Thursday, May 1, 2008

Water problem: solved

We already paid $2,060 to the rural water association; this would have paid for the meter, and anything from the meter to our mobile home would be at our own expense.  We were prepared for that.  But when they informed us we'd have to hook onto a bigger line down by the highway, it was going to cost $1,139 IN ADDITION to what we'd already paid them. After all that, we'd have a monthly water bill of $35.  (We've never had a water bill in our lives.)

Now this is getting pricey, fast.  We started thinking about another option:  use our well and get a water softener.

So I said, "Hey, Culligan man!"

Price of a water softener?  $2,000.  However, for $23 a month, we can rent one, with no commitment to stay with them for any extended period of time; and we can choose to buy the unit at any time.   There is a one-time installation fee of $150.

There was the question of salt in our drinking water; Cliff, you know, has heart issues.

For another $18.50 per month, some sort of reverse osmosis thing will be put on our kitchen faucet, and that removes the sodium from the water.  The salesman was very much up on this subject because he has problems with high blood pressure, and he can't drink ordinary softened water.

So here's how it stands:  We get our $2,000 back from the rural water place and use it for something else.  Then there's the $1,139 we were going to have to pay them in addition.  We save that too.  Instead of $35 monthly for rural water, we'll pay Culligan $47 a month (including tax) and spend under $8 for salt, which they will deliver.  And it will cost far less to run a line from our well to the home than it would have to run a line from where they were going to put the meter.

Higher monthly bill, but we save thousands up front.

I'm happy.

By the way, the man was shocked at how hard our water really is:  41 grains.   That means very little to me, but maybe some of my readers will know how bad that is.  He said the highest he's had in the last six months was 26 grains; 41 is unusually high.  It isn't a health issue, but hard water can cause psoriasis (which Cliff has); and white clothes turn sort of yellow over time.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

We were in the same boat, somewhere around 39 grains, brown toilet, sinks, tub, pipes all gunked up, yellow whites ... it was bad enough that we lugged (well, mostly me) laundry to the self serve laundry for 15 years.  Then we finally decided to put in a new artesian well ... which did the trick for the most part ... winter time brings a bit of the iron back for some weird reason.

Glad you've worked out your water delivery and know you will enjoy washing whites and having them stay that way!

Anonymous said...

I am glad that ya'll figured out what to do. I hope they can do this for you soon so you will be about ready when your new home arrives. Helen

Anonymous said...

Interesting!  We've talked about getting a water softener for years. I never knew about the reverse osmosis bit...it was the sodium content that was balking us.  I'll have to share this info with the husband. We might just go for it now!

Anonymous said...

Glad that all worked out so well for you.  I've heard that with soft water you really don't use as much soap or laundry detergent either.  That will be another savings.
'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

How did they find out how many grains your water was?
love ya,
carlene

Anonymous said...

I'm sure glad you got that water issue taken care of!  I bet you are relieved!  Can't wait to see that new home of yours, once it's up and ready to move into! :)

Hugs
Jackie

Anonymous said...

WOW, the dollar signs are making me dizzy! :-) Glad you know what to do and are getting things done.

Deb

Anonymous said...

We have REALLY hard water to. I mean it's messed up our dish washer and a washing machine. It would turn in basket inside my washer orange.  It turns our whites orange. Even my daughters blond hair had a red tint to it espically at the bottom. We have lived in out mobile home or 9 years now.  3 years ago we bought a water softener from Rain soft. It was quite expensive. Probably a little more than i wanted to pay. But it is really worth it. No more orange clothes. They told me it would pull that orange tint out of my daughter hair and it did. I'm happy with it. I'm sure you will be too. And the water taste much much better. And you wouldn't have to use as much shampoo, or dish and body soap. Everything will lather up much better with less product. And when i make tea i didn't even have to use quite as much sugar believe it or not.
Strange but nice.
I'm happy every thing is coming right along for you guys. I know how happy i was to get my new home 9 years ago. You guy's deserve it.

Take care  :-)

Anonymous said...

 Mo, I am enjoying your pictures, and you are WISE to take  them of all steps to do with your knew home.
 will continue to  enjoy what  you show.  PINK IN MINNESOTA
 Good luck! Happy for you and Cliff.

Anonymous said...

Good that you decided :-)

xoxo

Anonymous said...

Hi....41 grains per gallon is  quite a lot, and a good softener will  help you.  As for the amount of sodium one receives while drinking water  that goes through a water softener, one might use this comparison, to help better understand how much sodium is in "softened" water.  If you ate one slice of white bread, to get the same amount of sodium from softened water, one would have to drink three (3) gallons of water to get an equal amount as the one slice of bread contained.  

Also...please check..even if you elect not to hook on the water line, you may, as I am, and have been for quite a long time, a monthy fee, with no water provided...

Good luck.........dale........until I retired, I was in the water treatment business.