Ask The NH Water Expert

Today’s Ask the NH Water Expert interview is with R.J. Brown, a Certified Water Specialist with more than a decade of water treatment experience in New Hampshire. The topic is the Most Common Water Problems in NH.

What’s your experience treating New Hampshire water?

I’ve been treating water in New Hampshire with Secondwind Water Systems for over 13 years. On average, I meet with over 300 people per year to help them with their water quality problems. 

What are the most common water problems in New Hampshire?

In New Hampshire, we see a wide variety of water issues.. The most common water issues range from iron and manganese stains to general hard water all the way to health-related contaminants like arsenic, bacteria, uranium, radon and more recently, PFAS. 

Homeowners often call us when they notice something with their water not looking, smelling or performing the way they’d like. It might be due to hard water not allowing soap to lather, or causing mineral deposits on appliances or vehicles after washing. Or they could smell sulfur (rotten egg smell), the water can taste bad, or the customer may see stains in their toilet or bathtub.

We also receive calls from homeowners learning more about the possibility of health contaminants in their water, especially when using water from a private well. We recommend homeowners on private wells follow the State of New Hampshire’s recommended water testing schedule.

How often do I need to test my NH well water?

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) recommends testing your well water upon buying your home, and then every three to five years thereafter for most contaminants, but annually for bacteria and nitrates. 

The NHDES also recommends testing for PFAS, which has unfortunately been detected throughout the state of New Hampshire. There’s a map of PFAS sampling and detection on the NHDES website.

Water can change between tests, so if you notice something, it is possible your water has changed since your last test. 

What should I test my NH well water for?

The NHDES recommends testing your well water for a number of contaminants often found in New Hampshire water. Some common water problems like bacteria, arsenic and radon are more common and well-known, but others like PFAS and nitrates are equally concerning and awareness is on the rise.  

Secondwind Water will test the following onsite at your home or business at no charge: hardness, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), iron, manganese, chlorides and alkalinity.

We also strongly encourage private well owners to test regularly for health contaminants like arsenic, radon, uranium, PFAS, bacteria, lead, copper and nitrates that are commonly found in NH well water. Secondwind Water uses a third-party accredited lab to run tests for health contaminants to ensure the highest quality water testing and accurate results. Secondwind typically uses Nelson Analytical Lab in Manchester for the third-party testing, and their pricing can be found on their website. Secondwind typically collects and drops off the water samples for our customers for the health testing at Nelson’s Lab, but we do pass along their lab fees.

Homeowners and business owners are encouraged to follow the NHDES recommended testing schedule for the various water contaminants. 

Remember, water can change between tests, so it is possible your water has changed since your last test. There are drinking water treatment solutions that will work even if your water changes to give you greater peace of mind.

What’s the easiest way to test my well water in NH?

Secondwind Water offers free onsite water testing for general contaminants like iron, manganese, total dissolved solids and more, but for all health-related concerns Secondwind uses a third-party lab recommended by the NHDES. Secondwind does pass along lab fees for the health contaminant testing.

If you’re on a community well or municipal water, and want to know more about your water quality, you can find information by searching for your local consumer confidence report for your town or by using the Safe Drinking Water Search on the Environmental Protection Association (EPA) website. 

What do you do when someone says they think they have a water problem?

When someone contacts us about water problems, we start by listening to the customer’s concerns, and their intended use of the water. It makes a big difference if the water will be used for drinking, irrigation, or crafting beer. We also will ask questions to understand water usage – are there only two people using the water or ten – and their water pressure needs. Based on the intended use, description of the issues, and testing of the water, we’ll be able to understand the water chemistry and customer needs. Once we understand these, we can recommend solutions. Typically there are multiple options to resolve water problems, and the water chemistry, amount of water used, water pressure needs and more will all come into play in offering solution ideas. We will offer water treatment solutions that match up with the customer’s concerns and budget. 

Why should consumers choose Secondwind to help resolve water problems?

Secondwind Water Systems was founded to resolve water problems in New Hampshire back in 1989. Now, more than 30 years later, we are a 45-person team of incredibly passionate people dedicated to changing lives through exceptional water solutions. 

We take pride in the fact that we have more Certified Water Professionals in the State of New Hampshire than all other companies combined. The certification takes a significant amount of time and resources, but integrity is one of our core values, and we want to ensure that we have the highest level of education and experience possible to support the water needs of New Hampshire.  

In terms of water treatment systems, Secondwind is the only authorized dealer for Kinetico high quality water treatment systems in New Hampshire, and we are so confident in our system solutions, we offer a Double Warranty. We offer both the manufacturer’s warranty (up to 10 years!), and the Secondwind Relationship Promise. 

We are proud to have systems in homes that are well over 20 years old and still working great! 

And finally, water treatment is the ONLY thing we do at Secondwind. We don’t fix toilets (only the water in them!), and we don’t do HVAC. We have dedicated ourselves to understanding water chemistry, customer needs, and how to get our customers the best water quality possible.

We have a combined 150 years of water treatment experience with 24/7 emergency response, and a team of people dedicated to making sure you get the best quality water. 

If that’s not enough, we are majority owned by a woman and on our way to becoming fully employee owned. We take pride in our work and it shows. 

Give Secondwind a call, and you’ll see the difference. 603-641-5767

ABOUT ASK THE WATER EXPERT – NEW HAMPSHIRE

Ask the Water Expert features a Q&A session with Certified Water Specialists accredited by the Water Quality Association. These individuals have shown a dedication to the field through water education and/or experience and have passed a comprehensive exam to ensure a firm grasp on water treatment fundamentals. Certified Water Specialists must also commit to the WQA Code of Ethics. A commitment to integrity is extremely important in the water industry, and Secondwind Water requires its employees to be dedicated to providing the highest level of honesty and professionalism in the water quality improvement industry. Read more about how Secondwind Water is different.