Orange water, metallic taste, stained fixtures — high iron well water is miserable to live with. Here's what's happening and how to fix it.
Iron is the most common well water complaint in the US. It's not dangerous at typical levels but it makes your water look, taste, and smell terrible — and it destroys appliances and stains everything it touches.
| 0.3 PPM | EPA secondary standard — aesthetic limit. Below this, minimal issues. |
| 0.3–2 PPM | Noticeable taste and minor staining |
| 2–5 PPM | Significant staining, pronounced metallic taste, appliance damage |
| 5–10 PPM | Severe staining, clogged fixtures, heavy appliance damage |
| Above 10 PPM | Extreme — water may appear visibly orange from the tap |
Iron is an essential nutrient and not classified as a health hazard at levels typically found in well water. The EPA secondary standard of 0.3 PPM is based on aesthetics (taste, odor, staining), not health. At very high levels (above 10+ PPM) iron can cause gastrointestinal upset, particularly in sensitive individuals, but most well water iron levels don't pose a direct health risk.
The real damage is to your home: stained sinks, toilets, laundry, and tile; shortened appliance life; clogged irrigation heads and fixtures.
| Under 3 PPM | Water softener can handle incidentally — add iron-out resin cleaner monthly |
| 3–7 PPM | Air injection iron filter (Springwell WF1) — recommended as standalone or before softener |
| 7–30 PPM | Heavy-duty katalox or KDF-85 iron filter — air injection alone insufficient |
| Iron bacteria present | Chemical oxidation (peroxide or chlorine injection) + filter |