Every aquifer has its own fingerprint. Southeast Michigan's glacial groundwater carries a specific set of contaminants — some natural, some industrial, some agricultural. These guides cover what we see most often in Washtenaw and Livingston County wells, what each one does, and what treatment actually removes it.
Iron is the most common complaint in southeast Michigan wells — and the most misdiagnosed. Ferrous, ferric, and bacterial iron each behave differently and each need a different treatment. Here is how to tell them apart, and what works for each.
Naturally-occurring arsenic shows up in some SE Michigan wells and not others — even between neighbors. Where the geology favors it, why it matters at the 10 ppb federal limit, and which treatments work (RO and adsorptive media — not standard softeners).
Calcium and magnesium dissolved out of glacial limestone make virtually every SE Michigan well hard or very hard. What that does to fixtures and water heaters, how ion-exchange softening works, and when whole-house softening is overkill.
Nitrates from fertilizer and septic systems can migrate into shallow wells. Infant methemoglobinemia is the headline risk, but adult exposure matters too. Setback distances, well depth, and treatment paths that actually remove nitrate — not just hide it.
That sulfur smell is hydrogen sulfide — sometimes from the aquifer itself, sometimes from bacteria in the water heater. Telling the two sources apart is half the fix. Aeration, oxidation, and the maintenance that keeps it from coming back.
The only way to know what your well actually contains is to test it. Cribley collects proper samples, submits to certified labs, and explains the results — before recommending any equipment. We sell treatment based on data, not fear.
