Boise, Idaho
Water softeners and whole-home water treatment in Boise
Most Boise homes get tap water from Veolia, a mix of well water and treated Boise River water. We test what comes out of your tap, explain it in plain words and treat it for the whole house.
- Main provider
- Veolia
- Veolia's supply
- About 70% wells, 30% Boise River
- Disinfection
- Chlorine (Veolia)
- Typical hardness
- About 7 gpg (local average)
Your water source
Where Boise's tap water comes from
The City of Boise names Veolia as Boise's drinking water provider. Capitol Water Corporation, a smaller utility, serves 2,536 residential and 276 commercial customers in Boise. Your water bill shows which one you have.
Veolia says about 70% of its supply comes from wells and 30% from the Boise River. River water is treated at the Marden plant, which uses direct filtration, and the Columbia plant, which uses membrane ultrafiltration.
At 9 of its wells, Veolia also adds a little polyphosphate to tie up iron and manganese and keep the water clear.
Veolia's Idaho supply
- Underground wells
- About 70%
- Boise River
- About 30%
- Disinfection
- Chlorine at wells and both plants
Measuring hardness at your Boise tap
Hardness is the calcium and magnesium in your water, measured in grains per gallon (gpg). Average readings from local water tests put Boise at about 7 gpg, right at the line between moderately hard and hard on the USGS scale. Veolia says your water source depends on where you live, so two Boise homes can test differently. Our free in-home test gives you your own number.
Scale: U.S. Geological Survey hardness classes. 1 grain per gallon = 17.1 mg/L as calcium carbonate.
What local water tests show in Boise
Average readings from local water tests show how Boise water changes across town. Your own test shows where your home lands.
| Area | Hardness | TDS | What tends to show up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise and Garden City (83702, 83703, 83706, 83712) | About 7 gpg | About 207 ppm | Arsenic shows up in northern Boise, southwest Boise and eastern Garden City. Uranium runs higher in western Boise and southern Garden City. |
| Hidden Springs | About 7 gpg | About 284 ppm | Arsenic shows up here. |
Source: average readings from local water tests. TDS (total dissolved solids) measures everything dissolved in the water, mostly minerals. For arsenic at the kitchen tap, see drinking water systems.
If chlorine bothers you
Veolia adds chlorine at its wells and both river plants to protect the water on its way to you. Our owner is sensitive to chlorine in city water himself. Whole-home filtration reduces chlorine taste and smell at every faucet and shower.
Older and newer Boise homes
The City of Boise calls the North/East End one of the oldest parts of the city, with six historic districts. The Southwest's older subdivisions date to the 1960s and 1970s, and the West Bench saw some of the city's fastest growth after 2000. Each kind of home needs a slightly different install.
| What we look at | Older homes | Newer homes |
|---|---|---|
| Softener hookup | May need a new tie-in at the main line | Many have a softener loop, often in the garage |
| Water heater | Years of hard water may have left scale inside | Soft water from day one helps limit scale |
| Whole-home plumbing check | Included with every install | Included with every install |
Licensed journeyman plumbers install every system, and each one comes with a limited lifetime warranty, kept active with our yearly annual service.
Private wells around Boise
On a private well, nobody tests your water unless you do. Central District Health says Idaho well owners are responsible for their own water and should test once a year for bacteria and nitrate. We can set up a certified lab test for you. It has a lab fee, and results take about a week.
A USGS study of northern Ada County, which includes Boise, noted these patterns in well water.
- Warm geothermal water along faults at the base of the foothills, often high in fluoride.
- The lowest nitrate levels in foothills, geothermal and floodplain wells, with many higher readings outside city limits.
- Hardness, sulfate, iron and manganese in mineral-heavy water, mostly from wells under 400 feet deep.
Where we work in Boise
We serve all of Boise, plus Garden City and Hidden Springs, on Veolia, Capitol Water or a private well. We also work west from Boise all the way to Fruitland.
Boise water questions
Who supplies my water in Boise?
Most Boise homes are on Veolia, and some are on Capitol Water Corporation. Your water bill shows which one. No water bill usually means a private well.
Does Boise water have chlorine or chloramine?
Veolia says it uses chlorine, added at its wells and at both Boise River treatment plants. Whole-home filtration reduces the taste and smell at every tap.
Will my water test the same as my neighbor's?
Not always. Veolia says your water source depends on where you live, and private wells vary even more. Local averages run about 7 gpg. On city water, our free in-home test gives you your own number in grains per gallon. On a private well, a certified lab test does.
Where can I find my Boise water quality report?
Veolia customers can look up theirs by ZIP code on Veolia's Idaho report page. Capitol Water customers can ask Capitol Water. Bring it to your free water test and we'll go through it together.
Get your Boise water tested for free
We'll test your city water at home for free, walk you through the results and give you a written quote. On a well, we start with a certified lab test. There's no pressure to buy.