The Pros and Cons of Well Water vs. City Water
Water stands as the chemical compound most necessary for daily human survival. Since water is essential for living, where you get your water is critical. People often deliberate whether well water is better than city water. Let there be no doubt; this usually depends on personal preference. Well water comes from the earth, while city water primarily comes from surface and runoff. Well water has both advantages and disadvantages as compared to city water. Read on for the pros and cons of well water vs. city water.
Cons of Well Water vs. City Water
First, let’s take a look at some of the disadvantages of well water. Some people find well water preferable, but city water does have a few advantages. Not to mention, most people are already hooked up to city water.
- Well water needs electricity to pump the water from the ground unless you want to go through a manual pumping process. If your power goes out for any reason, you’ll have to use a generator as an alternative power source. Until electricity comes back, you’ll be out of water.
- Quality and regular maintenance are up to you. The well belongs to you, so you’re responsible for its upkeep. Hence, you are solely responsible for your water’s quality. Plus, base levels of maintenance can cost a lot of money on a well.
- A well can fall victim to contamination easily. Dead animals, sewage, radiation, and harmful chemicals are all pollutants that can damage well water and make the water smell foul. If you have a septic system close by, this can pollute the well water, affecting its taste and quality.
Advantages of Well Water
Those who live in rural or undeveloped areas might depend on well water for their survival. Some water supply businesses use deep wells as a water source as well.
- Water pulled from a well doesn’t appear on a water bill, as opposed to city water, will require a monthly payment. With a well, you also aren’t dependent on city water. If the water goes out in the mass system, your well water should still work.
- Well water is also high in nutrients and tends to be far fresher. When you’re drinking well water, you’re drinking straight from the source: the earth. The aquifer underground has already filtered the water, making it taste better and cleaner than city water. Many people liken well water to bottled water in purity.
- Well water is less likely to suffer ill effects from natural disasters, unlike public water. Flooding, for example, can have a significant impact on public water contamination. However, this will only affect well water if the problem is particularly nasty.
Whether you prefer to use city water or well water will depend on the factors listed above. Is it more important to access clean water rich in minerals, or do you want water filtered by the city? Does your water taste rusty or “funny”? The deciding factor will likely be the house you end up choosing. A house will already have well water or city water. Ultimately, you do have a choice. We hope this brief guide on the pros and cons of well water vs. city water has helped you decide what type of water system is best for you.
