Introduction

Moving to an acreage is exciting — more space, more privacy, and a deeper connection to nature. But if your property uses well water (or a dugout or cistern), you are now your own “water utility.” That means you’re responsible for ensuring your water is safe to drink, free from harmful bacteria, and not damaging to your home’s plumbing or appliances.
Here’s what you should know to get started.

1. Your Water Isn’t Automatically Tested or Treated

City water is treated at a municipal plant and tested daily. Well water isn’t. The water you drink, cook with, and bathe in comes directly from your private source — and contaminants can go unnoticed unless you test for them.

Sask Water reports that if the average rural homeowner tests their water monthly for several years, the odds of detecting bacteria are very high. About one-third of the samples they see test positive for coliform or E. coli.
A common misconception is around the “fit for infants” label. Sask Water classifies well water testing into two categories:

• Primary contaminants — bacteria or nitrates that can cause immediate illness or harm. If none are present, the water is considered safe for consumption (but not necessarily healthy).
• Secondary contaminants — substances like arsenic, lead, manganese, or sulfates, which may be harmful over time but won’t cause immediate illness.

If your water is labeled “safe for infants,” it only means it has low nitrates at the time of testing — not that it’s free of other potentially harmful contaminants. In fact, water could still contain extreme levels of secondary contaminants and still pass this category.

Even if you’re on city water (pipeline or hauled) but store it in a cistern or tank, contamination is still common. Chlorine from treated water dissipates quickly, leaving it vulnerable to bacteria. In these cases, a UV disinfection system is highly recommended.

2. Get Your Water Professionally Tested

Your first step after moving in should be a comprehensive water test. This gives you a clear picture of your water quality and helps determine if treatment is needed.
At Infinite Water, we test for:

• Hardness
• Iron & manganese
• pH levels
• Total dissolved solids (TDS)
• Sodium
• Conductivity
• Tannin
• Tip: Even if the previous owner had water treatment equipment, don’t assume it’s working. Test the water from the tap.

3. Consider Essential Water Treatment Options

Depending on your results, you may need one or more systems:

• Water softener — Removes hardness minerals, protecting plumbing and appliances.
• Iron filter — Prevents staining, improves taste, and keeps fixtures clean.
• UV disinfection — Kills bacteria and viruses without chemicals.
• Reverse Osmosis (RO) drinking water system — Removes a wide range of contaminants for purified water at the tap.
• Whole-home RO — Sometimes the only solution for extreme conditions like dugout water, high hardness, brackish water, or high tannin/organics.

Water treatment is complex. For example, there are over a dozen types of iron filters, each designed for specific water chemistry. Choosing the wrong system often leads to poor results. Work with a company experienced in rural Saskatchewan water treatment.

4. Understand Your Septic System’s Limits

Whether you’re on a pump-out, lagoon, or septic field/mound, each system has its own capacity and maintenance needs.

Septic fields/mounds are especially sensitive to water overuse — too much water can saturate the system and cause failure. The wrong type of water treatment system (or a malfunctioning one) can worsen this problem.

Infinite Water offers low-cost, highly effective septic cleaners that can help maintain your system. Speak to your water treatment or plumbing professional about how your system and water treatment work together.

5. What If Your Water Fails the Potability Test and the Bank Delays Your Mortgage?

Don’t panic — this is common.

Lenders often require a potability test showing water is “safe” before approving a mortgage. If bacteria or nitrates are found, call a water treatment professional. A system can usually be installed quickly to address the issue, followed by a re-test. Often, this can be done at a single tap rather than installing a costly whole-home system.

Next Steps to Clean Water

Acreage living comes with many rewards — and a few responsibilities. By testing your water, installing the right treatment, and keeping up with maintenance, you can enjoy safe, clean, great-tasting water for years to come.

Need help testing your water or selecting the right system? Infinite Water Solutions specializes in rural water treatment and can help you — or friends and family — with any of the above steps.