Local Water Conditions
Local Water Conditions | Water Purification | Plumbing | Tellico Plains
Nestled between the Cherokee National Forest and the winding Tellico River, our mountain town enjoys some of the most beautiful waterways in Tennessee—yet those same waterways can carry excess iron, sulfur, and hard-water minerals right into your tap. HEP’s licensed plumbers live and work in Tellico Plains, so we understand firsthand how these unique local conditions can stain fixtures, clog appliances, and leave an unwanted taste in every sip.
That’s why we specialize in custom water purification systems designed for the challenges of Monroe County. From whole-home filters that tackle sediment and odors to point-of-use reverse-osmosis units for crisp drinking water, we install, service, and maintain solutions that keep your water—and your family—healthy. Call today and let HEP make every glass as clear and refreshing as our mountain air.
FAQs
What water quality issues are most common in Tellico Plains?
Most homes draw from private wells or the municipal Tellico Plains system, both of which can contain moderate hardness (5–10 gpg), dissolved iron and manganese that leave reddish-brown stains, sulfur bacteria that cause a rotten-egg odor, and seasonal turbidity after heavy rains. Chlorine or chloramine is not usually high, but pH can trend slightly acidic in mountain wells. A free in-home test lets us pinpoint which of these conditions affect your plumbing and appliances.
How do I know if I need a water purification system?
Visible symptoms—scale on fixtures, rusty laundry stains, odor when you turn on hot water, or cloudy ice—are strong clues. A complete lab or on-site test will measure hardness, iron, manganese, sulfur, TDS, pH, and bacteria. If any reading exceeds EPA secondary (cosmetic) or primary (health) guidelines, a treatment unit is recommended. Even if results fall within limits, many customers choose purification to prolong water-heater life, protect coffee makers, and improve taste.
Which treatment options work best for our local conditions?
• High-efficiency water softener: Removes hardness and a portion of dissolved iron while preventing scale. • Air-injection iron filter: Oxidizes and traps iron/manganese and eliminates metallic taste; paired after the softener when iron exceeds 1 ppm. • Activated-carbon whole-house filter: Polishes taste and odor, ideal for homes connected to the municipal supply. • Reverse Osmosis (RO) drinking system: Provides bottled-water quality at the kitchen tap by removing 95-98 % of dissolved solids, including lead and nitrates sometimes detected in older wells. • UV disinfection: Recommended for any well that periodically tests positive for coliform bacteria after flooding.
Will a standard water softener remove the sulfur (rotten-egg) smell from my well?
Not by itself. Hydrogen sulfide gas needs oxidation before removal. We typically install an air-injector or ozone-contact tank ahead of a catalytic-carbon filter. In many Tellico Plains wells this two-stage system removes both the odor and dissolved iron in one step, and the softened water that follows is odor-free and non-staining.
How much maintenance will my system require?
1) Water softener: Add solar salt pellets every 4–6 weeks; annual valve checkup. 2) Iron/sulfur filter: Media lasts 5–7 years; air pump or venturi screen cleaned yearly. 3) RO unit: Prefilters changed every 6–12 months, membrane every 3–5 years depending on water chemistry; we test TDS to let you know when. 4) UV lamp: Replace bulb and clean sleeve once a year. We offer service plans or user training for DIY homeowners.
Does reverse osmosis waste a lot of water, and is it safe during boil advisories?
Modern RO units we install use water-saving 1:1 or 2:1 ratios—about one gallon of rinse for every gallon you drink, far less than older 4:1 systems. During a public boil advisory, RO membranes alone do not guarantee microbiological safety, but our standard drinking package includes an integral final UV stage that inactivates bacteria and viruses, so you can skip boiling altogether if your system is properly maintained.