Glenwood Springs has always been a sought out destination, primarily due to its number of natural hot springs. The hot springs are composed of a number of minerals, some of which are also found in most of our residential and commercial water supplies. Fifteen of the most prominent naturally occurring dissolved minerals include: boron, calcium, chloride, sodium, sulfate, lithium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, silica, zinc, fluoride, phosphate and nitrogen. These minerals that people travel to soak in are very similar to the mineral content from our Lefay alkalinity cartridges! These minerals are packed with antioxidant properties that reduce your risk of disease. You can read more about our reverse osmosis systems and alkalinity options on our website’s Drinking Water page.
Unlike other areas in the Midwest, Glenwood Springs has an abundance of water resources. There are a mixture of residents relying on municipal and private water systems. No Name Creek is the primary water source for the Glenwood Springs municipality, but some additional water resources come from Grizzly Creek. So ultimately, municipal water in Glenwood Springs is snowmelt from the Flat Tops. The City also owns rights out of Ruedi Reservoir, and has infrastructure already in place to pull water directly from the Roaring Fork River if the main supply was impeded or contaminated. The municipality uses polyaluminum chloride as their main disinfectant. Please contact us today if you have concerns about disinfectants or their byproducts.
There are still several thousand other homes in Garfield County obtaining water from private water systems: mostly wells, but also a number of spring systems. Potential causes of contamination may result from natural processes or human activity, including but not limited to, agriculture, wildfires, recreation, or urbanization. This article by Colorado State University describes in detail how these processes affect our water resources. Garfield County lists their key contaminants as microorganisms, radionuclides, organic and inorganic chemicals, and heavy metals. Since groundwater and spring systems are not regulated by the City, it is recommended to have your water source tested on at least an annual basis.
While the processes mentioned above can increase the health-concerning contaminants in our supplies, there are also a number of minerals that can be classified as “nuisance” in the home or workplace. Of course, calcium and magnesium cause frustrating hard water buildup, which can decrease the lifespan of common household appliances. Minerals like silica and iron can cause scratching or staining on surfaces that come in contact with water. Another nuisance contaminant we frequently treat in the Glenwood area is manganese, an easily noticeable contaminant due to its deep black color. This is especially common in homes around the Sunlight area, and can affect humans by lowering attention spans, decreasing memory retention, and weakening motor skills if consumed in large enough quantities.
Generally, Colorado has hard water because of its rich subterranean mineral content. Water throughout Colorado is considered moderately hard-very hard, depending on where you are. The levels of hardness can sometimes vary with the seasons: water can be slightly harder in the winter when cold temperatures freeze water supplies, allowing water to absorb more minerals. Systems that rely on groundwater (like most of the systems in Garfield, Eagle, and Pitkin counties) have greater hardness than systems that rely on surface water (like much of the Front Range) because minerals will dissolve into the supply as the water moves through soil and rocks. Aspen WaterWise has 35+ years of experience treating these issues. Contact Aspen WaterWise to discover how these minerals can impact your daily life, and to learn ways to monitor and control which minerals you allow into your family’s household or your company’s workplace.
