1

Last year, we dug a 450-feet deep borewell at home. However, the water from the borewell turned out to be hard and caused various issues such as turbidity and the formation of white scales on kitchen utensils, tiles, glasses, and water taps. Additionally, my wife has been experiencing hairfall since we started using the borewell water, and I've been dealing with dry skin due to its usage.

I conducted a chemical and physical analysis of the borewell water, and the results (full report attached) are as follows:

  • Turbidity: 9.8 NTU
  • pH: 7.57
  • Total hardness as CaCO: 120mg/L
  • Iron as Fe: 1.42 mg/L
  • Chloride as Cl: 9.93mg/L
  • Total dissolved solids: 146 mg/L
  • Calcium as Ca: 33.66mg/L
  • Magnesium as Mg: 8.75 mg/L
  • CaCO3: 130 mg/L

Based on these results, we decided to install an outdoor On-line water filter unit (see attached image). One of the cylinders in the water filter unit contains dual media of Activated Charcoal and sand, while the other cylinder contains Katalox.

Although the filtered water appears clear, we're still experiencing issues with the formation of white scales and the water hardness. The toilets are staining, and I can't wash my car as it leaves behind white scales. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find any other source of water apart from the borewell.

I conducted a chemical and physical analysis of the filtered water, and the results (full report attached) are as follows:

  • Turbidity: 0.6 NTU
  • pH: 7.46
  • Total hardness as CaCO: 120mg/L
  • Iron as Fe: 0.22 mg/L
  • Chloride as Cl: 9.93mg/L
  • Total dissolved solids: 144mg/L
  • Calcium as Ca: 33.66mg/L
  • Magnesium as Mg: 8.75mg/L
  • CaCO3: 128 mg/L
  1. I would appreciate it if someone could shed light on why the water is still hard and causing the formation of white scales.
  2. What steps can I take to address this issue?
  3. Should I consider installing another unit to soften the water?
  4. Note: I have lot of plants at home and I regularly water them. Could adding resin based water softener kill those plants?

Thanks.

Chemical and physical analysis of Borewell water

Chemical and physical analysis of filtered water

Water plant

Stains on bathroom fittings

foxsquad39
  • 11
  • 3
  • "Hairfall" (presumably falling out) is a concerning effect. I immediately went looking for your arsenic level, but it's undetectable even before the filter. Some other thing not tested for? – Ecnerwal May 26 '23 at 17:41
  • I need to get this checked. She keeps complaining of hair loss (not a lot but in noticeable amount). – foxsquad39 May 26 '23 at 18:02
  • 1
    If it was me, I would get a proper water analysis done, for toxins and heavy metals. Or use a bench mounted water purifier based on reverse osmosis or evaporation – Rohit Gupta May 26 '23 at 22:20
  • 1
    Yeah, that for drinking & cooking water or getting drinking & cooking water hauled in from a known good source, at least. Seems odd that this test (which has a fair number of things) doesn't include lead, for instance. Supposedly the Katalox would reduce that, but odd it's not tested for. – Ecnerwal May 26 '23 at 23:27

1 Answers1

1

https://www.uswatersystems.com/katalox-light-filtration-media.html states:

for high level filtration, color and odor removal, iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide removal, efficient reduction of arsenic, zinc, copper, lead, radium, uranium and other radionuclides and heavy metals.

Nothing about it serving as any form of softener, nor even as a TAC (template assisted crystallization) non-softener that reduces scale by forming stable nano-crystals without changing the water chemistry.

So there's no particular expectation that it would soften the water. Nor does carbon or sand. If you want soft water, you'll need a softener in addition to your current filters.

Your test results do indicate a reduction in iron, (probably the Katalox) and an improvement in taste (probably the carbon, unless the disagreeable taste was the iron,) an improvment in color that could be attributed to both media, and a reduction in turbidity.

Ecnerwal
  • 174,759
  • 9
  • 212
  • 440
  • Thanks for the reply, can you suggest a suitable water softener that can be used ? Note: I have plants at home and I do water them regularly. Would a ion exchange softener kill the vegetation? Could you give me some options? – foxsquad39 May 26 '23 at 18:05
  • 1
    Shopping for you is not what this place is for - take the [tour]. You can always put a "pre-softener" connection in for plant water. Even have two different hose connections for soft (car wash) and a hose connection for unsoftened (or even unfiltered) for plants. You know your water hardness, so just go shopping for a softener based on that, and choose one that meters the amount of water used (most remotely "modern" units) rather than recharging on a timer without paying attention to water amount used. – Ecnerwal May 26 '23 at 18:54