Your Water Might Be the Most Expensive Input on Your Farm

If your water has the wrong balance of minerals, salts, sediment, or problem contaminants, the impact shows up as slower plant growth, inconsistent irrigation, higher labor costs, and reduced animal performance.

Culligan of Southern Minnesota helps local farmers in Southern Minnesota by:

1) Start with testing and a farm-use profile

We’ll measure what matters, such as:

• pH and alkalinity (ties directly to nutrient availability and deficiencies)
• Total dissolved solids (TDS) / soluble salts (salt stress, root injury, leaf burn)
• Iron, sulfate, chloride, nitrates (common farm water problems for dairy and livestock)
• Sediment and suspended solids (sand, soil, organic matter, algae)
• Taste/odor contributors (which can reduce animal intake)
• Any local/source-specific concerns (wells vs. municipal vs. surface water)

2) Reduce sediment before it becomes an irrigation problem

Sediment is one of the highest hidden costs on farms because it creates:

• Clogged emitters and nozzles
• Reduced flow and uneven watering
• Valve wear and downtime
• More labor for flushing, replacing, and troubleshooting

A strong system uses filtration as a first line of defense to reduce suspended solids like sand, soil, organic matter, algae, and weeds, helping irrigation stay consistent and predictable.

3) Improve livestock water palatability to support intake

Cows and other livestock respond to water quality much like people do: if it tastes or smells “off,” intake drops. Reduced intake can cascade into:

• Dehydration risk
• Lower feed intake
• Productivity losses (including milk production impacts for dairy)

A farm-focused water treatment plan prioritizes taste/odor and nuisance minerals that can discourage drinking, while also targeting health-relevant contaminants found in agricultural water.

4) Address contaminants that affect reproduction and digestion

Some contaminants are especially important for livestock performance:

• Nitrates can be associated with reproduction performance issues
• Sulfate can contribute to diarrhea, dehydration, and fluid loss
• Chloride and other salts can affect water acceptance and balance
• Iron can create taste issues, staining, and downstream equipment headaches

The right treatment strategy is about reducing these to more acceptable levels for your operation, not chasing a one-size-fits-all solution.

5) Your Spray Water Is Costing You More Than You Think

When calcium and magnesium levels are high, and across Southern Minnesota farm well water consistently tests in the “very hard” range, those minerals bind directly to the active ingredients in your herbicide. Glyphosate, 2,4-D, and dicamba are all weak-acid herbicides that lose efficacy in hard water. At hardness levels above 600 ppm, 2,4-D amine can deactivate entirely. Your chemistry is in the tank, but it’s not doing what you paid it to do.

• And pH makes it worse: Most pesticides are formulated to work best in water with a pH between 4.0 and 6.5. Farm wells in this region consistently test above 7.0 — some approaching 8.0. At higher pH levels, certain insecticides lose effective life dramatically. The result: you’re spraying, but the chemistry is breaking down before it reaches the weed or the pest.
• What this costs you: When your spray water undermines your tank mix, you end up making two passes where one should have been enough. That’s double the fuel, double the chemical, double the time — in a year where input costs are already at record highs and row crop margins are underwater. A 2024 Iowa State University case study tested 30 farm wells in south-central Minnesota and found every single one had water classified as “very hard,” — and none of the producers in the study regularly tested their spray water.

6) Offer reverse osmosis where it makes sense on farms

Reverse osmosis (RO) isn’t always needed for every farm use—but it can be a powerful tool for targeted applications like:

• Employee drinking water
• Sensitive livestock applications
• Chemical mixing water where consistency matters
• Any use where you need broad contaminant reduction and improved water aesthetics

Culligan’s farming-focused RO strength is in its filtration precision and breadth: Culligan RO Systems have spaces in the membrane that are approximately ONE micron wide, helping separate water from larger contaminant molecules. A Culligan Reverse Osmosis drinking water system is certified to reduce every EPA-regulated contaminant (more than 100 in total).