected filter. We recommend changing filters on a 30 to 45-day basis.
Most UV light systems require an annual bulb replacement and will notify the homeowner with audible and visual signals. Keep an eye on your system and how it performs, and adjust the schedule as needed. Are fixtures and appliances not lasting as they’re intended, or is there a heavy accumulation of hard minerals on the fixtures? It’s possible the softener was not set up or sized correctly based on your well’s water quality, or the softener may have reached its life expectancy.
The other big questions we receive are related to aquifer levels. Many people are aware that these levels are currently lower than average, and this impacts all of us. Conservation is the number-one way to help preserve aquifer levels. There are many ways to conserve water, such as using efficient fixtures, reducing irrigation duration, and fixing leaking water systems and infrastructure. Many groundwater conservation district (GCD) websites, such as Hays Trinity GCD, provide information about the best ways to conserve water.
Water storage systems provide many benefits to the user and can significantly aid in drought and emergency situations. Most residential water well storage systems are designed with a 2,500-gallon storage tank reserve. If the homeowner experiences an unfortunate issue with their well pump or other component, the reserve can supply water to the home while the issue is resolved.
Water wells are a lifeline for many homes in our community, and proper care not only ensures your family has safe and dependable water but also contributes to preserving our shared aquifer resources for future generations.
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