Silverton water treatment built for high-altitude wells

Silverton draws most of its water from wells, mountain creeks, and a small municipal system — and the source that comes out of your tap depends on where you live. 'Safe to drink' by regulatory standards and 'good to drink' at your kitchen sink are not the same thing. Hardness, low pH, arsenic, and trace metals from old household plumbing can all show up in water that technically passes testing. The only way to know what yours contains is a real on-site analysis.

High-altitude wells in the San Juans commonly test high for hardness, iron, and manganese, with arsenic appearing often enough to matter — it's a natural trace mineral in this geology. We've also seen lead leached from older galvanized plumbing, low pH from snowmelt infiltration, sediment spikes after spring runoff, and radionuclides in wells drawing from fractured granite. Acid mine drainage is a real concern in the broader watershed too. A proper water analysis tells you which of these your well has.

At least once a year for any private well — and more often after spring runoff, after any work on the well or plumbing, or if the water changes in taste, smell, or color. High-altitude wells see bigger seasonal swings than lower-elevation systems, so a single test in summer doesn't tell you what winter delivers. For cabins and seasonal properties, test before each opening season. Municipal customers in town should test at the tap every few years to catch plumbing-related contamination the utility doesn't see.

Hard water is the rule in the San Juans, not the exception. You'll see it as spotting on glassware, scale on faucets and shower glass, and shortened lifespans for water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines — all of which work harder at altitude. A softener isn't luxury, it's the difference between appliances that last 15 years and ones that last 6. Salt-free conditioners help with scale too, but they don't actually remove the minerals.

Yes. Water Works covers the San Juan region and the broader Western Slope — Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, Rico, Ophir, Placerville, and the surrounding mountain communities. Our service techs run routes across the Western Slope, and on-site well testing and system installation are routine work for our crews, including at elevation. For remote properties, we coordinate around access windows and weather.