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The Short Answer
The short answer is – it depends. If your well water contains high levels of certain contaminants like lead, chlorine, scale-causing minerals, or sulfur, then yes, a shower head filter can help remove these from the water before it comes out of the shower. However, if your well water quality is good, with no issues with contaminants, then a filter may not be necessary. The only way to know for sure is to test your well water.
What Contaminants Can Be in Well Water?
Well water is groundwater that is pumped up from an underground aquifer through a well. Since the water is untreated and unfiltered, it can contain contaminants that are naturally occurring in the ground or that have leached into the ground over time. Here are some of the main contaminants that may be found in well water:
Metals:
– Lead – Usually leached from old plumbing fixtures or pipes. Can cause health issues if ingested.
– Iron – Causes yellow/orange staining and metallic taste. Not a health hazard but unpleasant.
– Manganese – Causes black staining and bitter metallic taste. High levels can impact health.
– Copper – Can leach from pipes. Causes blue-green staining and metallic taste. Toxic in high doses.
Minerals:
– Calcium and magnesium – Cause hard water, mineral buildup/scaling on fixtures and pipes.
– Sulfur – Causes rotten egg odor, staining, and taste issues. Not a health hazard at typical levels.
Other contaminants:
– Arsenic – Toxic even at low levels with long-term exposure. Linked to cancer risk.
– Bacteria and viruses – From animal/human waste. Can cause gastrointestinal illness.
– Chlorine – Used to disinfect well water. Causes dry skin and hair damage at high levels.
– Pesticides/fertilizers – Can leach into groundwater from agricultural or lawn use. Toxic.
– Radon – Radioactive gas that can accumulate in well water. Carcinogenic if ingested.
Should I Test My Well Water?
Because contamination is a possibility with untreated well water, having your water tested at least once annually is highly recommended. A standard potability test checks for common contaminants like bacteria, nitrates, metals, and mineral levels.
Testing is the only way to confirm if your well water contains concerning levels of any contaminants. Many contaminants have no taste, smell or color, so you cannot rely on your senses. Issues like lead tend to be intermittent as well.
You should test:
– Annually for baseline potability and safety
– If you notice changes in taste, smell, or appearance
– After flooding or ground shifts that may impact water quality
– When moving into a new home with an existing well
Contact your local health department for help finding certified labs to test your well water. Be sure to use proper sampling procedures for accurate results.
Do Shower Filters Remove Well Water Contaminants?
Shower head water filters are designed to remove certain contaminants as water flows through them. However, they have limitations:
Effectively removed:
– Chlorine – Most shower filters use activated carbon that adsorbs chlorine.
– Scale minerals – Filtration screens trap calcium, magnesium, etc. to prevent buildup.
– Sulfur odor – Carbon filters help reduce rotten egg smell.
– Some heavy metals – Special media filters out lead, copper, mercury, etc.
Not effectively removed:
– Bacteria and parasites – Require UV light or ozonation for disinfection.
– Arsenic, fluoride, nitrates – Require reverse osmosis or ion exchange for removal.
– Radon – Being a gas, radon cannot be filtered out by shower heads.
So shower filters are helpful for some contaminants like chlorine and scale, but cannot treat more serious microbial or chemical contamination issues. They do not fully purify well water on their own.
Do You Need One for Well Water?
Here are some factors to help decide if a shower filter makes sense for your untreated well water:
Install a shower filter if your water has:
– Chlorine odor/irritation – Filter to remove added chlorine.
– Scale buildup – Filter to reduce mineral clogging in showerhead.
– Sulfur smell – Carbon filter absorbs rotten egg odor.
– Lead pipes/fixtures – Special filter reduces lead exposure.
May not need a shower filter if your water is:
– Low in minerals like calcium – Little scale risk.
– No chlorine added – Nothing to remove.
– No unpleasant smells – Carbon filter not needed.
– Tests negative for heavy metals – Less filtration benefit.
Other considerations:
– Shower filter + whole house system – Best protection for severely contaminated well water.
– Testing frequency – More frequent testing, more than once a year, provides greater info on contaminant levels and shower filter needs.
– Types of contaminants – The specific contaminants in your water determine if a shower filter can help manage them or if other treatment is needed.
– Showerhead already has a filter – Many showerheads now come with built-in filters, so adding another in-line filter may be redundant.
Top Shower Filters for Well Water
If you’ve tested your well water and determined that a shower filter could benefit your shower water quality, here are some top-rated options to consider installing:
| Product | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Aquabliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter | – 12-stage filtration |
| Culligan WSH-C125 Wall-Mounted Filter | – 10,000 gallon capacity |
| Berkey Shower Filter | – Filters chlorine and hydrogen sulfide |
| Aquasana AQ-4100 Deluxe Shower Water Filter | – Coconut shell carbon filter |
| Sprite Shower Filter | – Removes >90% chlorine |
Look for filters with multiple filtration stages, high contaminant removal rates, and large capacities for reduced maintenance. Choosing the right one depends on your specific water quality and needs.
Whole House Systems for Well Water
For broader water treatment throughout your home, a whole house filtration system is recommended for contaminated well water:
– Sediment filter – Removes particles and rust.
– Activated carbon filter – Absorbs chlorine and chemicals.
– Softener – Reduces hard mineral buildup.
– UV light – Disinfects microbial contaminants.
– Reverse osmosis – Forces water through membrane to filter minerals, metals, bacteria.
This provides full water purification and conditioning for all uses – drinking, showering, appliances, etc. It is a more thorough treatment solution than just having a shower head filter alone.
Whole house systems do have a larger upfront cost. Work with a water treatment professional to select the right components based on your water tests.
Conclusion
In summary, shower head water filters can benefit well water in some situations by reducing certain contaminants like chlorine, sulfur, metals, and scale. However, they have limitations and do not fully purify water of all potential well water contaminants. Testing your untreated well water annually is key to determine if any issues exist that would warrant installing a shower filter. For whole home water treatment, a larger multi-component filtration system is recommended for contaminated well water in order to create clean, conditioned water for all household uses.