Whole House Water Filtration in Ouray, CO

In the city's 2024 report (system ID CO0146588, covering 2023), total trihalomethanes averaged 2.87 parts per billion against an 80 ppb limit, and total haloacetic acids averaged 0.88 ppb against a 60 ppb limit. Nitrate was 0.24 parts per million and fluoride 0.28 ppm. Those are low numbers by any standard. The result worth a closer look is copper. In the most recent lead and copper sampling listed, the 90th percentile for copper was 1.07 parts per million, close to the 1.3 ppm action level, even though no sampled home exceeded it. Lead's 90th percentile was 1.6 ppb. Copper in tap water almost always comes from household plumbing rather than the source. How much dissolves depends on water chemistry, especially pH, and on how long water sits in your lines. A test at your own faucet shows where your home falls.

A simple habit helps with copper in any home: if water has been sitting in the pipes overnight or while you were away, run the cold tap for a bit before drinking it, and use cold water for cooking. Beyond that, filtration at the tap where you drink is the most direct fix if your test points to copper. If your home sits outside city limits on a private well or spring, the city's report doesn't describe your water. Mountain wells can carry iron, manganese and naturally occurring minerals, so a test is the place to start. We'll measure what we can on site and tell you when a certified lab panel makes sense.