Elm Grove homes on their own wells
Elm Grove’s municipal water only reaches properties along certain roads, and connecting is voluntary, which leaves a large share of the village on private wells. None of them has a published hardness figure.
Call (262) 829-5961Mon to Fri, 7am to 5pmNobody publishes your well’s number
Connected neighbors can point to Brookfield’s 23 to 34 grains. A well owner has nothing like that to point to. What you have instead is whatever lab work has been done on your well.
That lab work is what the quote starts from. If there has never been any, say so when you call.
Putting a lab report next to Brookfield’s figure
Labs sometimes give hardness in milligrams per liter rather than grains. Divide the lab figure by 17.1 and you can compare it directly with Brookfield’s 23 to 34. On the USGS scale, anything past 180 milligrams per liter is very hard.
The same county groundwater, often with iron
An Elm Grove well draws Waukesha County groundwater, the same as wells across the county, and iron often comes along with the hardness. If a report lists iron, have the figure ready for the call.
What the quote covers on a well
The quote covers the softener, the brine tank beside it and the RO drinking faucet that comes with them. If your report shows iron, raise it on the call before you hear a price, so nothing about your well is left out of the conversation.
Bacteria and nitrate are a separate matter
A softener puts sodium in place of the hardness, or potassium if you use potassium chloride instead of salt. It does nothing about bacteria or nitrate.
For a private well, the DNR recommends testing for bacteria every year, and owning a softener does not change that.
Common questions
How do I know if my Elm Grove house is on a well?
If the property is not connected to the municipal mains, it is on a private well. The Village’s Municipal Water page explains that the mains reach only certain roads, and your address on the call settles it.
Should I connect to the municipal water instead?
That is your decision, and it is only possible along the roads the mains reach. If you do connect, you will be on Brookfield’s 23 to 34 grain water, and a softener would be sized for that.
What do you need from my well report?
Hardness most of all, and iron if it appears. Bring it to the call, and know how big your household is.