What's the origin-and the QUALITY-of my household water?
It’s easy to take for granted the water that flows from the taps in our household. A quick flick of the wrist delivers safely—or so we assume—all the H2O we need for drinking, cooking, cleaning, showering, and our other daily activities. Of course we’re fortunate in this regard, but often times we cannot help but wonder: just how safe is it, really? Much of the quality in your water depends upon its source.
Do you live in the city?
Hardly anyone can dispute the convenience of urban living—offering its ready access to the stores, restaurants, and neighbors that make up your community. So many commodities can be easily delivered direct to your door: pizza and other foods, packages, and—let’s not forget your water, which is gathered from a nearby source and processed to make sure it meets the strict health and safety standards established by the EPA. Once that water reaches your home, your utility company’s meter monitors your usage and bills you accordingly.
Your city is responsible for keeping your household water free from contaminants, and it is also required to annually submit a water quality report that details exactly what is in the water provided. This report should contain mention of minerals that are monitored, but not removed—like calcium and magnesium, elements that, though contributors to hard water, pose no specific health risks. However, they can create issues for your household appliances that use water, and they can compromise your laundry, and even dry out your skin and hair.
Additionally, in order to keep your water free from bacteria, your municipality will introduce chlorine to the water supply, a disinfectant that’s no longer needed once the water reaches your home, where it could become a nuisance.
Many consumers do not appreciate the smell of chlorine in the shower or elsewhere in tap water, which is where our line of Evolve stand ready to improve on that supplied by your city: They kick the quality components of that water up a notch. Our EVRC softener system has a split-tank construction—with carbon filtration capabilities in the top chamber and high-performance resin resolution components in the bottom chamber. The carbon addresses the chlorine, while the bottom removes the resin, to deliver water that’s not only softer but free of chemicals throughout your home.
A further downside issue of city water is the risk of lead contamination, which has been reported in recent years by many municipalities. While your utility does its best to remove lead at the source, your water can be adversely affected is it travels through aging infrastructures that include rusty pipes. Over time, water that passes through such systems can slowly erode metal which can show up in your tap, with dire consequences. But, as a homeowner, you have options:
You can pick up quality drinking water while you’re buying groceries, or you can introduce an in-home water treatment system that will filter out the harmful lead. Our Reverse Osmosis drinking water systems sit under your sink and deliver lead-free purity directly fro your tap. Better still: our certified Contaminant Reduction System option can ensure lead reduction, as well as, PFOA, PFOS, and cysts throughout your household.
Do You Live in the Country?
There’s nothing quite like life in the wide open spaces, where privacy and quiet are beyond compare. But what about your water supply? Most likely, that comes from a private well instead of through a municipality, and that difference can be felt in many ways: good, and not-so-good.
True, you don’t have dread a monthly water bill, without an entity to monitor and treat your supply, your water becomes totally YOUR responsibility. Groundwater can carry a multitude of issues.
Among the microorganisms and bacteria that plague groundwater is E.coli, which, though not particularly harmful if congested, can cause major digestive problems. Additional contaminants can rise from leaking septic tanks, industrial operations that spill dense metals into the groundwater, landfalls, and chemical spills. Fertilizer contributes to agricultural runoff, and that can mean high nitrate concentrations, which, according to the EPA, are unsafe for very young children.
Faulty groundwater can also carry iron rust stains, acidic water that can corrode your plumbing, and even sulfur gas which can cause rotten egg odors. In addition, resultant hard water can contribute to scale buildup throughout your plumbing, including into your appliances and fixtures. This phenomenon would be bad enough aesthetically, but when your water carries high levels of hardness and iron, it can, over time affect the quality and durability of your plumbing and your appliances.
When you rely on a private well, you must keep a vigilant, hands-on approach to the upkeep of your household water. It’s wise to have your water tested at least twice annually to assure that your source water is pure and safe. Once you’re aware of what’s in your water, our treatment experts can analyze and advise you on to maintain the high-quality water you want for YOUR home!