Water FAQs

There are two main purposes for water when it comes to your home or business: working water and drinking water. Carroll Water has trained professionals who service both. “Working water” is water used to help your home or business function (laundry, dishwasher, toilets, etc.). Drinking water is more than just the water you drink. Drinking water is any water that you drink or eat, including water used to clean fruits and vegetables, as well as any water used in general food preparations.

No matter what the purpose of your water is, we’re here to make sure you have the best water possible for you, your family and your business.

Simply put, our job is Purifying the Essential.

Should I have my water tested?

Yes. In addition to potential health risks posed by contaminants in drinking water, there can also be various other problems that poor water quality can cause. Poor water quality can lead to corrosion in pipes, fixtures and appliances, as well as staining and weakening the fibers of your clothing and household fixtures. When our technicians and consultants do water sample testing, we’re able to provide recommendations for next steps.

How frequently should I test my water?

The simple answer is an annual water test is reasonable for most situations. However, there can be reasons to test water more frequently, such as:

• If there has been a major change in your water supply like a new well
• If you have recently replaced piping
• Expectant mothers, as well as infants, are more sensitive to high nitrate levels within the water supply

What causes water contaminants?

Water contamination can have numerous causes. Some of these contaminants naturally occur in the environment, and some are inorganic. Other causes are the residual waste of farming, commercial or industrial waste. We pride ourselves on understanding the root causes of water problems, so we can quickly diagnose and resolve any water.

Click here for the EPA’s Water Contamination Chart.

How do I get better water?

There are a variety of solutions for removing many of the contaminants in water, as well as delivery systems used to get the water to the point of use more efficiently.

Some decontamination equipment can include:

• Whole home water treatment systems
• Reverse Osmosis systems
• Water conditioning systems

We walk you through every step of the process, so you can understand all our recommendations and what is being done to protect you and your family.

What can I do if my water pressure is less than desirable?

Poor water pressure in a home is frequently the result of faulty or undersized equipment. Our team of professionals can evaluate your water pressure and offer solutions.

Some of the water delivery equipment we use includes:

• Water pressure tanks
• Well pumps
• Water pressure systems
• Gas and electric hot water tanks
• Geothermal heat pumps

Why is it important for me to have a professional check my water if I’m on city or some other municipality’s water?

While city or municipal water is regulated, it does not always ensure that it is the highest quality drinking water or working water (laundry, etc.).

Often, public water isn’t better or worse than well water. Both well water and public water can contain contaminants. Many residents are turning to professionals to install filters and systems to increase the life of laundry equipment, pipes, as well as to ensure their drinking water is of the highest quality.

What are geothermal heat pumps?

A geothermal heat pump is a system that uses the ground’s constant temperature to act as a balance for the air temperature inside of a house. Despite the fact that surface temperatures can be affected by the air temperature, ground temperatures can be relatively stable several feet below the surface throughout the year. This means that cold or hot air temperatures can be exchanged with the steady ground temperature by water flowing through a geothermal heat pump system. Geothermal heat pumps can also be used to supply hot water to a home as well due to the process used.

How often might I need to replace my well pump?

Well pump replacement can result from a number of causes, making it difficult to say how often they need to be replaced. The general rule is that most well pumps should last around 25 years, but well pumps can fail prematurely for a variety of reasons, such as a loss of well tank pressure, a failure to keep up regular maintenance or even the wear of high levels of contaminants on a well water pump can result in failure. Our technicians are trained to spot the signs of well pump problems and the loss of pressure in water tanks, before they fail.

How do I know if I need to drill a new well? or How do I know if my well is dry?

There are several signs to look for if you think your well might be drying up:

• Water turbidity (murky or muddy water)
• Pockets of air or sputtering water from faucets

When this happens, our extensive expertise as a well drilling company means that we can give you the best recommendation regarding any well drilling. Often, drilling a new water well isn’t necessary, and the problem can be managed by understanding the positioning of the water pump and the state of the well in general. If well drilling is necessary, our customers can be assured that our well drilling experts will get it done right the first time.

What is making my water smell bad?

The type of odor your water has can typically help identify what the cause may be. Some common odors, such as a chlorine smell or “rotten eggs” can be caused by chemicals or decaying vegetation or other organic material. Other smells can be caused by different gases or minerals which may occur naturally in the ground around your home. Water odor is one of the best ways to determine that there is water contamination.

What is alkaline water?

Alkaline water is water that contains higher levels of mineral compounds that are low in acidity, such as calcium, magnesium, nickel, iron, zinc and sodium. These minerals lower the potential Hydrogen level (or pH level), meaning your body needs to absorb these minerals and contaminants. Water is typically best for people when it has the lowest levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) in water.