Sheldon, Iowa — If you are a Sheldon resident and haven’t turned down your water softener yet, the City of Sheldon has a few tips for you.
City officials say the hardness of the water coming out of the City water plant is now 13 – 14 grains, thanks to Lewis & Clark. They tell us that before they hooked up to the Lewis & Clark system, Sheldon’s water hardness was in the mid to high 50s in grains of hardness.
City officials tell us that while they want you to turn down your softener if you haven’t, they encourage you to use caution and consult with your plumber before you turn down your softener to 13 for the hardness setting. They tell us there are conditions to consider such as volume of usage and the recharge frequency, which affect the lifespan of your softener. And if you’ve already turned your softener to that level, you may want to consider these conditions so that you are softening the water enough, but not wasting money or water either.
Sheldon Public Works Director Todd Uhl says several easily available water hardness test kits or strips exist. He says he’s suggesting setting softeners slightly higher — to something in the 16 to 18 grains range. He says you may want to contact your local plumber or softener supplier to make sure that setting is correct for the new water and for the unique circumstances in your household.
