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INFORMATION SERIES: Water Quality

OVERVIEW Concerns about the quality of our water are being raised everywhere. While most of the concerns are normally limited to the quality of water coming from private water sources, it can also encompass municipal water systems. Concerns range from bacterial contamination to toxic contaminants such as heavy metals (like lead and arsenic), hydrocarbons (fuels) and chemical contaminants. The first step to improving a home’s water quality is to have the water evaluated by a certified laboratory. The cost may range from about $75 for a basic bacteriological test to several thousand dollars for multiple element screenings. The HouseMaster technical staff notes that there are several types of treatment methods available including point of use (kitchen faucet) styles to point of entry (whole house) water treatment systems, that can be installed should tests indicate a problem, or if desired as a precautionary measure. These treatment systems include basic components like carbon or iron filters to more sophisticated systems like reverse osmosis and distillation. Ultraviolet lighting is used for bacteriological contamination.		Chlorine Chlorine is the most widely used disinfectant on municipal and community drinking water supplies. It is used to control the growth and spread of bacteria, viruses, and cysts. It is not a contaminant but it’s taste in water, food, and beverages may be objectionable to some people. It also may cause skin to feel taught and dry after showering or bathing. According to an EPA report and scientific studies chlorine has the potential to form trihalomethanes (THM’s) in water which have been linked to certain types of cancer. Chlorine can be removed with carbon, silver impregnated carbon, and reverse osmosis systems that incorporate the use of carbon or silver impregnated carbon. Chemicals Thousands of chemicals have been identified in water. Individual testing can range from $50 to $350 per test and is therefore generally cost prohibitive. Group testing of chemicals and compounds such as those for VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) can identify over fifty compounds such as benzene, carbon tetrachloride, MTBE (a gasoline additive), toluene, vinyl chloride, and others and can be done for a cost of less than $250 for the entire group. Most chemicals can be reduced or removed by carbon filtration and certified drinking water systems incorporating carbon and a combination of carbon and reverse osmosis. These systems can also be used as a preventative measure while at the same time improving the taste and overall quality of the water. Look for a certified listing such as NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) to ensure safety and performance. Nitrate & Nitrite Nitrogen Nitrates in water are an indication of human or animal wastes or fertilizers as the potential source, although the specific source if often not known. Higher levels interfere with the blood’s ability to absorb oxygen especially in infants and young children. The limit is set at 10 mg/L (milligrams per liter) and can be effectively removed with a certified reverse osmosis system. When considering a reverse osmosis system for nitrate removal look for the specific certification for nitrate removal such as one from NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) to ensure safety and performance. Hardness Hardness is dissolved rock an d/or metals in water. It is often largely comprised of calcium and magnesium in an ionized form, but can any one of several rocks or metals. There is no health risk or benefit associated with hardness. Hard water is expensive water in the sense that the harder the water the more soap, detergents, and cleaning products need to be used; hot water costs more to heat; and scale builds up and eventually ruins plumbing, appliances and fixtures. There is no limit set for hardness but you can use the following hardness classification table to determine the degree of hardness present in your water supply. Whatever your level a water softener or conditioner is the method of treatment to remove hardness. 0 to 1 grains per gallon soft, conditioned water 1 to 3.5 grains per gallon slightly hard water 3.5 to 7 grains per gallon medium hard water 7 to 10.5 grains per gallon hard water over 10.5 grains per gallon extremely hard water Iron There is no limit set for iron but as little as .3 mg/L (milligrams per liter) can cause brown staining on fixtures and laundry. Iron can be in several forms in water. Two common forms are dissolved (ferrous) and precipitated (ferric). Precipitated iron can be mechanically filtered out. More commonly it is in the ferrous state and can be removed by a water softener or iron filter. Manganese There is no limit set for manganese but as little as .25 mg/L (milligrams per liter) can cause dark brown, blackish stains on fixtures or laundry. Low levels of manganese can be removed with a water softener or iron filter. pH pH is the measure of acidity or alkalinity of water. Water has a neutral pH of 7.2. The ideal range for water is 6.5 to 8.5. Below 6.5 it is considered acidic and therefore aggressive and corrosive. Low pH can be corrected with an acid neutralizer filter or chem feed system. 0 to 6.5 acidic; can corrode pipes & fixtures 6.5 to 8.5 acceptable neutral range 8.5 to 14 alkaline Sodium Sodium levels are set at different limits in different states. Persons with high blood pressure, hypertension or on a low salt diet should consult with a physician before consuming water with a high sodium level. Most waters that contain high levels of sodium are due to water softeners containing sodium chloride. A reverse osmosis system will greatly reduce the sodium level. Chloride Acceptable chloride levels are set at different levels in different states with limits generally set at the 250 mg/L (milligrams per liter) level. Chlorides are found in nearly all natural waters. At higher levels (usually above 250 mg/L) a salty taste is detected. Very high chloride levels in water can be corrosive to pipes, fixtures, appliances, and heating equipment. TDS TDS ( totally dissolved solids) is a measure of substances that are dissolved in water. These can range from anything from hardness, to salts, to any number of substances that end in “ate”, “ite”, or “ide”. It is a quantitative measure and not a qualitative measure, meaning that it does not identify what is in the water but how much. A limit of 500 mg/L (milligrams per liter) has been set as a general standard and an indication of when they should be reduced, although no real set criteria has been established. The general rule is the lower the TDS the purer the water. A reverse osmosis system will effectively reduce TDS.
	INTERESTING WATER FACTS Two thirds of our planet is comprised of water. 97% is salt water, 2% is frozen in the polar ice caps and 1% is fresh water. There is no new water on our planet. The water we drink today has been around for millions of years. Water recycles through a hydrological cycle of evaporation (water vapor and clouds) and precipitation (rain, snow, etc.). The water we drink today may very well have been a drink for dinosaurs millions of years ago. Water is a universal solvent. It literally dissolves (or picks up) virtually everything it comes into contact with. That is why traces of thousands of chemicals, elements, and compounds have been found in water.
Water is an ideal habitat for many organisms and viruses. Pure water rarely exists in nature. Spring water or well water is raw, untreated water and often contains many impurities. More than 70% of our body is comprised of water. Pure water is considered the best to cleanse and rejuvenate our bodies. The cleaner the water the better. Hardness in water, often referred to as minerals, is really dissolved rock and metals that offer little if any nutritional or health value. WATER CONTAMINANTS AND TREATMENT Bacteria One third of all wells are estimated to contain bacteria. Some of these are not harmful, however it is still recommended that homeowners have their well tested every six months. Bacteria can be treated with a chlorine chem feed system or ultraviolet disinfection. ‘Shocking the well’, adding chlorine directly to the well, is often just a temporary solution and must be done properly to be effective even as a temporary remedy. Coliform Bacteria and E. Coli Coliform bacteria are a group of thirty bacterial species that are sometimes found in drinking water. E Coli are a specific type of Coliform that strongly suggest the presence of human or animal waste. In North America, E.coli (O157:H7), an extremely dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria, infects more than 80,000 people annually. The acceptable limit for Coliform and E. Coli is zero (or absent). Coliform and E. Coli bacteria can be treated with a chlorine chem feed system or ultraviolet disinfection. ‘Shocking the well’, adding chlorine directly to the well, is often just a temporary solution and must be done properly to be effective even as a temporary remedy. Radon Radon is an odorless radioactive gas, which is formed by the natural breakdown of uranium. Uranium can be found in high concentration in soils and rock formations containing granite, shale, and phosphate in almost any area. As radon is produced it can seep into water supply systems through natural cracks and fissures in the earth’s crust and also through other porous materials. Once trapped inside a closed structure, radon can accumulate to the point where a potential health hazard may exist. According to the National Safety Council radon is the number two cause of lung cancer. The-y also note that the Surgeon General recommends that every home be tested for Radon. The EPA recommended limit for airborne radon is 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) and 5,000 pCi/L in water. High radon levels in water can usually be treated using aeration/venting or carbon filtration mitigation systems. Lead Lead is a heavy metal and a cumulative toxin. That is to say, it accumulates in the body and does not break down. Oftentimes, it is linked to a lead pipe service connection from the main water supply to the home. The limit for lead is 15 ug/L (micrograms per liter). Lead can be removed using a reverse osmosis drinking water system or certified lead filter. In either case look for a certified listing such as NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) to ensure safety and performance.

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