Question, Ellis water. What's up with it?

Ellis water is very gross. My coffee actually curdles with non-dairy creamer. I have to pay extra money for bottled water because the water is not usable. We have to pay for this crap. Jessks75 has water softener, but we can't make it work. Big a** filters and can't get to it to change what ever filters it may need. Any suggestions? What up with the water being so oily and crappy? Ellis needs a new well. Some of that money Wichita and Park City got for there water supply

All your filters will last longer if you get a big (and cheap to replace) pre-filter. I, talking about one of them 3 foot filters. Catches some of the larger particulate that seem to be the bane of micro-filters.

She has three restaurant like filters in a row. Just have to take the whole under-the-sink apart to replace. Do you know what's wrong with the water in Ellis?

jewelz wrote:

Do you know what's wrong with the water in Ellis?

It's downstream from WaKeeney.

Like many towns around here, there's three things I can think of. First there's the lime and shale from the Cretaceous period underground everywhere, and some of it has a crude oil smell. Several gas station tanks have leaked. And one of my favorites is the close proximity of city water wells to the cemetary. The new underground holding tanks are beside the cemetary too. Mmm, Mmm, grandma your oozing casket makes the water so yummy.

Or maybe the city employees just pee in the tanks.

Ratzilla wrote:

Like many towns around here, there's three things I can think of. First there's the lime and shale from the Cretaceous period underground everywhere, and some of it has a crude oil smell. Several gas station tanks have leaked. And one of my favorites is the close proximity of city water wells to the cemetary. The new underground holding tanks are beside the cemetary too. Mmm, Mmm, grandma your oozing casket makes the water so yummy.

Or maybe the city employees just pee in the tanks.

OMG, they shouldn't even be allowed to sell this stuff as water. No wonder I feel sick. Callaghan where are you?

Ratzilla wrote:

Like many towns around here, there's three things I can think of. First there's the lime and shale from the Cretaceous period underground everywhere, and some of it has a crude oil smell. Several gas station tanks have leaked. And one of my favorites is the close proximity of city water wells to the cemetary. The new underground holding tanks are beside the cemetary too. Mmm, Mmm, grandma your oozing casket makes the water so yummy.

Or maybe the city employees just pee in the tanks.

OMG, thanks Ratzilla!!

Yes, Thanks Ratzilla. And to thiink that I was using my Lavage with Ellis city water. OMG!

Just curious, have any of you tried the Pur (3 stage) water filter? We don't live in Ellis but we are on rural water and it tastes pretty bad. I put one of these filters on the spiket and the water tastes great! The Pur states that it "removes 99.9% Microbial Cysts, Cryptosporidium and Giadia" (whatever that is!). All I know is that our water tasted pretty bad and now it doesn't.

Wilkykav2 Has a nice one. It would work great here. ( I'm hoping to buy it from her if it's still for sale). Jessks75 had one in Haces,Like what you are talking about. but threw it away.now she needs it. Do you like yours? Thanks for your 2 cents! Very helpful.

jewelz wrote:

Yes, Thanks Ratzilla. And to thiink that I was using my Lavage with Ellis city water. OMG!

Not sure what a "Lavage" is, but anyway. I wonder if El.Co. extension would analyze it for you?

Good idea! I will try that Ellis Co. Extension. Thanks Scifi. Lavage is a nasal rinse. Makes my head feel clearer and rinses all the crap out. Keep me from getting sick sometimes.

Ellis County extension can refer you to labs that can test your water, but it don't come cheap

I just use a Brita filter that attaches to the sink. Water tastes ok now, but even that won't remove all that lime that ruins my coffee makers. I've tried water from reverse osmosis, but to me it has a peculiar taste.

Fact is that no place has really good water anymore. There's some degree of pollutants in every towns water supply be it petroleum or it's by-products, agri-chemicals, or just contaminants from 100+ year old landfills, outhouses, and cemeteries.

didn't Ellis get a new water treatment plant?

Yep. Right next to the cemetery.
Makes you wonder if it is engineered correctly?
Is it operated properly?
Is anyone looking in to this?
Has someone mentioned this to KDHE?

Blackie Kuhn wrote:

Ellis County extension can refer you to labs that can test your water, but it don't come cheap

Maybe my ignorance, Blackie, but why would it cost a consumer anything at all? Our tax dollars at work, right? So we're all supposed to purchase water filtration systems to pick up the slack that the city leaves behind? Seems that's the case, though. My parents have water softening on the hot and cold, plus an RO tap for drinking water. When I worked with Slickjay in Bunker Hill, sheesh, talk about bad tasting water! Thing is, it tested okay as far as being safe for human consumption; lots of minerals, but safe to drink. Water, the next "oil crises."

jewelz wrote:

Good idea! I will try that Ellis Co. Extension. Thanks Scifi. Lavage is a nasal rinse. Makes my head feel clearer and rinses all the crap out. Keep me from getting sick sometimes.

Sure! I use whatever the store brand of 4-way nasal spray is, plus saline nasal spray. I guy I used to work with had some kind of nasal attachment for his WaterPik, which would force water up one side of the nose and sinus and down the other. He said that it was disgusting, but that it worked great.

We moved from Hays to Ellis last fall, love the water bill over here! How long before the new water plant is payed for?

Blackie Kuhn wrote:

didn't Ellis get a new water treatment plant?

Yes, and Ellis water is actually better than a few years back. Though the greenish tinge of the water in the new unlined concrete underground storage tanks does make you wonder. Especially with them being right next to the cemetary. But that may be the pre-filtered water in those tanks too, before it goes to the tower.

For those in question, Ellis does water testing and the results should be available at the city office. Last I saw, the main problem is like all towns around here. Mostly high minerals. Years ago Ellis had benzene and tolulene problems due to leaking fuel tanks, and Hays had issues with Carbon Tetrochloride from dry cleaners. Hays may have had traces of formaldehyde too once if I recall, but that'd be no surprise since the aquifer runs under Mount Allen Cemetary.

what's wrong with the Ellis water? I have lived here all my life and thought it was ok. When you shower, you don't have that slick feeling like you are still soapy because the water sand blasts all the reisdue of the soap off. The water has flavor from all the minerals in it just like some of that fancy bottles stuff. And when you make ice with it, it has floaties in it so it's like getting a free snowglobe. Then when it's used for coffee, it has a neat rainbow effect on the surface in the cup. So many benefits..........

LukeTHr wrote:

what's wrong with the Ellis water? I have lived here all my life and thought it was ok. When you shower, you don't have that slick feeling like you are still soapy because the water sand blasts all the reisdue of the soap off. The water has flavor from all the minerals in it just like some of that fancy bottles stuff. And when you make ice with it, it has floaties in it so it's like getting a free snowglobe. Then when it's used for coffee, it has a neat rainbow effect on the surface in the cup. So many benefits..........

I guess it's what you get used to. Hoxie water always used to upset my stomach but my family from there said Ellis water tasted bad to them. And mom always said water in Beloit gave her the runs. Might be more to do with the pipes in some cases anyways. Those old galvanized pipes always look nasty on the inside. Like a clogged artery full of brown slop.

You've got such a way with words, Ratz...

Glad I can amuse suzy.

my2cents wrote:

Just curious, have any of you tried the Pur (3 stage) water filter? We don't live in Ellis but we are on rural water and it tastes pretty bad. I put one of these filters on the spiket and the water tastes great! The Pur states that it "removes 99.9% Microbial Cysts, Cryptosporidium and Giadia" (whatever that is!). All I know is that our water tasted pretty bad and now it doesn't.

I think I will try one of these. Sound pretty good. Carrying water in is quite heavy. I can't keep up with the need. Thanks for information!

LukeTHr wrote:

what's wrong with the Ellis water? I have lived here all my life and thought it was ok. When you shower, you don't have that slick feeling like you are still soapy because the water sand blasts all the reisdue of the soap off. The water has flavor from all the minerals in it just like some of that fancy bottles stuff. And when you make ice with it, it has floaties in it so it's like getting a free snowglobe. Then when it's used for coffee, it has a neat rainbow effect on the surface in the cup. So many benefits..........

So your used to it? LOl

Quote :

I think I will try one of these. Sound pretty good. Carrying water in is quite heavy. I can't keep up with the need. Thanks for information!

OMG, I remember carrying all those water containers, what a nightmare! We had 4 of the 5 gallon containers that we filled once a week. A family of 6 can drink a lot of water. The Pur does cost about $30.00 (believe me, it is worth it) to start out and then you will have to change the filters every so often, we change ours about every 2 months, you will know when it is time to change them when the water flow decreases. Of course, it is cheaper if you buy the 3 pack of filters. I hope this works for you, there is nothing worse then bad tasting water. Oh yea, I also bought a 2.5 gallon container and I fill it with my tap water, now filtered, and set in in the fridge for cold water for whenever!

my2cents wrote:

Quote :

I think I will try one of these. Sound pretty good. Carrying water in is quite heavy. I can't keep up with the need. Thanks for information!

OMG, I remember carrying all those water containers, what a nightmare! We had 4 of the 5 gallon containers that we filled once a week. A family of 6 can drink a lot of water. The Pur does cost about $30.00 (believe me, it is worth it) to start out and then you will have to change the filters every so often, we change ours about every 2 months, you will know when it is time to change them when the water flow decreases. Of course, it is cheaper if you buy the 3 pack of filters. I hope this works for you, there is nothing worse then bad tasting water. Oh yea, I also bought a 2.5 gallon container and I fill it with my tap water, now filtered, and set in in the fridge for cold water for whenever!

Sounds great ! Thanks Great idea.This will work for me!