General: Most of us either have our own private well on our property or share an interest in a community well with from one to many other nearby residents. A few properties have other kinds of water systems like springs or even just a holding tank where water is trucked in, but most of us are on wells. Since water is a big factor in our lives and well being taking care that you have a functioning water system is key to most of us.

If you enjoy tinkering with things and have some minimal plumbing skills you may choose to maintain part or all of your water system yourself. If not there are a number of good water system services companies easily contacted.

Wells in the Mountains-How They Differ: In our area, most wells are not like those in the valleys or other parts of the state and country where the source is a water table below the ground. Our water usually comes from pockets of water in fractures in the underlying rock or underground streams. And unlike ground water wells which are often 30-50' deep, wells in the mountains have to be drilled until a source is found that is big enough to pass the permitting tests that require meeting a minimum volume per minute. As a result our wells can be hundreds of feet deep. Because of drought conditions, extra rainy seasons or shifting formations underground from earthquakes or just time the productivity of a well can change for the better or worse - often in short periods of time. Sometimes the answer is as simple as waiting a bit and having productivity return. Or have your pump company lower the pump deeper in the casing to the water level. Extreme cases may require drilling deeper or locating a new well.

Typical Well Configurations: Most wells are accompanied by a holding tank, a pressure pump and a pressure tank. The storage tank allows you to store thousands of gallons of water so your well doesn't have to pump each time you need water. It also allows a lower yielding well to be pumped during low demand times to replenish your supply in the holding tank, often at night or during the day while the family is gone. The pressure pump is different from your well pump which is deep down in your well casing to pump the water to the surface.The pressure pump provides water to your home at pressures needed (45-65 psi) for most things like showers, faucets and dishwashers to work properly, just like a municipal water system in town. The pressure tank helps regulate that pressure to make a fairly even flow in the house. The pressure pump is almost always near the holding tank and exposed so its important to protect it from freezing. Even though hard freezes are not common in the Santa Cruz Mountains, they can happen and might possibly destroy your pressure pump if its not properly insulated.

Quality: Water quality can be affected by several factors-minerals, dirt and bacteria. Water quality can differ greatly from well to well due to the nature of pumping water from underground strata. In our area the most common issues are hard water, iron , sulfur and bacteria. Bacteria in wells is very common and nothing to be concerned about if you plan to address it. Iron will eventually stain fixtures, laundry, plates and cups and teeth. Sulfur can make your water smell from a little off to awful. Hard water is not unique to the mountains . It makes it difficult to do laundry and bathe. The fixes for each of these problems can differ, but most water softener companies will test your water for free and propose a solution for the combination of issues in your water . In the last 25 years ozone systems like Triple O have become common and affordable, and usually solve the issues of bacteria, murky water, iron and sulfur. Well water often contains dissolved minerals like manganese that you can't see but affect taste and dry on glass and other objects as a white film or powder. Usually ozone systems will not remove dissolved minerals but a water softener or sometimes a filter will.

Treatment: Ozone systems are often a  good solution for a lot of our water from wells here in the mountains. In the past a lot of water issues were a lot more difficult to solve until ozone systems became available and practical. As mentioned before they are capable of fixing common issues with bacteria, iron, cloudy or dirty water and some minerals. Most of these commercially available systems will need to be serviced periodically from as often as once every six weeks to as seldom as twice a year based on the condition of your water and how much you use. Servicing usually consists of filter cleaning by washing, diffuser cleaning with muriatic acid and checking the ozone line for clear flow of ozone. Every few years the UV lamp may need to be replaced and occasionally but infrequently the ozone air pump. This can be done by yourself or the water system service companies who sell both the services and parts commonly needing replacement or rebuilding. The service companies have plans available for periodic servicing with the added benefit that while there they can often spot impending problems before they strike.

Hard water is common. The real fix is a water softener although ozone systems seem to help some but not completely. You can purchase your own water softener and be responsible for replacing the salt or other material the softener periodically uses up, or you can contract with a water softener company to maintain the equipment and replace the material used. Some homes have been plumbed to carry the softened water to a few specific locations like the bath and laundry, but if the water is hard enough there is a chance it will eventually cause mineral deposits in the pipes and on fixtures and even clog up laundry supply line filters. So except for outside hose bibs you may really want all of your water softened. The 90533 message board will contain recommendations for water softener service providers.

Muddy or murky well water sometimes occurs. Usually it will settle out out quickly to the bottom of the holding tank. The water outlet on the side of the tank is usually a foot or more from the tank bottom to ensure that you are drawing water about the mud settling level. Sometimes though water from the tank is still discolored and a filter is required in the line between the tank outlet and the pump. There are various filters available. Advice from one of the water and pump businesses servicing our area is a good idea so you don't end up with a filter that has to be serviced or replaced too often.

Tanks: Holding tanks are now usually made of plastic and have a long service life. Many older tanks are steel and may be nearing the end of their lives from rust and corrosion. The size of the tank will depend mostly on how much water you use , the pumping capacity of your well and how much physical space there is for the tank. Most have a hatch on the top with a lid so the tank can be inspected easily and water systems like those using ozone can be serviced. Most holding tanks rest on a concrete pad sized to support the often immense weight of the water inside.

Pressure Tanks: Pressure tanks are usually near the pressure pump and are roughly the size of a water heater but with a domed top. The pressure tank ensures that water pressure is maintained at the house without the pressure pump needing to run constantly. Problems don't often occur with pressure tanks. Sometimes the air bladder inside the pressure tank has lost some or all of its pressure. There is an air valve on the outside to refill it to the recommended pressure using a power air pump . If the bladder has broken from age or other causes refilling it will not work. The water system service companies are best at determining the nature of the problem and the fix required.

Links for well and water service companies and drillers:

Capitola Pump

www.capitolapump.com

300 Kennedy Road

Capitola CA 95010

831 475 5364

Halstead Pump

www.halsteadpump.com

 Unit B 9500 Soquel Drive

Aptos, CA 95003

831 688 4731

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