[Bonanza]

I would caution you against all these people who call you or send you mail regarding water softeners, water conditioners, or whatever you want to call them. The worst are the ones who knock on your door.

My husband and I feel that the water here is not so hard that we need a water system. We moved here from Vegas where the water is incredibly hard and brought our system with us. It is an Eco System and is expensive and after having an inexpensive one (under $1,000) finally got that one because it works. It is truly the only one that is worth a damn, but we still have not installed it because we don't feel the need here.

Our dishwasher does a perfect job with Finish tablets (no spotting ever). We use Dawn dish detergent for hand washing. We spray the shower with "Scrubbing Bubbles." And lastly, we drink tap water. It may taste different from what you are used to, to begin with, but after a couple of days, it tastes fine! I've never had a problem with the taste.

Frankly, I never liked the feel of taking a shower or washing my hands when we've had a water softener. I always feel slippery and slimely like I still have soap on my skin.

I've found that when people move to the Villages, they get caught up with what everyone does. The must have a pest control contract, they must have a water system, they must, they must, they must . . . If you don't have a "real" problem, don't waste your money.