The United States has one of the safest drinking water systems in the world. Despite that, each year there are a number of water quality issues reported across the country. When there are problems with the quality of drinking water, health issues are a natural concern.
It’s not surprising that many Americans are concerned about the quality of their drinking water. Even water that is deemed safe to drink can have problems. It may taste bad, look discolored or have high levels of bacteria or other contaminants that can create problems.
In the United States, the easiest way to find out if there are contaminants in your tap water and how they may affect your health is through the consumer confidence reports (CCRs) from your local water authority. CCRs, also referred to as water quality reports, provide a snapshot of water quality in a specific city or region.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires community water systems to provide customers with an annual water quality report by July 1 of each year. If you have a private well, you can also have your water independently tested.
Benefits of a Water Treatment System
There are several reasons to have a home water treatment system installed including:
1. Safer Drinking Water
Public drinking water systems use a variety of water treatment methods to provide safe drinking water to their communities. After water has been filtered through the system, chemicals including chlorine and chloramine are added to kill any remaining parasites, bacteria, and viruses.
Many people find those chemicals unpalatable and avoid drinking their tap water because of the foul taste and odor. And despite treatment methods, some contaminants still survive in public water supplies.
2. Better Tasting Water
Water filters remove elements that cause drinking water to have an unpleasant taste and smell, such as lead, chlorine and bacteria. Home water filtration systems improve the overall purity, taste, and smell of home tap water. Filtering your drinking water helps ensure that it is free of toxins and other contaminants, which means it tastes better and is better for you and your family.
3. Protect the Environment and Save Money
When your tap water tastes better, you are less likely to turn to bottled water. Bottled water is expensive and creates a huge amount of plastic waste each year. It’s estimated that the average American household spends around $100 per person on bottled water each year.
4. Reduce Plumbing Issues
Minerals, heavy metals and chemicals in your water can cause corrosion and damage to your pipes and water-using appliances. By eliminating these potentially damaging elements at the source you can extend the life of your pipes, hot water heater and other home appliances.
5. Prevent Skin Irritation
A water filtration system helps eliminate many of the minerals and chemicals that cause skin irritation. Hard water and exposure to chemicals in water such as chlorine are especially irritating to people with skin conditions including eczema or psoriasis.
6. Reduce Limescale and Mineral Deposits
If your coffee pot or tea kettle has white, chalky deposits on the bottom, that’s likely limescale. In addition to being unattractive, limescale can build up in pipes and appliances, and often makes water taste unpleasant.
7. Cleaner Clothes and Dishes
Water with a high concentration of minerals can diminish the effectiveness of soaps and detergents. With the addition of a water filtration system, dishwashers and washing machines clean more effectively. Clothes and dishes will be cleaner and your appliances won’t suffer from the buildup caused by mineral deposits.
Types of Water Treatment Systems
Homeowners concerned about their water quality have a number of water treatment options to choose from including simple over-the-tap units, complex under-sink reverse osmosis systems or large single units that purify water for an entire home. Each type of water filtration treatment system is designed to do different things.
The right type of system for your home will depend on your specific needs. If you have concerns about hard water, bacteria or other contaminants in your water, the first step is to get your water tested. The results of water quality testing will help determine the right type of water treatment system for your home.
Water softeners are designed to remove calcium, iron and magnesium from water, which turns “hard” water into “soft” water. Hard water is a common problem throughout the United States.
Whether or not your home is impacted depends on the water delivered to your home. The hardness of the water that enters your home depends on the chemical additives different municipalities utilize during their water treatment processes.
Reverse osmosis moves water through a semipermeable membrane to remove unwanted particles and improve the water’s taste, odor and appearance. A small reverse osmosis filtration system can be installed at the kitchen faucet to provide high-quality drinking water. This is called a “point of use” (POU) water filtration system. These types of systems can also be connected to refrigerators and ice machines.
UV-light water filtration removes some forms of harmful bacteria that could be present in your drinking water with ultraviolet (UV) light, resulting in safer drinking water. Unhealthy levels of bacteria can make your water unsafe to drink and cause long-term health problems. Ultraviolet (UV) light disinfects without the use of chemicals.
Activated carbon filters absorb contaminants and impurities such as silt, sediment, and chlorine. Carbon filters help reduce odors and improve the taste of fresh water making it more pleasant for drinking and cooking.
Activated carbon systems are usually located at the point of delivery before an individual faucet. Water flows through an activated carbon filter and helps remove chemicals and other contaminants present in the water.
Mechanical filtration systems trap and remove unwanted particles. Untreated water passes through a mesh filter or cartridge that traps suspended particles on the surface or within the filter. These systems mostly remove larger suspended material from water, including sand, silt, clay, loose scae and organic matter.
Reap the Benefits of Filtered Water
If you are concerned about the quality of your tap water, the professionals at Simply Green Plumbing, Sewer & Rooter can help. Our licensed plumbers can help you select the best water filtration system to meet your needs.
Our trained technicians can handle a full range of water treatment services, including the installation of water purification and filtration systems, water treatment system repairs and replacements, and hard water reduction. Call us at (408) 716-1686 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
Our technicians have over 30 years of plumbing experience. We understand that plumbing issues can happen at any time, that’s why we offer emergency plumbing services at no extra cost.