Star Farms & Waterside at Lakewood Ranch: What’s in Your Water?

If you just moved into Star Farms or Waterside at Lakewood Ranch, your water is hard and treated with chloramine — but the two neighborhoods sit in different counties. Star Farms is in Manatee County, on Manatee County Utilities. Waterside is Lakewood Ranch’s village on the Sarasota County side, so check your water bill for which utility serves you. Many newer homes here are built with a softener loop in the garage, which is why so many neighbors add a whole-home system and a reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water system after move-in.

Where your water comes from

Star Farms: Manatee County water — Lake Manatee Reservoir blended with treated groundwater, 106–279 mg/L of hardness (about 6 to 16 grains) and chloramine at 3.3 ppm on average in the county’s 2025 report. Waterside: if you’re on Sarasota County Utilities, that water is a blend from several sources and is also disinfected with chloramine. Chloramine is more stable than chlorine, so it doesn’t dissipate on its own and can leave a taste or smell many homeowners reduce at the tap.

Why the water feels “hard” here

Hardness comes from dissolved calcium and magnesium, typically on the higher side for Florida. It’s a nuisance issue, and the reason you may notice:

• Spots and cloudy film on glasses, fixtures, and shower doors
• Scale around faucets and inside appliances
• Soap and shampoo that don’t lather well
• Dry-feeling skin and hair after showers

The builder “loop” in your garage

Most new Star Farms and Waterside homes have two capped pipes near the water heater — the pre-plumbed softener loop. Builders leave it empty, so hard, chloraminated water flows straight through untreated. Filling it is a clean install for a local company that knows these floor plans.

What neighbors typically add

1. A whole-home conditioner (softener)

Connects at the loop and treats every drop, reducing hardness for less scale, better lather, and softer water. Chloramine-ready systems also help taste and odor.

2. Reverse osmosis for drinking water

Under the kitchen sink, RO polishes water for clean, crisp drinking, coffee, and ice — no bottled water runs.

We know these communities

We’ve installed and serviced systems in Star Farms and Waterside, so we know the builder plumbing, loop locations, and how the county’s chloraminated water behaves. We test your specific water and recommend only what you need.

Start with a free in-home test

Call 941-266-8991 to schedule a free in-home water test in Star Farms or Waterside.

Frequently asked questions

Is the water in Star Farms and Waterside safe to drink?

Star Farms is on Manatee County water, treated with chloramine. Waterside is on the Sarasota County side, so check which utility is on your bill. Each county publishes its test results in an annual water quality report. A softener and RO are about taste, comfort and protecting your home, and a test at your tap shows what’s actually in it.

What is the pipe loop in my garage for?

The pre-plumbed softener loop, a pair of capped pipes for a whole-home conditioner. Builders leave it empty until filled.

Do I need both a softener and reverse osmosis?

They do different jobs. A conditioner treats hardness house-wide; RO polishes water at the kitchen tap. Many families choose both.

How hard is the water in Lakewood Ranch?

Typically on the higher side for Florida, but levels vary home to home. A free test gives numbers specific to your address.