Can I use well water to wash prints?

[68degrees]

I live in the country and have well water. can I use it to rinse and wash prints after fixer? or will the minerals (disolved iron) mess up my pictures?

 

[Mark A. Fisher]

I lived on a farm while I was getting my master's degree, and all of my master's exhibit was printed while living there. That was thirty or so years ago, and all the prints from that show are still just fine. But, the minerals and other contents of that particular well might be vastly different from yours, so as PKR suggests it would be better to test your water for unwanted goo. (I wasn't smart enough to think about the possible damage the water might do long term, so I lucked out!)

 

[Bill Clark]

Our city water comes from a well.

Use it for everything except mixing stock solutions.

You can check it out here:

http://www.eminnetonka.com/public_works/water_sewer/drinking_water_quality.cfm

Maybe you can find out the quality if you use city water or, if your own well, can have it checked.