Well water treatment in New Hampshire: test first, then treat

Many homes around Keene and the Monadnock Region run on private wells. Well water is the homeowner’s responsibility, and the right treatment starts with a lab test, not a guess.

Start with a lab test

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services recommends that private well owners test their water regularly with an accredited lab. A standard analysis covers bacteria, hardness, iron, manganese and more; ask about arsenic, uranium and radon too, since they occur in some New Hampshire bedrock wells.

Common issues and fixes

• Hardness: scale on fixtures and water heaters. Fixed with a water softener; size it with the softener calculator.
• Iron and manganese: orange or black stains. Treated with oxidizing iron filters or some softeners.
• Sediment: a simple whole-house sediment filter protects everything downstream.
• Bacteria: UV disinfection is a common answer after the source is checked.
• Arsenic or radon: need specific systems chosen from the test results.

Whole-house or point-of-use

Whole-house systems treat every tap and protect appliances. Point-of-use filters, like reverse osmosis under the sink or a filtered kitchen faucet, polish drinking and cooking water. Many homes use both.

Protect your fixtures

Hard or iron-heavy water shortens the life of faucets, shower valves and water heaters. Treating the water before a remodel keeps new fixtures looking new.

Get help

See our water filtration and softening page, or bring your lab report to the showroom and we will walk through options with you.

Common questions

How often should I test my well water in NH?

NHDES recommends regular testing of private wells with an accredited lab, and after any change in taste, color or smell. Ask the lab for their recommended schedule.

Will a water softener remove iron?

Some softeners handle low levels of iron. Higher iron or manganese usually needs a dedicated iron filter ahead of the softener.

Do I need whole-house treatment or just a drinking water filter?

It depends on the test. Hardness and iron call for whole-house treatment, while some drinking-water concerns can be handled at the kitchen tap.