Well Water vs Cistern Water

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This is an issue many acreage owners confront regularly.  For years, people have had problems with well water - systems that don't perform as hoped, bleed through iron, sulfur, minerals, hardness or anything else they are designed to catch can lead to frustration, extra cleaning of fixtures, laundry problems, odours and other issues around the home.

Some home owners, tired of treatment systems that don't live up to their promises, look to alternatives to a traditional water well.  One option many people have chosen is to install a cistern and have water trucks haul and deliver water to the home on a regular basis.  They supply standard "city water" which is stored in tanks usually located underground and pumped into the home.

Many people use that water for everything - cooking, cleaning, flushing toilets, showering, even drinking.  The theory seems simple enough - its "city water" which contains chlorine, so it should be free from bacteria and other contaminants; it should be safe to drink.

One thing I recommend to any acreage owner with a cistern is to have it cleaned and sanitized.  This involves having someone drain the tank, climb in and scrub down the inside of the tank.  If the cistern is a few years old, I strongly recommend the homeowner watches the process.  Invariably, what happens is the person cleaning the tank will remove frogs, mice, leaves and all kinds of junk from the tank.  A common question is, "How did THAT get in there?"  (If you want an easy preview of what sort of contamination you may be dealing with, just open the back of your toilet and take a look at the inside.  How does that compare with what you would expect to find with "normal" city water???)

By their vary nature, the tanks cannot be completely sealed.  If they were, the vacuum seal would prevent water from flowing into the home.  As water flows to the house, air MUST replace it in the tank - thats' simple physics.  Along with air comes mold spores, bacteria, and depending upon how well-sealed the tank is, frogs and other creatures common to acreage communities.

Ok - but there's chlorine in there, so we're ok, RIGHT?  Well - let me ask you a question....  If you were making chicken for dinner tonight, after you're done the prep, you always disinfect the cutting board and counters where raw chicken was in use.  That is basic info.  So - do you use "chlorinated city water" to disinfect these items, or do you use cleaners or maybe even bleach to do the job?  What does that tell you about the water in your cistern?

Even if you decide not to get a water softener and protect your appliances and skin from the effects of hard city water, you really have to assume the water is NOT free from other contaminants.  While it may be ok for your washing machine and toilets, at the very very best, think of the cistern as a big jug of water sitting on your counter.  If it sat there collecting dust for 2-3 weeks, would you drink from that jug?  That is basically, in the BEST case scenario, what your cistern water is providing for your family.  Stale, dusty water.

I just consulted with a family in a unique situation - they just bought an acreage in Strathcona County that has BOTH well water and cistern water supplied to the home.  They are deciding whether to eliminate one or the other and simplify their home operation.  Next time, I'll discuss the options they face, decisions they are weighing and let you know how it goes.