When we moved into our house six years ago we noticed that our hair, clothing, and towels felt stiff, dry and lifeless after using the water (despite having a water sofener). The bristles of our toothbrushes were so stiff in the morning that we needed to flick off a powdered residue first before using them. When we wash our hands, we are left with a white residue that makes our skin feel dry and irritating. My wife’s nail polish begins to flake off after washing her hands. We assumed this was a water softener issue (i.e., not enough soft water). We had several local companies come out and all felt that the problem lied in the equipment we were using – it was too small to handle our water usage (we were averaging about 120 gallons per day). But after replacing the water softeners twice and installing a much larger, dual system the second time, the problem persists.

I installed a small, inline water filter at the point where the water comes into the house. That simple installation resolved the problem of our toothbrushes being so stiff but did not correct the underlying problem (I change the filter ~ every quarter; the filter and water in the canister are typically a brown/rust-like).

My wife's hair continues to feel stiff and lifeless. When she gets her hair cut/colored she is often told there is an abnormal amount of residue/minerals in her hair. We have tried various shampoos, etc. all to no avail.

I am looking for ideas. I check the water frequently and we only have 1 grain of hardness. The piping is properly grounded.

Thanks.

Those tiny white powder like things are actually alive. Look under a microscope and you can watch them move. They are called water mites.....just kidding, I have no idea what it is if its not lime deposits. Hope I did not scare you.

Get the actual numbers that tell you the levels of various contaminants in your water.

Some options:
Have a lab do a full water analysis.
Collect that white stuff and submit it to a lab for analysis.
Contact a WQA member company in your area with a certified tester, and have them test.

If you're not sure what to do, contact a public health nurse/agency and ask their advice.

*******************************
Links to the State of Wisconsin Plumbing Code:
[docs.legis.wisconsin.gov]
*******************************
I am not a plumber.
*******************************

Thanks. The bottom line is that everything that comes in contact with our water feels dried out. My wife's hair is stiff and lifeless (yet perfectly fine if she goes to a salon to get her hair washed), her nail polish peels off after washing her hair, our clothes and towels feel stiff after use. I know this sounds like we still have hard water, but I check it regularly and it is soft (0-1 grain of hardness). I have had the water checked for impurities (independent lab and the water company), but no findings. An inline whole house water filter removed some of the residue (our toothbrushes are no longer stiff in the am).

Any insight appreciated. My wife goes somewhere daily to get her hair washed. The difference is amazing, but the added cost is taking a huge toll.

Verify with another Independent Lab and call the health department to make a formal complaint. Did you follow J Blanche's advice? If all else fails maybe seek legal advice.



Edited 1 times.

Hello,
I saw your post about the white residue leftover in your tapwater.
I'm in NC, and after a small plumbing job several years ago... we are having a similar issue.
We have never had a water softener, b/c our water has always been soft (2ppm, we've had it tested at several different labs).
We are on city water, not a well.

Curious if you ever figured out/remedied your similar issue?

It's VERY annoying, I have to rinse my hair (and even my teeth after brushing them) with bottled spring water.

Thank you!