Good quality drinking water is essential for health and wellbeing. It is recommended that we drink 91 to 125 oz of water each day, but unfortunately, not all water supplies offer a pleasant drinking water experience. There are five components of the ideal drinking water; smell, taste, pH, clarity and safety. If even one of these aspects is out of the optimum range, it can compromise your enjoyment of your drinking water. So, here we’ll delve into understanding drinking water problems in more detail, so you can ensure the best for you and your family.
Odor:
When you lift a glass of water to take a drink, if there is any type of odor, it can immediately put you off drinking it. There are a number of potential causes for your water having a bad odor. Whether you have city or well water, it may have a smell like bleach, earthiness, rotten eggs or even sewage. What’s more, these odors are typically a sign of a bigger problem with your water supply.
For example, if your water has a bleachy smell, it is likely to be due to high chlorine levels. Chlorine is added to water supplies at municipal treatment facilities to kill bacteria. Unfortunately, if you live close to the facility or the supplies have received a higher dose of chlorine, it can create that unpalatable smell. Furthermore, there are some safety concerns about chlorine contamination in water.
Taste:
Water should have a neutral taste, but if you have contaminants in your water, it can compromise the taste. A different taste is usually accompanied by a change in the appearance of your water. For example, if your water has a reddish tint or you’ve noticed red or orange stains in your plumbing fixtures, it is likely due to a high iron content, which can also create a coppery taste.
pH:
Water that has a pH lower than seven is considered to be acidic. This can cause a number of issues around your home including damage to water using appliances and plumbing. It may lead to pinhole leaks in copper pipes, compromised water hoses on your appliances and other issues. It can also cause your water to have a poor taste, and when you use your drinking water to prepare meals or make beverages, the poor taste may be even more noticeable.
Clarity:
Poor water clarity can be a pain to deal with and it can be a little embarrassing when you have visitors in your home. More worryingly, it can also be a sign of unseen water quality problems. Cloudy water or water containing sediment is often a warning sign of contamination that could not only damage your water using appliances but could pose a threat to your health.
Safety:
Water is our most precious resource, but it can be dangerously impacted by pollution. In recent years, the media has begun to highlight more and more reports about well and city water pollution issues across many areas of the country. For example, the lead contamination in the Flint, Michigan area was a serious safety concern for residents. More recently, the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio has left many worried about water safety and potential chemical contamination.
Fortunately, there are water treatment solutions available for almost every water quality issue. If you have concerns about your drinking water quality, be sure to speak to a water treatment specialist.
By EcoWater Systems.
EcoWater Systems of Nebraska is the largest water treatment company in the state and is a member of Water Quality Association.