Water Quality Topics

Acid pH

Signs & Symptoms: Acid (low pH) can be suspected if you see blue/green staining in a bathtub, sink, or toilet. On the body, irritated eyes and skin or brittle/damaged hair may be an indication of acidic water. Although Alkaline (high pH) water may give a "bitter" taste to some, acidity is odorless and tasteless. There are inexpensive test kits readily available which can determine the pH (level of acidity) of water on a highly accurate level.
What Causes It?: PH is a relative measure of the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration in a fluid. In water, this can be caused by many naturally occurring phenomena such as the absence of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) or "limestone" in the soil as well as many man-made items and events. On a scale of 0 to 14, the pH measure of 7 is neutral. Levels below 7 are "Acidic" and levels found above 7 are called "Alkaline" or "Basic." Both extremes are found to be aggressive on many materials but acidity is more commonly focused on due to its often costly effects.
Primary Concerns: Acidity in water means that the pH is found to be very low – which allows the water to act as a caustic chemical against many materials, causing irritation to hair, eyes, and other body areas as well as causing damage to certain plumbing materials. Copper pipes are the most frequently affected and most costly items to be affected by acidic water. If you see blue/green stains in a tub or toilet, there is a good possibility that you are looking at actual small fragments from the pipes and plumbing which run through the walls and foundation of your home. With copper leaching, health problems such as gastrointestinal distress, liver damage, and kidney damage can take place with short- and long-term exposures. In addition, the costs of replumbing within these structures can be financially devastating. However, they can also be avoided if the problem is addressed in time.

Arsenic

Signs & Symptoms: Arsenic won't affect the taste or smell of drinking water enough to call attention to such contamination. Some of the symptoms of arsenic ingestion include restlessness, nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, chills, cramps, irritability, and variable paralysis which may progress over a period of several weeks. Ventricular (heart) arrhythmias may also occur. The report from your water utility will contain the most recent test results; however, it won't include averaging over a long period.
What Causes It?: Most arsenic (arsenic salt) enters water supplies either from natural deposits in the earth or from industrial and agricultural pollution. Arsenic is a natural element of the earth's crust. It is used in industry and agriculture and other purposes. It also is a byproduct of copper smelting, mining, and coal burning. U.S. industries release thousands of pounds of arsenic into the environment every year.
Primary Concerns: Arsenic is not a contaminant to be taken lightly. According to a 1999 study by the National Academy of Sciences, arsenic in drinking water causes bladder, lung, and skin cancer and may cause kidney and liver cancer as well. The study also found that arsenic harms the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as heart and blood vessels and causes serious skin problems. It also may cause birth defects and reproductive problems. These are primarily long-term effects; however, some of the short-term effects are included in the "Signs & Symptoms" section above.
Solutions: If you show any of the above-mentioned symptoms or if the local water utility report displays the presence of arsenic, you may consider contacting your county for proper testing on your water source. If tests confirm the presence of arsenic, there are solutions for this problem. Systems do exist which will reduce and/or eliminate the problem.

Bacteria

Signs & Symptoms: The only way to know if a water supply contains bacteria is to have it tested. Though certain signs such as frequent illness, odd tastes, odors, and colors may indicate bacterial presence, tests should be run for confirmation – and these tests may also indicate what type of bacteria it is.
What Causes It?: People, animals, insects, rodents, and their waste products are all contributors of bacteriological contamination. Bacteria, in general, are more likely to flourish in unchlorinated water and sources prone to receive runoff and flood waters are easy candidates for contamination.
Primary Concerns: The presence of bacteria and pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms in drinking water can cause intestinal infections, dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid fever, cholera, and other illnesses. Not all bacteria are pathogenic and many people respond differently to the various types. Age, health, and tolerance all play a role in how each individual may react to contaminated water.
Solutions: Once proper testing has confirmed bacterial contamination, one must take into account what type of bacteria it is, what the source is, and what the water will be used for. This is needed to determine a proper cost balance and will aid in determining the need for a preventive approach, direct treatment, or both. Based on this information, solutions range from chlorine or iodine "shock" treatment to ultraviolet radiation, micro-filtration and other water treatment methods. It is important to keep in mind that waterborne bacteria contamination require the bacterial introduction into the water supply and nutrients to survive. Eliminating one or both of these elements may help prevent future contamination problems – and may help in reduction of the equipment required to clean up the water. If you fear a bacterial contamination in your water, contact your local water professionals for proper testing and options for a solution.

Chlorine

Signs & Symptoms: A bleach-like smell or a chemical taste is likely evident in tap water when chlorine is present. Another menacing sign of chlorine is the bleaching effect on laundry, which causes the appearance of "early aging" in clothes. In some severe cases, or in cases where the consumer is highly susceptible to chemical reagents such as chlorine, irritation may occur in the throat, eyes, skin, and sensitive mucous membranes throughout the body. Some more serious illnesses may be linked to long-term chlorine consumption and such possibilities should be investigated if such suspicions evolve.
What Causes It?: Chlorine is used by local water treatment facilities to remove and prevent bacteria and other microbial presence in water supplies. It is a strong oxidizing agent and is highly effective in eliminating microbes but can also reach unbearable user levels in some homes. Since chlorine needs to reach some homes that are far away from the treatment facility, higher chlorine levels are used and this becomes most noticeable and perhaps menacing in residences that are closer to the chlorinating source.
Primary Concerns: Chlorine is considered one of the more controversial contaminants which are deliberately added to water. Even at normal concentrations, chlorine can kill non-harmful "good" bacteria in our bodies that we all need to maintain proper immunity and digestive functions. Under common conditions chlorine forms trihalomethanes (THMs), a known carcinogen, which is linked to colon, rectal, bladder, and prostate cancer. Data also reveal an increased incidence of miscarriage and severe hypersensitivity reactions among many consumers. Though chlorine is an economical and effective anti-microbial agent, the hidden risks for some consumers may outweigh the benefits it offers.
Solutions: Anti-microbial agents need to be present while your water supply is in route to you. However, consumption of such an agent designed to kill on a cellular level is cautioned by many sources and professionals. Once chlorinated water reaches the home, removal of the chlorine can be accomplished through very practical and effective methods. One should keep in mind, however, that not all bad smells, tastes, and chemical effects are limited to chlorine – and that all parameters of the water in question should be explored by testing prior to installation of such equipment. This will assure the right equipment for the right contaminant(s) without "trial and error" methods.

Hardness

Signs & Symptoms: Grey, cloudy spots on chrome water fixtures, glasses, and dishes are good indications that your water is hard. Lack of lather and cleaning effect from shampoo and detergents along with a feeling of water "sticking to your skin" are also common complaints among those who suffer from hard water in their homes. Hardness is not difficult to blame as a culprit for unpleasant water. Also, tests are readily available to give instant results of the hardness content of your water, if desired.
What Causes It?: Water described as "hard" is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution. Calcium and magnesium dissolved in water are the two most common minerals that make water "hard." The degree of hardness becomes greater as the calcium and magnesium content increases.
Primary Concerns: Hard water is not a health risk – but is a nuisance because of mineral buildup on fixtures in addition to poor soap and detergent performance. These minerals also have the tendency to adhere to water lines and components such as dishwashers and hot water heaters, reducing performance, and may later become the direct cause for component replacement.
Solutions: Water "softening" is done by what one would expect... a Water Softener. These systems use something called Ion Exchange to literally extract hardness-causing minerals from the water. Softeners range in shape, size, and price but the dedicated cliché that "you get what you pay for" tends to hold true more so in the softening arena than other areas. Water softening has consequently become a wide-open field for gimmicks and promises of quick-fix filtration systems. Before you make a decision on a water softener, it is important to investigate how many years the company has been in business in the area and check the manufacturer's reputation in general. Also, ask for references and most of all demand a free or low-cost trial period for the system. This type of directness will clear away those with less than genuine intentions and get you the soft water that you expect.

Iron

Signs & Symptoms: Iron causes reddish-brown rust stains on almost everything with which it comes in contact. In some cases a low-level "rusty/metallic" smell may evolve which is likely to hint at a common form of iron-eating bacteria.
What Causes It?: Ferrous iron comes from iron deposits in the ground. In the dissolved form it cannot be seen in water. When water containing ferrous iron is exposed to air, the iron oxidizes and rusts – staining clothes, sinks, tubs, driveways, and causing buildup in plumbing fixtures.
Primary Concerns: Concerns of iron water are beyond cosmetic. In severe cases, iron can build up in pipes and fixtures to the point of cutting the water flow to little more than a trickle. Also, the financial strain and permanent damage caused by repeated chemical pressure washing to driveways and homes may compile over time to extremes. This, in conjunction with the inability to use your home laundry appliances, can be far beyond unpleasant. If the staining is mild, one may view iron presence as a mere inconvenience. However, more aggressive iron problems will likely require aggressive methods of treatment.
Solutions: Solutions for this problem range greatly in size, type, and price. Polyphosphate Feeders, Chlorination followed by Filtration, and Auto-Regenerating Water Softeners are all proven methods of iron removal – but not all are effective in all scenarios.

The general trend of cost will be based on two factors: iron level in the water and the amount of water one uses at a given time. If a person is looking for iron water treatment, they should do things like investigate a neighbor's methods and inquire how effective it is. Then, the person should determine how much water they generally use and how much will be used at a maximum level (as in sprinkler zones and household demand). The next step is to call their local water experts and ask for an iron level and a system trial. Remember, you should never have to pay for something before you know it works.

Nitrates

Signs & Symptoms: Only in cases of high-level contamination will immediate signs or symptoms appear. These would be experienced most often by infants and include shortness of breath and blue coloration of the skin. Over long periods of exposure, complications of the spleen may occur. The most common way of finding out about high-level nitrates in drinking water is by the media (newspapers, TV, radio, etc.) though there are tests available to detect even low-level nitrate presence.
What Causes It?: Fertilizers are the most common sources of nitrate contamination via potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate. Nitrates don't bond to soil or evaporate so they are often able to sink into wells and aquifers which may serve as drinking water sources. Stream runoff and other means of groundwater contamination contribute to the majority of nitrates found in wells and water supplies.
Primary Concerns: Health risks are definitely a concern with the presence of nitrates. Excessive levels of nitrates in drinking water have caused serious illness and sometimes death. In infants, the seriousness is due to the body's tendency to convert nitrates to nitrites, which negatively affects the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Blue discolorations of the skin accompanied by shortness of breath are diagnostic findings of this phenomenon. Long-term exposure is found to cause splenic hemorrhaging, leading to diuresis.
Solutions: Ion Exchange and Reverse Osmosis are two EPA-approved methods of nitrate removal. The responsibility to detect nitrate levels and implement solutions is usually on the shoulders of your local water authority. However, those who draw drinking water from wells and other unsupervised sources should contact local water authorities or their local water professionals for proper tests and for available solutions in cases where high nitrate levels are found.

Sulfur

Signs & Symptoms: The most obvious sign of sulfuric water is a "rotten egg" smell. More mild cases include a slightly unpleasant odor in an enclosed room after water is used but severe cases can literally make those exposed to the stench experience nausea. Certain tests can be run which detect sulfur down to a very low level but applications are generally not needed if an odor is not noticed.
What Causes It?: Hydrogen Sulfide is the culprit gas and there are many possible sources of gas formation. These include sulfur-reducing bacteria and naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide formation. In some cases, the magnesium corrosion control rod present in many hot water heaters can cause hydrogen sulfide gas formation.
Primary Concerns: The pre-gaseous form, (Sulfate minerals), may cause a laxative effect – but animals and humans tend to build tolerance to these symptoms over time. Hydrogen sulfide, however, is flammable and poisonous. Usually it is not a health risk at concentrations present in household water, except in very high concentrations. While such concentrations are rare, hydrogen sulfide's presence in drinking water when released in confined areas has been known to cause nausea, illness, and, in extreme cases, death.
Solutions: Once the level (in units of parts per million) has been determined through testing, removal of the gas depends on the level present and any other equipment present. Generally, levels of 6 ppm and below can be easily removed with activated carbon media or proper venting techniques on a currently installed system. Higher levels can be removed by injection of an oxidizing agent such as household bleach or potassium permanganate – then filtered out as mentioned. For accurate determination of hydrogen sulfide and its levels, contact your local water professionals. Once again, you should never pay for a system until you are certain that it fits the needs of your water.

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)

Signs & Symptoms: VOC detection in water depends highly on the concentration and type of VOC present. One likely indication of VOC presence is if your water smells like gasoline or fuel oil – or if your well is located near an operational or abandoned gas station or near buried fuel storage tanks. Also, if you experience symptoms such as headache, nausea, and eye, nose, and throat irritation, a step to take along with a doctor's visit is to have your water tested for the possible presence of Volatile Organic Compounds.
What Causes It?: VOCs are a large family of carbon-containing compounds like methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), which is added to gasoline to make it burn more cleanly. In water supplies VOCs are generally byproducts of disposed or leaked fossil fuels and their components. VOCs have a fair solubility and rather high mobility in groundwater, which increases the ease in which it may contaminate drinking water wells.
Primary Concerns: VOCs are known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) and can also contribute to a broad array of general health problems and mutagenic (DNA-altering) occurrences. They can be responsible for symptoms mentioned before: headache, nausea, and eye, nose, and throat irritation; however, long-term exposure may bring debilitating as well as life-threatening illnesses.
Solutions: VOCs can be removed with special filtration systems like those containing activated charcoal. Most importantly, if you suspect VOC contamination in your groundwater, don't hesitate in having tests run. If contamination is confirmed, filtration is only part of the awareness process. Local authorities should be informed to take proper steps and aid in notifying others within the problem area.