Using Well Water

[Newbie10]

I am buying a free standing store, and considering installing a well w/ filter. Would appreciate getting feedback/experiences regarding the use of well water in a CL store.

[Adamski]

Newbie10,

Been there ... done that ... wouldn't do it again ... use city water.

Larry /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[SonomaJoe]

75% of my business, are customers with well water
I agree 100% with Larry

[Newbie10]

SonomaJoe, can you share some lessons learned with using well water?

[Adamski]

Newbie10,

I had a 2600 sf laundromat up in Manistee. Back in the 70's the city was planning to build a new water plant that would take water out of a man-made lake adjacent to Lake Michigan. The plant was projected to cost $1000,000 and our water rates would have to double to pay for it.

So my brother and I (he also had a laundromat in Manistee) decided to install wells for our laundromats. My well ended up 150' deep and had okay water. My brothers well ended up maybe 120' deep but his water had a lot of iron in it. So he had to install an expensive iron filter in his laundromat. My well had a 5 hp submersible pump that cost $50/month to run (1970's dollars). When the pump went bad, it cost big bucks to replace it. We both still had sewer bills to pay. Eventually, we both stopped using our wells and went back on city water.

Oh yeh ... the city ended up putting in new wells rather than building that expensive water plant by man-made lake.

Larry /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Howard]

I know of a nice big store a few towns over that has well water, very few customers will use it. When you open a washer door to put your clothing in the stink from the well water makes it very unappealing.

[SonomaJoe]

The well water is not consistent. Howard & Larry have laid out good reasons to stay away. Recently, I had tenants complaining there was poor water pressure. There was a tremendous amount of iron particles in the toilet holding tank (among other places), at the same time the washer stopped working (too much debris in the lines). The problem turned out to be a fail pressure tank. But it was two weeks before we identified the problem. After the we replaced the tank, all the lines needed to be bled, a real hassel
During the two weeks when the washer (leased) on campus was not working & poor water quality), all the tenants did their laundry @ the local laundromat, (owned by yours truely /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif)
You have been warned, good luck