My wife & I are looking at houses on the outskirts of the Seattle area. I
posted awhile back about septic systems, which many of these houses have &
which I had never experienced, & got some good feedback. Often, these same
houses have well water, which outside of those hand operated pumps in parks
etc., I haven't really had much contact with. I'm sure it varies from one
well to another, but in general, what's it like living with well water? You
hear horror stories about whole neighborhoods having their wells
contaminated from some long abandoned factory etc. Also about the water
having a bad taste sometimes, being exceptionally hard, so it's tough on
fixtures, clothes washed in it, your skin, and so on. I'm guessing there
are filtration systems you can install, as well as water softeners. Is
there generally a pump present? Any helpful observations appreciated!

Dan