sheryl Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I'm resuming my HBQ's!! Anyway, we live in the city and have city water/sewer. We are fixing our house up to sell and purchase another here locally. We just don't know if it will be in city with city sewer/water or in the country OR out even a little where there is septic and well water. If you live with septic and well, would you recommend? Why? Why not? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I grew up with septic and well. Most are just fine with TLC. However, when we were looking for a house our preapproved loan was such that if city water and/or sewer was available, or the community had more than 75% of people using city water and/or sewer, we would be required to convert off the well and septic before the loan could be approved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 One vote for definitely city water and sewer. I have it now, and compared to the work, inconvenience, and lack of sufficient water we had in the country as a kid, this is heaven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 In my experience, well water tastes much better than city tap water. Well water may or may not have fluoride in it, depending on the area. It is not recommended that you use an in-sink disposal on a septic system. In our recent house search, whether a property was on city water and sewer or well water and septic wasn't an issue at all. Neither one was a plus or a minus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 OK thanks....would like to hear from more of ya! :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We are somewhat rural and have both well and septic. We have to pump the septic every couple of years and late last year we had to replace the septic which cost about $3K. I think it works out to be much cheaper than my parents monthly water bill if you average the costs over the years. All in all I find it pretty easy so yes I would recommend it. You might want to talk to some of the neighbors to find out what their experience is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 We are somewhat rural and have both well and septic. We have to pump the septic every couple of years and late last year we had to replace the septic which cost about $3K. I think it works out to be much cheaper than my parents monthly water bill if you average the costs over the years. All in all I find it pretty easy so yes I would recommend it. You might want to talk to some of the neighbors to find out what their experience is. Hi. Do you know if well or city water is healthier? One of the pp "I think" mentioned something along those lines, but I didn't re-read the posts. Also, and this is going to sound weird; do you every feel like the lawn will sink? Does that happen with a well/septic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I don't know how it is elsewhere, but here, with city water, when our power goes out, we still have water. I don't know if the township has a generator to keep the water pressure going, or what, but even with a 5 day power outage we never lost water pressure. I believe that with well water, you'd have an electric pump. I grew up in houses with well water, but I don't remember much about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 I don't know how it is elsewhere, but here, with city water, when our power goes out, we still have water. I don't know if the township has a generator to keep the water pressure going, or what, but even with a 5 day power outage we never lost water pressure. I believe that with well water, you'd have an electric pump. I grew up in houses with well water, but I don't remember much about it. Oh wow, didn't even think about that. Thanks...something to consider. We just had a power outage a few days ago; I can't imagine going without water for whatever reason...... Also, please see previous post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We have well water and the iron content is so high that it tastes metallic, faintly like blood. We use iron-reducing salt pellets in our necessary water softener, but the water for drinking is still gross, IMO. I'm sure some well water is good, but I think you need to *taste* the water from anywhere before you buy! Not only does the iron taste icky, but it stains everything. Our white wash cloths are ruined, our toilet bowls have a rusty look... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Also, and this is going to sound weird; do you every feel like the lawn will sink? Does that happen with a well/septic? We never had a lawn sink. I never heard of that. The houses I lived in were very old, 100-200+ year old houses, so I imagine everything was well-settled. In the last house, the septic was routed to a community drainage field of some sort. Don't remember what it was called. I don't know what a new drainage field would do as far as sinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We have lived with both combinations before. It really wasn't a problem either way. When we were on well water I would have the water tested every year or two. This is not difficult the nearest county extension office can tell you how to take a sample and can give you a list of qualified labs. It is not expensive if you do the collection yourself rather than having a house call. Maintain the septic according to the schedule provided by your local pump guys. Different areas/soils/climates have different schedules. Do not use harsh chemicals and limit the amount of paper stuff that goes in. I liked the independence of having our own well and septic. The water was very good. Right now we are on city water and sewer, it is convenient and not to expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Hi. Do you know if well or city water is healthier? One of the pp "I think" mentioned something along those lines, but I didn't re-read the posts. Also, and this is going to sound weird; do you every feel like the lawn will sink? Does that happen with a well/septic? Healthier -- well it doesn't have flouride or any other chemicals in it -- so I don't know whether or not it is healthier. My dh likes the fact that we're not drinking flouride. No on the lawn sinking although when the field needed to be replaced we had some wet spots. Once the drain field was fixed we haven't had any problems since. We don't have to have it pumped for at least 3 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We have well water and the iron content is so high that it tastes metallic, faintly like blood. We use iron-reducing salt pellets in our necessary water softener, but the water for drinking is still gross, IMO. I'm sure some well water is good, but I think you need to *taste* the water from anywhere before you buy! Not only does the iron taste icky, but it stains everything. Our white wash cloths are ruined, our toilet bowls have a rusty look... I have had some really really bad well water so try and get a sample of it so you know what kind you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Oh wow, didn't even think about that. Thanks...something to consider. We just had a power outage a few days ago; I can't imagine going without water for whatever reason...... Also, please see previous post... I forgot about this. Yes, this can be an issue. When we first moved in we lost electricity a lot -- anytime the wind got above 25 MPH -- and each time we lost water. Usually the power was restored fairly quickly. We had a couple of tropical storms blow through here a few years ago and luckily we had a generator. Our generator died a while back and since then the electric comapny has gotten a lot better at fixing the lines so the power hardly ever goes out anymore. So, I forgot about that piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 It depends greatly on where you are. Our well water tastes much better than the local city water, but our well is 900 feet deep. People on wells do have a tendency to buy a generator if their electricity goes out frequently. We haven't, but we have a creek running through our yard so we can still flush the toilets by pouring a bucket of water in it. Our ancient septic system works fine but is grandfathered. To replace it (up to code) will cost upwards of $20,000. Soil and water tables are key. I have heard of houses being abandoned because bringing their septic system up to code would cost more than the house is worth, so if you live in an area like that, I could see the banks point. That area of the country also requires a septic system to pass code before the house can be sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We have city water and a septic tank. The septic tank is no bother - we get it emptied once a year, but otherwise it just does its thing. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Always had a well and septic system. Well water can be VERY good, or not so good--even in the same area. It must be tested for safety but sometimes taste can be off. Sometimes you need a water softener to improve the water but not always. Septic has caused us no trouble. Just keep it pumped regularly and life should be good. We have a generator for power outages to run the pump, lights, furnace and keep the fridge going. Just a way of life out in the country. In fact, almost all of the neighbors have the same set up that we sometimes miss the power coming back on because everyone is running on generators. Benefits are that you don't have monthly bills for water and sewer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Given the choice, I much prefer city water and sewer. Lots of things can go wrong with a well and septic and since it is so important to have it working all the time, I much prefer to be part of a large, regulated system. However, I also like living where there is no city water and sewer. So we deal with the well and septic system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Given the choice, I much prefer city water and sewer. Lots of things can go wrong with a well and septic and since it is so important to have it working all the time, I much prefer to be part of a large, regulated system. However, I also like living where there is no city water and sewer. So we deal with the well and septic system. Until tree roots get in the sewer lines or the city has a lot of rain and they back up or............ My brother has had a lot more trouble with his city sewer than we ever had with our septic system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We have a septic system which was put in when the house was built 11 years ago. We have had it pumped once. We pay about $250 to have it maintained by a professional company. This is required by the county. It sprays on our front lawn and waters it nicely. No problems with that. We have had it pumped out once, about a year ago. That cost about $400. The lawn never sank.;) We have co op water, which is expensive compared to the city or well options. We pay about $45 a month as a bare minimum for water without any extra usage such as watering grass and such. Wells are very expensive to put in our area so this has not been an option. Two of our neighbors have wells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtotkbb Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Well, in our personal home we have city water but septic system for sewer. The two homes we've lived in over the last 17 years have been septic - we've never had to have them pumped, never had a problem w/ our lawn, etc. We put a scoop of "stuff" that helps everything biodegrade and helps the septic deal w/ lots of laundry det, etc. My dh's office is on city water and sewer - his water bill is more than our personal home (at home we run a sprinkler system do at least 2 loads of a laundry a day, run the dishwasher, plus showers/baths for 5-8 people depending upon who's home). The increase for his office water is bec of the sewer. He's had lots of problems bec his office is an older home - tree roots in the sewer lines, etc. It's all his expense. The city just increased the sewer portion as well bec they are upgrading the city sewer treatment center. So, while I thought septic sounded really weird when dh and I were first married - I'll stick w/ it but I do like city water bec we had well water at the lake and I don't like the way it tastes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We've had both and currently have a well and septic system. Except for when the septic pump died suddenly, we've had no problems. (It shorted during super heavy spring rains, way more than normal.) Even then, it wasn't a big deal. Our "full septic tank" alarm sounded, so we knew to be cautious with water usage. Someone was out there to pump it very quickly, and we had a day or two where we had to continue to be careful (like, no laundry, only high priority showers, but we were able to cook, wash our hands, and flush the toilet), before they were able to put in a new pump, but all in all, only a couple of days of inconvenience, and not that big of a deal. We are not in an area prone to losing electricity, but we do have a generator (we also need electricity to run the furnace in the winter), just in case. I think maybe we've lost power once in over four years, and only briefly. We do run a garbage disposal judiciously (mostly we compost table scraps), and we've had no problems from that either. Ymmv. I do like our water's taste, and I definitely like that we have control over what is in it -- no fluoride, no random medications or whatever else is in city water. We did have it tested before we bought the house though. And while I don't encourage water wasting, it is nice that we are not paying for water by the drop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Until tree roots get in the sewer lines or the city has a lot of rain and they back up or............ My brother has had a lot more trouble with his city sewer than we ever had with our septic system. :iagree: They recently brought the town sewer out to our neck of the woods. We still have our septic (opted out). So far, there've been way more floods of community poo than individual tanks overflowing. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoNative Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Septic and well water can be a bit more maintenance, but you don't usually pay for well water - we pay through the nose for our city water....plus stormwater drain fee...plus recovery fee....:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 My parents had a well and septic. My mom was also a real estate agent. A few things I've learned: A generator is a *must*. Power goes out, so does the water. My parent's well was fed by an underground spring. Awesome. Cutting raw liver into strips and flushing it helps to maintain the septic (nobody in my family would eat liver, so that's what the septic guy told them to do). When purchasing a property, get THREE random water tests. Apparently, ppl will dump jug after jug of bleach down a well before a water test if there's a problem with the well. It cleans the water and dissipates fast enough that it won't show up on the test, but random tests, rather than just one, will give you a true picture of what the well is like. You can also get hand pumps for power outtages too, but I'm guessing that would have a lot to do with how deep the well is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Thanks to EVERYONE! For every pro there seems to be a con....personal preference vs practicality. What to do........I just don't know. There seems to be so many pros for well/septic. The cons have me concerned though....can't stand the thought of not being able to shower :tongue_smilie:, drink water, etc for a day or so due to power outages. But then again, that's the purpose of a generator. Imp, thanks for the tip about the bleach....good to know if we go this route. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 There are so many variables. The fear of being without water during an outage has crossed my mind but the city water at the last place we lived in was nasty and we never drank it. We didn't even order ice tea in that county. Water just tastes different all over the place. We don't have city chemicals in our water but we do have minerals that need to be filtered and cleaned out of fixtures every now and then. I definitely like that we aren't affected by the water restrictions that friends have been under for years now. We've been here 4 years without any problems with water or septic. I guess at the end of the day it wouldn't personally be a deciding factor for me unless I knew something specific about the area that would make the cons for either a definite issue needing to be considered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Just to mention, in widespread power failures, the city water may be down too. That isn't anywhere as common but I know we once had a huge West Coast power failure affecting millions and yes, our water was out too. They did restore water before power and all of it was restored within 12 hours but just thought I should mention it. We have mostly lived on municipal water and sewer lines. In Belgium, we had municipal water but a septic tank. We did have a problem and the landlord had to call in the septic company to fix it. It was fixed and then we had almost three more uneventful years with it. We did use some biologics the landlord recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I've had well and septic my whole life, so it doesn't faze me at all. We have a small generator that can power the pump when the power goes out. The septic you just have to keep pumped every year or two. As others have mentioned, well water quality is very local. Do have it tested - we had the owners dig a new well before we moved in - the old well was only 17 ft deep!!! We have a softener on our well, because it does have some minerals (iron/magnesium) we'd rather not have. But town water would be full of flouride and chlorine, and we'd probably want to filter that too. I like being "off-grid" (I'd love to be off-grid for more) and I also like never having to pay a water bill. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 One thing to consider on the power failure issue, after Hurricane Katrina even though the water was coming out of the tap for city water there was a boil water notice for weeks. Adults and older children could bathe/shower but I was not about to trust my under 1 year old infant not to put wet fingers in her mouth so water had to be boiled and cooled to bathe her. I had already wanted a house with a well someday. That experience really reinforced that preference. I did not like the helpless feeling that there was nothing that I could do about the situation (like use a generator). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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