Hard Water in St. Mary's....

pixiegirl

Cleopatra Jones
I've lived in 3 different cities in St. Mary's over the past 5 years and all three places I had terribly hard water. This time I'm on well water and it is by far the worst. It smells of sulfur coming out of the tap. There is something in the water that irritates my skin and causes me to break out a bit. I've lived in Charles County, Alexandria, VA and Lusby and never had a problem with the water.

We're renting our house so I'm not going to dump tons of money into a water softener or house filter. Is there any reasonably priced solution for the shower like a shower head with a filter?
 

bresamil

wandering aimlessly
I've lived in 3 different cities in St. Mary's over the past 5 years and all three places I had terribly hard water. This time I'm on well water and it is by far the worst. It smells of sulfur coming out of the tap. There is something in the water that irritates my skin and causes me to break out a bit. I've lived in Charles County, Alexandria, VA and Lusby and never had a problem with the water.

We're renting our house so I'm not going to dump tons of money into a water softener or house filter. Is there any reasonably priced solution for the shower like a shower head with a filter?

Um, if you are smelling sulfur there is a problem. We had an artesian well both in my family home and in the 2nd home I had as an adult and sulfur smell indicated contamination, either from the well being flooded during hurricanes (lived on the water) or one time a snake died down there :dead: and sometimes the well needs to be deeper.
 

Agee

Well-Known Member
"Shower Head Filters" are available and work fairly well. They do limit the water pressure out of the shower head somewhat. Need to make sure you keep up with the chamging intervals. With all of the deposits in well water, they tend to lose their effectiveness quicker.
 

pixiegirl

Cleopatra Jones
Um, if you are smelling sulfur there is a problem. We had an artesian well both in my family home and in the 2nd home I had as an adult and sulfur smell indicated contamination, either from the well being flooded during hurricanes (lived on the water) or one time a snake died down there :dead: and sometimes the well needs to be deeper.


So what do I do about this or how can I test it?
 

Agee

Well-Known Member
So what do I do about this or how can I test it?

Have your land lord contact the local health departmnet, they will come out and test it for a small fee.

BTW, sulphur is naturally occuring in some portions of the aquifers in and around St. Mary's.
 

bresamil

wandering aimlessly
So what do I do about this or how can I test it?

I know people who use filters for years because they can't afford to fix the well - but I'd still tell the landlord about it. It's their responsibility to test the well (you can call the health department for a water sample test) and supply you with filters etc.

And I'd use bottled water for drinking and cooking until you get some results back.
 

pixiegirl

Cleopatra Jones
"Shower Head Filters" are available and work fairly well. They do limit the water pressure out of the shower head somewhat. Need to make sure you keep up with the chamging intervals. With all of the deposits in well water, they tend to lose their effectiveness quicker.

The water pressure in the entire house stinks. I am the queen of taking water savers out of shower heads. :lmao:
 

bresamil

wandering aimlessly
Have your land lord contact the local health departmnet, they will come out and test it for a small fee.

BTW, sulphur is naturally occuring in some portions of the aquifers in and around St. Mary's.

Yeah, but she shouldn't be getting such a strong scent and if it's irritating skin, etc...filters at a minimum are needed, but she shouldn't have to pay for them. That's the landlords responsibility.
 
I've lived in 3 different cities in St. Mary's over the past 5 years and all three places I had terribly hard water. This time I'm on well water and it is by far the worst. It smells of sulfur coming out of the tap. There is something in the water that irritates my skin and causes me to break out a bit. I've lived in Charles County, Alexandria, VA and Lusby and never had a problem with the water.

We're renting our house so I'm not going to dump tons of money into a water softener or house filter. Is there any reasonably priced solution for the shower like a shower head with a filter?

Three cities in St Marys?:lmao:

Have your landlord get the well checked. In the meantime dump a couple cups of chlorine or bleach down the well, let it sit for an hour and then run the outside faucets until it's pumped out. That should at least get rid of the smell.
 

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
I know people who use filters for years because they can't afford to fix the well - but I'd still tell the landlord about it. It's their responsibility to test the well (you can call the health department for a water sample test) and supply you with filters etc.

And I'd use bottled water for drinking and cooking until you get some results back.

Hmmm question here

The water coming out of my faucets, shower head, etc... doesnt smell like sulfer but I bought a new filter for my fridge and ever since I put it in the water coming out of there smelled funny.. this whole time I thought it was a bunk filter :frown: could all the water be contaminated:faint:
 

pixiegirl

Cleopatra Jones
I know people who use filters for years because they can't afford to fix the well - but I'd still tell the landlord about it. It's their responsibility to test the well (you can call the health department for a water sample test) and supply you with filters etc.

And I'd use bottled water for drinking and cooking until you get some results back.

I've only drank spring water since I was 22 and pregnant with my first. I got a glass of tap water and held it up to the light and saw tons of floaties in the water. I've not trusted any of it since! I do however cook with it. I guess it's off to BJ's after work to get massive amounts of bottled water until this is resolved.
 

BS Gal

Voted Nicest in 08
I will but I prefer to be proactive about it as well.

I know that if we go out of town for a week or more, sometimes when we come home, the water will smell sulphery for a day or so. Was the house vacant for a while before you moved in?

We have also chlorinated the well, then turned on a hose outside and let it run until the chlorine smell goes away. You'd have to PM Desertrat about the exact way he does that. Guys here at work actually put bleach in their wells.
 

BS Gal

Voted Nicest in 08
I know that if we go out of town for a week or more, sometimes when we come home, the water will smell sulphery for a day or so. Was the house vacant for a while before you moved in?

We have also chlorinated the well, then turned on a hose outside and let it run until the chlorine smell goes away. You'd have to PM Desertrat about the exact way he does that. Guys here at work actually put bleach in their wells.

Oh, never mind about the Desertrat PM.:lmao:
 

sockgirl77

Well-Known Member
I've lived in 3 different cities in St. Mary's over the past 5 years and all three places I had terribly hard water. This time I'm on well water and it is by far the worst. It smells of sulfur coming out of the tap. There is something in the water that irritates my skin and causes me to break out a bit. I've lived in Charles County, Alexandria, VA and Lusby and never had a problem with the water.

We're renting our house so I'm not going to dump tons of money into a water softener or house filter. Is there any reasonably priced solution for the shower like a shower head with a filter?

Move again. You know you're itching to. :smoochy:
 
I've lived in 3 different cities in St. Mary's over the past 5 years and all three places I had terribly hard water. This time I'm on well water and it is by far the worst. It smells of sulfur coming out of the tap. There is something in the water that irritates my skin and causes me to break out a bit. I've lived in Charles County, Alexandria, VA and Lusby and never had a problem with the water.

We're renting our house so I'm not going to dump tons of money into a water softener or house filter. Is there any reasonably priced solution for the shower like a shower head with a filter?

I've never had well water but my friend does and uses a shower head filter and a special shampoo for her hair specifically made for people with well water. She said her hair still seems really dry, even using the filter, if she doesn't use it. Just thought you should know, good luck. I'd check on that sulfur smell too cuz I'm not sure that sounds so safe.
 
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