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City Water vs. Well Water — The Pros and Cons

Feb 25, 2021 | Well Water

No matter where you live, water is a crucial part of day-to-day life. The location of a homeowner’s property doesn’t change their need for water, but it may alter their water source. Depending on your geographical area, your home may receive water from your local city or an underground well. Each source comes with a different set of benefits and constraints that buyers should consider when shopping for a home. To help you understand the differences, here are the pros and cons of both city and well water.

What’s The Difference Between Well Water & City Water?

Want to know the difference between well water and city water? The main difference is that city water is supplied to your home by the city where you live, while well water comes from a private water supply on a residential property.

What’s more, well water is supplied directly from the ground, meaning it does not contain chlorine, fluoride or other dangerous chemicals that are often used to treat city water.

When using well water, it is best to test your well and the area around it at least once a year to ensure your water supply is safe and does not contain contaminant water.

City Water: Pros & Cons

Under your local city’s water program, your water will come from a nearby treatment plant that filters and distributes it through the city’s pipelines.

Pros

With city water, you’ll benefit from:

  • Convenient access: City water is available almost anywhere and is delivered right to your home’s pipes. The municipality is responsible for responding to most widespread issues.
  • Consistent quality: With city water, homeowners receive potable water that undergoes frequent testing for contaminants. Residents can contact their local treatment centers for firsthand information on their water’s test results.
  • Beneficial nutrients: City plants treat water with minerals and chemicals lost during filtration. These added nutrients can produce numerous health benefits.

Cons

The drawbacks of city water include:

  • Variable freshness: Because city water is often purified runoff or surface water, it may contact various harmful chemicals. Even the intentionally used chemicals can affect the taste. Additionally, problems at the city’s source affect everyone’s water, and it can take a while to fix the problem.
  • Costly bills: Your city controls the price of water access, and it may raise rates over time.
  • Minimal control: A problem that occurs somewhere far from your home can cause you to lose water without warning.

Well Water: Pros & Cons

Well water is untreated groundwater that acts as the water supply for a residential home or building. In other words, well water water comes from an underground aquifer on your property that connects with your home’s plumbing system through pipes and a pump. 

Below are the pros and cons of using well water as the water supply for your home:

Pros

Homeowners with a water well benefit from:

  • Is well water free: Yes, using well water is completely free which eliminates monthly water bills that come with using city water.
  • Reduced environmental impact: Private wells use fewer chemicals and ensure the water they put back into the environment is as clean and natural as possible, lessening the environmental strain caused by industrialized water plants.
  • Improved access to fresher water: With convenient access to cleaner water, you’ll drink more of it. Staying hydrated promotes skin health and reduces inflammation in joints and muscles.
  • Does well water have chlorine: Since well water does not contain harsh chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride, it is often associated with being safer and healthier than city water.

Cons

Water wells also come with their own set of drawbacks and disadvantages, such as:

  • Electrical dependence: The first disadvantage of using well water is that it requires an electrical pump. Therefore, if the power goes out, you’ll lose water access.
  • Potential contamination: Runoff from farms, nuclear power plants, septic tanks and other sources can infiltrate damaged water wells and diminish water quality.
  • Homeowner responsibility: Without city backing, homeowners are responsible for preparing and decontaminating their water systems.

A Common Necessity — Purification

While both city and well water have many unique benefits and drawbacks, there is one thing that both sources have in common — the need for additional purification. To ensure the water that runs through your faucet is as clean as possible, install a whole home water filter system from Culligan Water. Our house water filters provide an extra level of protection against water contamination and put control back in the homeowner’s hands.

Purchase a Culligan Water filtration system to enjoy healthier, better-tasting water all year-round. To experience newfound peace of mind, contact your local Culligan Water expert for free in-home water testing today!

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