Complete Well Water Treatment System Guide
How to design a treatment system for private well water.
Test first, treat second
Well water varies enormously. Your neighbor's well may have completely different chemistry than yours. Before buying any equipment, get a comprehensive lab test ($100-200) covering hardness, iron, manganese, pH, bacteria, nitrate, arsenic, and TDS at minimum. The results determine your system design.
Typical treatment sequence
Stage 1 - Sediment filter: Removes particles, sand, rust. Always first in line. Stage 2 - Oxidation (if needed): Air injection, chlorine injection, or ozone for iron, manganese, H2S. Stage 3 - Softener (if needed): Ion exchange for hardness and low-level iron. Stage 4 - Carbon filter: Removes taste, odor, VOCs, residual chlorine from injection systems. Stage 5 - UV disinfection: Kills bacteria and viruses. Essential for wells with any history of bacterial contamination.
Budget
A complete well water system ranges from $2,000-6,000 installed depending on which stages you need. Annual maintenance: $200-400 for filters, salt, and UV lamp replacement.