Fountain plumbing, built around water that changes with the seasons
Fountain is about 14 miles south of downtown Colorado Springs, with roughly 29,800 residents and a median home built in 1995. Its water changes character twice a year, and the plumbing feels it.
- Phones answered 24/7
- El Paso County
- About 19 minutes' drive from downtown
Plumbing problem in Fountain?
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Quick answer
Plumbing in Fountain has to handle water that changes by season. Fountain Utilities reports hardness from 165 ppm, about 10 grains, in winter when supply is surface water only, up to 350 ppm, about 20 grains, in summer when well water is blended in. Softeners and water heater upkeep matter far more here than in Colorado Springs.
Why Fountain's hardness doubles in summer
About 70 percent of Fountain's supply is surface water from the Fountain Valley Authority and the Southern Delivery System, stored mostly in Pueblo Reservoir. The other 30 percent is groundwater from the Venetucci Project and local wells. In winter the city runs on surface water alone, at about 10 grains per gallon. In summer it blends in well water and hardness can climb to about 20.
That swing matters for sizing. A softener set for winter water runs out of capacity in July, and a tankless heater that ran clean all winter can scale up over one summer. We set softeners for the hardest water the house will see, not the average, and suggest descaling a tankless unit after the summer blend season.
The 2016 well finding and filters today
In 2016 perfluorinated chemicals were found in wells in Fountain, Security and Widefield after federal and state limits were lowered, with firefighting foam at Peterson Air Force Base suspected as the source. That history is why Fountain homeowners still ask us about filtration, and it is the same story our neighbors in Security-Widefield lived through.
For current results, Fountain Utilities' water reports are the place to look. If you want a barrier at the kitchen tap, an under-sink reverse osmosis system is the common choice, and a whole-house carbon filter can go on the main line.
Common jobs
The plumbing calls we get most in Fountain
Water Softener Installation & Repair: what it costs and how it runs
Summer hardness near 20 grains per gallon overwhelms an undersized softener.
Water Heater Repair in Colorado Springs
Sediment builds quickly in tanks on seasonal well-blend water.
Tankless Water Heater Repair & Descaling: what it costs and how it runs
One hard summer can scale a heat exchanger.
How we handle reverse osmosis systems
The 2016 well finding left many owners wanting tap filtration.
High water bill with no visible leak
The meter test finds hidden yard and slab leaks first.
How we handle faucet repair
Scaled cartridges stiffen and drip in 1990s fixtures.
Mid-1990s houses and what wears first
Fountain's median home was built in 1995, and 72.8 percent are owner-occupied. At that age the original tank water heaters are long gone and many second ones are near the end. Hard water speeds that up, so we flush the tank and check the anode rod on every water heater repair. Original shutoff valves, toilet fill valves and faucet cartridges are next in line.
Fountain Utilities has about 8,900 metered water accounts, and the meter is where yard-line troubleshooting starts. A meter that moves with every fixture off means a leak somewhere downstream, and leak detection narrows it down before anyone digs.
Next door
Nearby places we also work
FAQ
Plumbing questions from Fountain
Because the water is harder then. Fountain blends well water into its surface supply in summer, and hardness can roughly double, from about 10 grains per gallon in winter to about 20. White spots, crusty aerators and a noisier water heater follow.
Size it for summer, not winter. We use the peak hardness of about 20 grains, the number of people in the house and daily water use to set capacity, so the softener does not run out of resin between regenerations in July.
Check Fountain Utilities' latest water quality report for current test results. If you want an extra barrier regardless, an under-sink RO system or whole-house carbon filter is what we install.
About 14 miles south of downtown, well inside our service area. Phones are answered 24/7.
Plumber needed in Fountain?
Call any hour. We answer, help you stop the water and get a plumber moving.
American Plumbing Service service area, Colorado Springs, CO
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