The City of Black Hawk treats its water at two plants, including pressure filters for iron and manganese at the Hidden Valley plant, and adds soda ash for corrosion control. No hardness figure was available, so a tap test should decide whether a softener is needed. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Black Hawk.
Black Hawk's water
Black Hawk, the former City of Mills and now a small casino town along North Clear Creek, has its own water department serving the entire city. Water comes from two directions. North Clear Creek, plus wells and springs up Dory Hill Road, feeds the Dory Hill Water Treatment Plant, which uses membrane microfiltration. Clear Creek feeds the Hidden Valley plant near I-70 east of Idaho Springs, which uses conventional treatment with pressure filters for iron and manganese. From Hidden Valley, water travels a roughly seven-mile pipeline through three pump stations, over a summit about 1,800 feet above the plant, then by gravity to a one-million-gallon tank on Miners Road.
Both plants disinfect with chlorine gas and add soda ash for corrosion control, with lime and carbon dioxide also used at Hidden Valley. The city says state and federal cleanup of old mine sites has brought mining-related metals in local waters below acceptable limits. No hardness figure was available in what we reviewed.
What to do now
- Note the symptom: scale, staining, taste or odor.
- Ask the city's water department for its latest water quality report.
- Have a plumber test hardness at your tap.
- If you see dark or reddish staining, mention it; the city already filters for iron and manganese at Hidden Valley.
- Pick a heated location near the main, since Black Hawk winters are cold.
- Confirm permit needs with the city's Building Division.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| White crust on fixtures | Hardness minerals; confirm with a test |
| Chlorine smell | Normal disinfectant residual |
| Dark specks or stains | Manganese loosened in pipes |
| Rusty water from one tap | Corroding pipe inside an older building |
| Grit in aerators | Sediment from the heater or after line work |
Cost factors
- Test results, which may show no softener is needed
- Carbon or sediment filtration instead
- Access in historic buildings with tight mechanical space
- Drain and power near the main
- Freeze protection
Black Hawk has contracted SAFEbuilt for Building Division services since 2015, and permit questions go to the city's Community Planning and Development inbox. The plumber can confirm what a softener or filter install requires before work starts.
Water Softeners & Filtration questions in Black Hawk
Does my water provider publish a hardness number?
Will a softener take out iron or manganese?
Will a softener get rid of chlorine or chloramine taste?
Can a softener sit in a garage through a Colorado winter?
More plumbing services in Black Hawk
Water Softeners & Filtration nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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