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Chanhassen Water Softener and Drinking Water Guide

chanhassen city water quality
The Chanhassen MN city water department opened in 1965, and now serves up to 8.65 million gallons of tap water a day to nearly 7,000 homes and businesses.

Chanhassen’s water comes from deep wells that contain natural elements like Iron, Manganese, and calcium, in addition to less desirable elements like Arsenic.

Iron in Chanhassen Water

Recently a gravity filtration system was implemented to remove the Iron and Manganese that have caused orange/brown stains for so many years.

The Chlorine in city water oxidizes Iron.
Oxidized Iron CANNOT be removed by a Water Softener, and requires additional filtration.

Occasional Iron may pass through the system and build up in the city water mains. This is fixed by periodic “hydrant flushing” to clean out the water system.

Once treated, the Department of Health requires the addition of chlorine and fluoride to the water storage reservoirs.

  • Soft Water
  • National Hardness Average
  • Chanhassen Hardness

Chanhassen Water Softener Recommendations

The national average for water hardness is 5gpg (grains per gallon). Chanhassen water hardness is 18-21gpg, which is almost 5x harder than average.

A water softener will protect your water heater, plumbing, and appliances from hard water damage. A high efficiency water softener will offer the same protection, but will use far less water and salt.

Need the Right Water Softener or Filter for Your Home in Chanhassen, MN?

Contact us for a FREE water test and site inspection.  We’ll get you a FREE quote to help you get the water quality you want.

Chanhassen Water Reports

The City of Chanhassen does regular water testing and publishes the results in Annual Drinking Water Reports. These reports explain which water contaminants, and what levels have been found.

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The EPA has two standards for drinking water contaminants:

MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level
The legal limit for a certain contaminant

MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level GOAL
The level with ZERO HEALTH RISKS, aka the “Health Limit”

All water contaminants meet the EPA’s “Legal Limit”. Contaminants that exceed the EPA’s Health Limit have been highlighted below.

Inorganic Contaminants

Inorganic contaminants include natural and manmade salts and metals. You are mostly exposed to inorganics through drinking water, most do not easily pass through skin. Carbon Filters (refrigerator and faucet filters) have almost ZERO impact on these contaminants. Reverse Osmosis very effective at removing inorganic contaminants.

Contaminant Amount Found Health Limit Legal Limit Potential Effects
Arsenic 1.38-11.5 0 10 Skin damage or problems w/ circulatory systems, increased risk of cancer
Barium 0.014 2 2 Increase in blood pressure
Fluoride 0.82-1.3 4 4 Bone disease;children may get mottled teeth
Mercury 0 – 0.1ppm 2 2 Kidney damage
Nitrate 0.1 10 10 Blue-baby syndrome

Organic Contaminants

Organic contaminants can come from either natural sources like algae, or man-made chemicals. You can be exposed through drinking water, absorption through skin (bathing), and inhalation. This makes a Hybrid Filter System, or Whole House Carbon Filter a good preventative tool.

Contaminant Amount Found Health Limit Legal Limit Potential Effects
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 0.28 – 1.4 0 6 Reproductive difficulties; liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Ethylbenzene 111.5 – 400 700 700 Liver or kidney problems
Styrene 0.17 – 3.0 100 100 Liver, kidney, or circulatory problems
Toluene 0.69 – 11 100 100 Nervous system, liver, or kidney problems
Xylenes 2.07 – 35 1.8 100 Nervous system damage

Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts

Disinfectants are added to kill bacteria. Disinfectants like Chlorine react with other chemicals and create “Disinfection Byproducts. These chemicals enter the body through inhalation, absorption through skin, and drinking water. A Whole House Carbon Filter is a good preventative tool in addition to a Drinking Water System for these compounds.

Contaminant Amount Found Health Limit Legal Limit Potential Effects
Chlorine 0.5 – 1.5 4 4 Eye/nose irritation; stomach discomfort
Chloroform 0.42 – 2.9 5.7 80 Nervous system depression, increase in kidney and liver tumors
Haloacetic Acids 1.1 – 9.5 0 80 Increased risk of cancer
Total Trihalomethanes 0.4 – 26 0 60 Increased risk of cancer

Microbial Contaminants

Microbes like bacteria and virus come from a variety of sources. These include water main breaks, leaky septic systems, livestock, and wildlife. Microbial contaminants are mainly consumed through drinking water. Carbon Filters and Water Softeners do not offer any protection against microbes, but UV Treatment is very effective.

Contaminant Amount Found Health Limit Legal Limit Potential Effects
Total Coliform Bacteria 1% 0 5 Not a health threat itself; it is used to indicate whether other potentially harmful bacteria may be present

Radionuclide Contaminants

Radionuclides in water may occur naturally, or come from oil and gas production or mining activities. These can be inhaled, or consumed through drinking water.

Contaminant Amount Found Health Limit Legal Limit Potential Effects
Alpha Emitter 3.82 – 14.9 0 15.4 Increased risk of cancer
Combined Radium 1.8 – 5.9 0 5 Increased risk of cancer
Radon 210-244 0 NA Increased risk of cancer
This information was compiled from Chanhassen’s water treatment reports, the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Minnesota Department of Health(DOH), World Health Organization(WHO), and Environmental Working Group(EWG). Please contact us if there are any missing contaminants, or levels that differ from those outlined on this page.
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