Waukesha / Lake Michigan Water Supply Transition

Waukesha transition to Lake Michigan water now 99%+ Complete
Updated 10/16/2023

NEW UPDATE!

Attention City of Waukesha Residents – The Lake Michigan water transition is now 99% plus complete. It should now be okay to place your water softeners, drinking water systems, etc… back into full service. Please consult below for videos and details on how to adjust your system(s) for the new hardness levels.

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Older Updates

As you may already know, the City of Waukesha will be transitioning to a Lake Michigan water supply provided by the City of Milwaukee in mid October of 2023. This transition will take place starting on the east side of Waukesha and progressing through to the west side of the city. In order to assist in preparing for this transition, we are providing the following suggestions:

Blue Display Softeners

Instructions for Blue Display Softeners

Red Display Softeners

Instructions for Red Display Softeners

Bypass for Water Softener

3 Valve Softener Bypass

RO Shut-off

Right Now
If you or anyone in your family has any medical conditions that require water or equipment that uses water, (example Kidney dialysis) please contact your physician or the Waukesha Water Utility for additional information on precautions that should be taken.

Before the Transition (1-2 Days)
Bypass your water softener and any drinking water systems you may have.

Wash your clothes prior to the transition occurring as there may be discoloration.

Save some drinking water to use during the transition as water may be foul tasting & discolored.

During the Transition
The current Waukesha system will be flushed during the initial transition & water may be off-colored or rusty.

Keep your water softener and any drinking water systems bypassed until the water is running clear.

Refrain from doing laundry – especially whites.

Be aware that the new water supply may affect fish and aquariums.

After the Transition
Despite what you may hear from our politicians, the Milwaukee/Lake Michigan water supply is still considered hard water by any measure. The new water supply will range from 8 grains hard up to 10 grains hard which is about 50% the hardness of our current water supply. As you can see, this is still categorized as hard water and water softeners are still recommended.

If you do not like the taste of the new water supply, we also have drinking water systems that can be purchased/rented and will give you that bottled water quality and taste of drinking water right from your tap or refrigerator.

Milwaukee Water Quality Report

The Good News!
The good news is that you will simply be able to adjust your Soft Water, Inc. system for the new hardness levels. The reason for this change is Milwaukee water is about ½ the hardness of our current water supply.

If you rent a system from us, we will be reaching out to make sure your system is adjusted properly. If you own your system, adjusting the softener will be very simple. For example, if you have one of our metered water softeners, you will be able to optimize it for the new water supply simply by changing the hardness setting (Blue display) or by doubling the gallons between regenerations (Red Display).

By making this simple adjustment, you will be able to increase the capacity between regenerations. In doing so, you will be saving yourself money on water and salt, while still maintaining all the benefits of zero (0) grain soft water.

If you still have questions, or for the most up-to-date information and videos on how to adjust your water softener, you can visit our website at softwaterinc.com or call us at 262-232-8096. Please be patient as we are anticipating a high volume of phone calls during the transition.

Thank you! Soft Water, Inc.