Middleton, Idaho
Well water treatment and water softeners in Middleton, Idaho
Middleton homes get water from the city's wells or from a private well on their own land. We're based next door in Star. We test city water at your home for free, set up a certified lab test for wells and treat either one for the whole house.
- City water source
- Groundwater wells, chlorinated
- Private well tests
- Nitrate and bacteria every year
- Typical hardness
- Varies by well, so we test yours
Where Middleton's water comes from
The City of Middleton pumps groundwater from its own wells. Its 2022 water quality report lists 7 wells and says the water is disinfected with chlorine. Everything it detected met federal standards, and arsenic measured 3 ppb against EPA's limit of 10.
Homes outside the city system, including farms and acreage around town, rely on private wells. A private well only gets tested if the owner tests it, so testing and upkeep are up to you.
Nitrate
Nitrate in shallow groundwater north of town
From 2005 to 2008, Idaho DEQ and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture sampled 38 wells in the Purple Sage area north of Middleton. Thirteen averaged 5 mg/L of nitrate or more, and a few were above the EPA limit of 10 mg/L.
Part of that area is a DEQ nitrate priority area, now called NE Canyon County. DEQ's 2020 ranking placed it 6th of 35 statewide, with nitrate trending up.
DEQ believed poor casing seals let nitrate into two public system wells there. Deeper replacement wells built to an approved design tested under 1 mg/L, so how a well is built matters.
Nitrate north of Middleton (Idaho DEQ)
- Wells sampled, 2005–2008
- 38
- Averaged 5 mg/L or more
- 13
- Statewide rank, 2020
- 6th of 35
- EPA nitrate limit
- 10 mg/L
Arsenic and hardness in Canyon County wells
Arsenic comes from natural deposits, and levels vary from well to well. A 2007 study for DEQ noted pockets of higher arsenic in well records northwest of Middleton. An earlier DEQ and USGS study, which included wells along the Boise River from Middleton to the Snake River, found some wells above standards for arsenic and nitrate.
Hardness also varies a lot from one Canyon County well to the next. That's why we don't quote one number for Middleton. On the USGS scale, 7 to 10.5 grains per gallon is hard and over 10.5 is very hard, so your own test is the number to go by.
Why we take well tests seriously
Our owner grew up on a ranch where arsenic in the family's well water was linked to his mother's health problems. So we test first and explain every number before we recommend anything.
Well tests recommended for Canyon County
Southwest District Health, Canyon County's public health district, lists these minimum tests for private wells.
| Test | How often | Common sources |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | Every year | Fertilizer, animal waste, septic systems |
| Coliform and E. coli bacteria | Every year | Surface water or waste reaching the well |
| Arsenic | Every 3 to 5 years | Natural deposits |
| Lead and copper | Every 3 to 5 years, if your plumbing has either | Household plumbing |
Use a certified lab. Southwest District Health offers sample bottles and can courier samples to the state lab from its Caldwell office for a small fee. We can also set up a certified lab test for you.
Simple habits for Middleton well owners
At the wellhead
- Keep the casing, cap and seal intact, with the top at least 18 inches above ground.
- Slope the ground so water drains away from the well.
- Store fertilizer, fuel and motor oil far from it, and keep your septic system maintained.
Good to know
- The Idaho Department of Water Resources keeps driller reports for wells drilled since 1987. Yours shows depth and how the well was built.
- If nitrate, arsenic or uranium tests high, don't boil the water. Idaho DEQ says boiling concentrates them.
What we install
Systems that fit Middleton water
Reverse osmosis
Reduces nitrate, arsenic and other dissolved contaminants at your kitchen tap.
Drinking water systemsWell water systems
UV for bacteria, plus oxidizing filters for orange stains or a rotten-egg smell.
Well water treatmentWater softeners
Less scale and spotting from hard water, on a well or city water.
Water softenersMiddleton and nearby
We serve homes in town and on acreage, on city water or a well.
- MiddletonIn town and out on acreage
- StarOur home base, just east
- Eagle
- Caldwell, Notus and ParmaJust west, and we serve them too
Middleton water questions
Where can I find Middleton's water quality report?
The City of Middleton publishes a yearly Consumer Confidence Report. The 2022 report is the newest we found online, and the city's Public Works Department can help with later years.
My well is north of Middleton. Should I test for nitrate?
Yes, every year. DEQ has found elevated nitrate in shallow groundwater there, and it advises testing more often if a pregnant woman or an infant drinks the water.
Can I boil my well water if nitrate or arsenic is high?
No. Idaho DEQ says boiling concentrates them. Southwest District Health advises using bottled water or another safe source for drinking and cooking until the water is treated and retested.
Is the water test free for a Middleton well?
The free in-home test is for city water. It checks hardness, pH, TDS, nitrates and chlorine. For a well, we set up a certified lab test based on what you want checked. There's a lab fee, and results take about a week. Then we design a system around the lab report and give you a written quote.
Get your Middleton water tested
On city water, we test at your home for free, explain each number in plain words and give you a written quote. On a well, we start with a certified lab test and walk you through the report. There's no pressure to buy.