CRAIG — A familiar local business is adding water testing and treatment systems to its line of products.

At a town hall event last week, Masterworks Mechanical introduced Pentair water softening and filtration systems.

“We wanted to provide a local option for the product and ongoing service. As an established business, we felt we would be around to honor the products’ warranty and service for the long-term,” said owners Amy and Victor Updike.

There are two types of systems: one softens water and one filters it; both can be used to treat water from city or ground water sources.

Whole-house water softener systems address the problem of hard water caused by dissolved minerals.

“Hard water shortens the life of water-based appliances. Having soft water delivered direct to appliances can give those longer life,” Victor Updike said.

To help determine water hardness, Masterworks offers two layers of testing — one performed in-house and a second in the lab. The company is also giving away single-use harness test strips.

“Based on testing, we can remove hardness, sulfur and iron. If they have a well that has that sulfur smell, this system will remove that smell,” Victor Updike said.

Resident’s may also choose to filter their drinking water for purity and taste. Masterwork’s new under-the-counter systems use reverse osmosis.

“There are no disadvantages to water purification — it’s essential for healthy drinking water,” wrote registered nurse and licensed dietitian Jill Corleone on the health and wellness website livestrong.com.

However, she noted that using dirty filters can create a health risk.

Victor Updike recommends customers have their systems checked about once per year.

“The standard filter lasts approximately two years. They have been redesigned for easy replacement,” he said. “The flow would diminish from the filter long before you would start to drink bacteria.”

In addition to servicing systems, the Updikes plan to provide their staff with ongoing training through Pentair University to ensure customers receive the latest products.

“The samples brought in (during the town hall) gave us an appreciation of the functional need of water softening here,” Victor Updike said. “Products are on site, if you want to see them and get an idea of how they might fit in your house.”

Contact Sasha Nelson at 970-875-1794 or snelson@CraigDailyPress.com.