Replacing a water softener in Waukesha County
Some Waukesha County homes changed water while the softener in the basement stayed put. New Berlin's city system went to Lake Michigan water in July 2009, Menomonee Falls runs two supplies with a fourfold gap between them, and a softener set for one supply does not match the other.
Call (262) 829-5961Mon to Fri, 7am to 5pmWhen the water changed under the softener
New Berlin's city system switched to Lake Michigan water in July 2009. A softener set before then was set for the city's old well water, a well supply the utility once rated at 18 to 32 grains; city water now runs about 8 to 10.
The City of Waukesha made its own switch in October 2023. Homes on private wells around the city did not change supplies, so a softener in one of those houses still faces the same groundwater it always has.
When an old unit stops keeping up
Hard water marks glass and fixtures with spots and film, and builds scale where nobody looks, inside the water heater. Spots coming back while the softener runs mean hardness is getting past it, whichever side of the county you are on.
How a county swap goes
First the old softener leaves the house. The plumber then sets the two new tanks where the water line comes in, reconnects the bypass, gives the drain line its air gap, and before leaving fits the drinking tap by the kitchen sink.
A hardness check happens before the old unit comes off the line, then again at a household tap afterward, until a reading of zero turns up.
What to have ready for a replacement quote
Your address, or a note that the house is on well water, plus the size of the household, where the water comes in and the old softener's location. Well lab results help. Your price does not depend on anyone seeing the old unit.
Common questions
My softener came with a New Berlin house on city water. Should I replace it?
On city water, the utility has told customers a softener should no longer be necessary, so start with whether you want one at all. If you do, or if the house draws from a private well, the call gives you one price for a new system.
Is a replacement priced differently from a first installation?
No. Both are quoted the same way, as a single price on the phone call.
Do I have to replace the brine tank too?
The new softener comes with its own brine tank, and the plumber sets both on install day.