Understanding Water Treatment: the 4 Types and the 7-Step Process
Safe, clean water does not happen by accident in Boerne, TX. Groundwater in Kendall County often carries hardness minerals, and private wells can pick up iron, sulfur odors, and sediment after a heavy rain. City water is disinfected and monitored, yet many homeowners still taste chlorine or see scale on fixtures. This guide explains the four main types of water treatment and the seven-step process professionals follow to diagnose, design, and maintain reliable systems. It focuses on local conditions around Boerne and nearby neighborhoods like Fair Oaks Ranch, Scenic Oaks, Balcones Creek, water treatment installation Boerne TX and Anaqua Springs.
Gottfried Plumbing llc installs and services whole-home water treatment systems across Boerne. The team works on municipal and well supplies, with practical solutions that match local water chemistry and household budgets. The details below show what matters, what to skip, and how to decide.
Why water in Boerne needs attention
Boerne sits on limestone. That geology puts calcium and magnesium into both city and well water. Hardness above 7 grains per gallon (gpg) is common; many tests in the area read 12 to 20 gpg. Hard water leaves white scale on glass, dries out skin, and shortens the life of water heaters and dishwashers. Well owners may also see iron staining, hydrogen sulfide odor (rotten egg smell), and sediment after storms.
City water is safe to drink by regulatory standards, yet it can carry chlorine taste, chloramine, and trace organics that affect flavor and odor. Pinhole leaks on copper lines and scale buildup in tankless heaters are frequent service calls Gottfried sees in Oak Park and Herff Ranch. Treating water at the point of entry protects the whole plumbing system and makes every tap more pleasant to use.
The four primary types of water treatment
Water treatment breaks into four categories. A home may need one, two, or a staged combination, depending on test results and goals.
Softening removes hardness minerals. Ion-exchange softeners swap calcium and magnesium ions for sodium or potassium on a resin bed. In Boerne, softening is the single most effective step to prevent scale. Expect a properly sized softener to reduce scale to near zero, improve soap performance, and lower energy use in water heaters. Softening adds a small amount of sodium to water. For a 15 gpg supply, that may be around 110–140 mg of sodium per quart of water. Households on sodium-restricted diets often add a dedicated reverse osmosis faucet for drinking.
Filtration removes physical particles and target contaminants. Cartridge filters trap sediment, rust, and sand. Catalytic carbon and activated carbon reduce chlorine, chloramines, many pesticides, and improve taste and odor. In some wells, specialized media target iron or manganese. Choosing the right micron rating matters. Too small, and cartridges clog fast; too large, and fine silt slips through.
Disinfection makes water microbiologically safe. City water arrives disinfected. Private wells sometimes need disinfection after flooding, repairs, or a failed bacteria test. Ultraviolet (UV) systems inactivate bacteria and viruses without chemicals, provided the water is clear enough for the light to penetrate. For wells in Cordillera Ranch or outside city limits, UV is a common safeguard.
Purification focuses on dissolved solids and specific contaminants at a drinking tap. Reverse osmosis (RO) pushes water through a semi-permeable membrane to remove salts, nitrates, fluoride, arsenic, and many other dissolved substances. RO produces clean, low-TDS water with a neutral taste. Many homes pair RO at the kitchen sink with whole-home softening and carbon filtration at the main line.
Each type solves a different problem. A typical Boerne city-water home sees the best results from a whole-home softener combined with a carbon filter for chlorine control, plus an RO faucet for coffee and cooking. A well home might need sediment filtration, iron reduction, softening, and UV, with RO at the kitchen.
The seven-step process for getting water treatment right
Professionals follow a predictable sequence because water chemistry does not care about guesswork. The steps below prevent common mistakes like clogging filters with iron slime, fouling a softener with sediment, or installing UV on cloudy water that blocks the light.
Step one: source identification and goals. City water or private well changes the approach. City water has stable pressure and disinfection, with hardness and taste as the main complaints. Wells vary widely and need thorough testing. The household should rank goals: scale prevention, taste improvement, odor removal, drinking-water purity, or bacteria protection.
Step two: thorough testing. On city water, a quick profile often includes hardness, chlorine or chloramine, pH, and total dissolved solids. Gottfried commonly sees hardness above 12 gpg and detectable chlorine. On wells, the test should include hardness, iron, manganese, sulfur odor, pH, TDS, turbidity, and bacteria screening. A clear sample taken before any existing treatment tells the truth. If bacteria are suspected, certified lab testing is recommended.
Step three: design the treatment train. Order matters. Sediment filtration goes first to protect everything downstream. Iron and manganese reduction, if needed, follows. Softening comes after particulate reduction. Carbon filtration for chlorine or organics can be placed before or after a softener depending on the media and goals. UV sits at the end, after the water is clear and conditioned. Point-of-use RO taps into the cold line after the main treatment.
Step four: right-size the equipment. Many problems trace back to undersized or oversized systems. Resin volume in a softener should match household size, hardness, and water use. A common rule is a 48,000-grain softener for a three-bath home at 12–15 gpg, though real sizing uses daily gallons and desired regeneration frequency. Carbon systems should provide at least 2 to 3 minutes of contact time for chlorine reduction at peak flow. Cartridge filters need housings sized for the home’s flow; a single 10-inch filter cannot keep up with a multi-bath home without pressure drop.
Step five: professional installation and code compliance. Placement matters. Systems should sit near the main shutoff, with a proper bypass, drain, and power. Discharge lines need air gaps to prevent backflow. Brine tanks for softeners must sit level, and salt must stay above the water level to prevent bridging. Outside installations require freeze protection in Boerne’s occasional hard freezes. Gottfried routes equipment to maintain service access and tags valves so homeowners can bypass the system during emergencies.
Step six: commissioning and verification. After installation, the system should be set up with actual water numbers, not generic defaults. Softener programming includes hardness, estimated daily use, and reserve capacity. Carbon systems are flushed until water runs clear and odor-free. UV systems get a sleeve cleaning and lamp intensity check. RO systems purge storage tanks and confirm rejection rate. A quick hardness test at a tap should read near zero after a softener. The installer should leave test strips and show how to use them.
Step seven: maintenance and follow-up. All treatment needs care, but good design limits the workload. A softener uses salt and needs periodic resin checks. Carbon media eventually exhausts, often in 3 to 5 years for whole-home systems. UV lamps run about 12 months before intensity drops. RO filters change every 6 to 12 months, with membranes lasting roughly 2 to 5 years depending on water quality. A simple annual inspection catches issues early like salt bridging, clogged prefilters, or slow RO flow.
What each system solves in Boerne homes
Softener: scale and appliance wear. Expect shinier fixtures, less soap use, and far fewer water heater service calls. In Guarded neighborhoods with tankless heaters, softening is the most cost-effective protection. For households that dislike the slick feel of softened water, options include a blend valve to mix a small amount of hard water or modern salt-free conditioners for light scaling, though those conditioners do not reduce hardness and do not perform as well as a true softener on high-hardness supplies.
Carbon filtration: chlorine taste and odor. City-water families in Trails of Herff Ranch often call after noticing strong chlorine during summer. A backwashing carbon tank provides long contact time and low maintenance. Smaller cartridge systems can work for condos or casitas with modest flow, but they need timely replacements to avoid pressure drop.
Sediment and iron filtration: cloudiness, rust stains, and sulfur odor. Wells near creek beds can turn turbid after rain. A spin-down prefilter helps purge sand. Oxidizing media or aeration followed by filtration handles iron and manganese. Hydrogen sulfide odor may need an oxidizing stage before carbon. Correct sequencing prevents staining and protects resin in the softener.
UV disinfection: bacteria protection. For private wells that test positive for coliforms or for homes that host immune-compromised relatives, UV offers a chemical-free barrier. Water clarity must be adequate; otherwise, prefiltration and iron removal come first. Lamp changes are non-negotiable; a glowing lamp is not proof of effective dose after the rated hours.
Reverse osmosis: clean drinking water. RO removes dissolved solids that other filters cannot touch. Families switching to RO usually notice better coffee and tea flavor. If a softener sits upstream, the RO membrane lasts longer because calcium and magnesium no longer foul it. A remineralization post-filter can add a slight mineral taste for those who prefer it.
Sizing and salt: practical numbers that help decisions
Grains and gallons drive softener sizing. A typical Boerne family of four might use 240 to 300 gallons per day. At 15 gpg, that load equals 3,600 to 4,500 grains per day. A 48,000-grain softener regenerated at a reasonable salt efficiency can handle that with a regeneration interval of 7 to 10 days. Shorter intervals waste salt; very long intervals risk channeling. Gottfried sets systems for about a week between regenerations under normal use, then adjusts after a follow-up check.
Salt type matters. Solar salt crystals dissolve cleanly and work well for most homes. Pellets reduce bridging in humid garages. Iron-fighting salt or resin cleaners help if a trace of iron remains. Potassium chloride works for those avoiding sodium; it may require a slight increase in dose and careful monitoring during cold snaps because it can bridge more readily.
Edge cases and local quirks
High TDS wells can still feel hard after softening because total dissolved solids affect mouthfeel and taste. In those homes, a point-of-use RO system for drinking water solves the taste issue even though the whole-house water is soft. On chloramine-treated city water, standard carbon may underperform; catalytic carbon offers better reduction. If the home has copper pipes and aggressive water with low pH, adding corrosion control can prevent pinhole leaks. Boerne city water usually stays within a neutral pH range, but some private wells drop below 7 and need correction.
Outdoor irrigation does not need softening. Bypass yard lines where practical to cut salt use and keep plants happier. Also, a garage install that feeds an exterior hose bib can make car washing easier with spot-free rinsing; many homeowners request a single softened bib for that purpose while leaving garden bibs hard.
Tankless water heaters hate scale but can be sensitive to reduced flow from small filters. Use high-flow housings and correct media to keep pressure stable. Gottfried often upsizes filter housings to 20-inch big-blue format to avoid pressure complaints during showers and laundry.
Maintenance homeowners can plan for
Homeowners who understand the simple tasks tend to get more years from their equipment. Softener brine tanks should keep salt above water. If a hard crust forms, it may be bridging. Break the crust with a broom handle and check water level. Carbon backwashing systems should flush at night; if water looks gray after maintenance, it is normal and clears within minutes. UV lamps should get a date sticker at install; plan to replace at 12 months even if it still lights. RO slow flow usually means the prefilter needs a change or the tank has lost air pressure; Gottfried sets tanks to about 7 to 8 psi with an empty tank.
Most systems benefit from a once-a-year check. The tech will test hardness after the softener, chlorine after carbon, and verify RO rejection with a TDS meter. Quick numbers tell a clear story. For example, if incoming hardness reads 18 gpg and a post-softener tap reads 0 to 1 gpg, the softener is performing. If chlorine at a faucet still measures 0.6 ppm after carbon, media is likely due for change.
Cost ranges and what drives them
Whole-home softeners for average Boerne homes generally sit in the mid four figures installed, depending on resin volume and valve quality. Adding a backwashing carbon system raises the package price but spreads maintenance over years. UV units add cost mainly in lamp replacements over time. Point-of-use RO systems are relatively affordable upfront, with periodic filters as the main expense.
Total cost should reflect water chemistry, flow requirements, and longevity. Cheaper cartridge-only setups look attractive but often frustrate families with pressure drop and constant filter changes. Conversely, oversizing with commercial-grade gear in a small cottage burns money without real benefit. Gottfried balances performance and practicality, aiming for low salt and media use with strong results in scale control and taste.
What to watch for if you already have equipment
Legacy systems in older Boerne homes often show three issues: undersized resin tanks, non-functioning timers, and iron-fouled resin. If soap scum returns or glassware spots reappear, the softener may need service or rebed. A stuck valve can waste water to drain and drive up utility bills; listen for nighttime cycling noise that never ends. If carbon tanks develop a musty odor or release black fines, media is exhausted. RO faucets that start to hiss, trickle, or produce flat-tasting water need filter or membrane checks.
A quick on-site water test and a look at the equipment’s age and model usually provide a clear plan. Sometimes the fix is a reprogram and new media. Other times a full replacement saves money long term, especially for systems older than 10 to 12 years with obsolete parts.
How a Boerne-specific approach improves results
Local experience cuts guesswork. Gottfried Plumbing llc tracks common hardness by subdivision, knows when the city switches disinfectant blends seasonally, and understands how freeze events affect garage installs on Ranch Road 46 and Cascade Caverns Road. The team sizes systems for real peak demand in large family homes and sets efficient regeneration schedules for smaller casitas and ADUs near Old No. 9 Trail. That local pattern recognition prevents missteps like placing UV before iron removal or using small cartridges on a five-bath house.
The company also handles permitting needs and backflow requirements when required by the city. For well owners outside Boerne city limits, technicians coordinate water testing and map out treatment that supports both taste and safety without loading the system with unnecessary stages.
Ready for better water in Boerne?
Clear, great-tasting water should be the default, not a weekly project with bottled jugs and scrubbing scale. If the dishwasher leaves cloudy film, the shower smells like a pool, or the well leaves rust stains, there is a fix. A short visit and a simple water test set the course.
- Call Gottfried Plumbing llc to schedule on-site testing and a quote for water treatment in Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, Scenic Oaks, Balcones Creek, and nearby areas.
- Ask for a whole-home plan that covers softening, filtration, and an RO drinking tap, matched to your water test and home size.
Better water protects pipes, appliances, and fixtures, and it makes every glass taste right. A correct system pays for itself in fewer repairs and less wasted time. Gottfried installs clean, code-compliant systems and provides the follow-up to keep them running. For service or installation, reach out and get water that treats your home as well as you treat it.
Gottfried Plumbing LLC provides plumbing services for homes and businesses in Boerne, TX. Our licensed plumbers handle water heater repair, drain cleaning, leak detection, and emergency service calls. We are available 24/7 to respond to urgent plumbing issues with reliable solutions. With years of local experience, we deliver work focused on quality and customer satisfaction. From small household repairs to full commercial plumbing projects, Gottfried Plumbing LLC is ready to serve the Boerne community. Gottfried Plumbing LLC
Boerne,
TX,
USA
Phone: (830) 331-2055 Website: https://www.gottfriedplumbing.com/