Bob - -
Just so I understand correctly, is the apartment to be occupied 24/7/365 by a tenant, or is it occasional use?
Thanks for the analyses. Appears like a bona fide certified environmental lab result, but doesn't show a Lab ID#, etc. to ensure same.
Most of the analytes are physical and aesthetic characteristics of the water. Some have guidelines, but no hard and fast maximum levels.
Some, like E. coli and Total Coliform are regulated for public water systems and are a basic definition of potability for private systems. Both being negative is great. However, given it's a shallow well can change due to weather, etc.
Looks like a lot of water in upstate New York. It's hard and has some iron and manganese at relatively low concentrations. It's actually a good indication that the water is "old" and highly mineralized; it's not significantly derived from surface water which is much softer.
I'm used to seeing iron and manganese combined at >0.5 mg/l. At ~ 0.3 combined, I personally think you might have some options if you're open to trying a couple things.
Sodium is indeed elevated at 197 mg/l, but I'll cover that in a little bit.
I'll try to cover some of the stuff by category:
E. coli/Total Coliform
This is a big deal. You're negative which is great. I would consider a disinfection system as it's a dug well.
UV could be an option, but after some kind of treatment to reduce TDS, iron and manganese. Essentially a UV passes water through a clear/glass like tube and the UV light does the disinfection. Doesn't work reliably is clear tube is coated with "stuff."
Not sure if they're common in KS, but for many years in NYS pellet chlorinators were common. Dropped small CaCl tablets in the casing to disinfect. Could likely be adapted to a dug well. Could also help with some of the iron, manganese, TDS issues.
SODIUM
In New York, there is no maximum contaminant level for sodium, but there are action levels above 20 mg/l. You're at 197 mg/l.
Sodium in drinking/cooking water adds to the dietary intake.
For folks on zero or very low sodium diets, elevated sodium in drinking water can attribute to hypertension and other health problems. In New York, a system would have to include verbiage on their annual report to customers.
If sodium intake is not a major concern to the consumer(s) in the apartment, I'm not sure I would be terribly concerned with the sodium in the raw water.
As a point of reference, I bought canned tomatoes at the store today. 360 mg/l PER CUP of tomatoes in the can. That's before a cook might add salt to the sauce....
Total Hardness/TDS/Iron/Manganese
I'll toss these in one category as all related. All aesthetic issues, and harmless.
As a former regulator, I'll be reaching a little here, in that they are aesthetic, and not something I could really mandate a fix for.
Actually, add the mineral intake of the consumer.
However, things like iron or manganese staining, or hard water lime deposits give folks concern.
Also reduce life of water heaters.
As these are all components of Total Dissolved Solids, filtration via a simple paper cartridge filter won't take them out.
I recall a guidance of maximum of 500 mg/l for TDS, but it's not something we had in our NYS Code.
TREATMENT OPTIONS - my opinion/suggestions
I'd probably put a cartridge filter in the inbound line, primarily to catch silt, etc. as it's a dug well.
After the cartridge filter:
#1 - - Do nothing. Given it's coliform negative (on the day of the sample), not unwarranted option. But given it's a dug well, not recommended. That's your choice and risk. Definitely test for coliform annually or any time water quality changes.
You have hard water with some iron, etc. in it. Lots of people do. Might not be a problem. Won't really know unless you try it as is.
My former coworker has a bunch of iron in her well. She has a double wide mobile home on a slab and doesn't have options to place a treatment system.
#2 - - Soften only. Referred to as ion exchange. A conventional water softener replaces calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese ions with sodium. Ion exchange with add sodium to the water. For calcium, one Ca ion is replaced by one Na ion. For Fe, could be up to 3 Na for each Fe ion.
Your iron and manganese levels aren't way out of whack of what we see here. Simple softener could deal with a lot of stuff, but often is somewhat difficult to determine outcomes in advance. A lot depends on the oxidation state of the minerals.
Could require some adjustments/treatments later on, but a good place to start.
If water is softened too much, it can actually become aggressive to plumbing and fixtures.
Hard water isn't necessarily a bad thing.
#3 - - Activated carbon - - Don't do it. No reason. I've seen good, disinfected water going into a carbon filter, and bad water come out. Things can get inoculated with bacterial coliforms, and they stay there. Good for removal of some stuff in certain applications, but I don't trust them. My opinion.
#4 - - Soften then UV Disinfection. Since you're (hopefully) taking out some of the stuff from the water, a UV could be a great option.
$5 - - Reverse Osmosis. I would never sign on for a whole-house system. Water is very aggressive to plumbing - - too soft. Maybe a point-of-use under the kitchen sink, but would sooner skip all of it.
That is entirely dictated by the sodium-restrictions the consumers may have.
SUMMARY
I'd probably do 4, 2 or 1, in that order.
But there’s nothing wrong in reversing the order to try as you deem appropriate.
Also consider the sodium and what softening would do. Good to take a sample at the kitchen tap after a softener is running to check.
Best wishes.
Any more questions, holler.
