Water Purification FAQ

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), enacted by Congress in 1974, is the main federal law ensuring the quality and safety of America’s drinking water. The EPA sets national standards for drinking water to protect against health effects that your municipality must adhere to. 

Although the EPA ensures the safety of your drinking water, it does not regulate other factors that can impact the quality of your water. The EPA does not monitor or regulate aesthetic issues, such as hardness, bad taste and odor that can negatively impact water quality.

Hard water is water that has high mineral content. It’s a natural result of minerals like calcium and magnesium and it can be present in well water and municipal water.  

Here is what to look for:

• Your dishes and shower doors have water spots
• Your water-using appliances become less efficient, work harder and wear out faster
• You have low water pressure which can even clog pipes completely over time
• Your soap doesn’t lather well and you have dry, itchy skin and dry hair
• Your white clothes don’t look white, fabric fibers wear out making them feel rough, look dull and dingy
• You have white sediment or film on your appliances or bathroom and kitchen fixtures
• You have rust-colored stains on clothes, dishes or enamel in bathroom tubs or sinks

Using chlorine is one method water treatment facilities use to keep water free of bacteria and harmful organisms. However, studies indicate that some aspects of this disinfection method may pose some long-term health risks. One effect Trihalomethanes (THMs) are one of the more dangerous byproducts of chlorine. Inhaling THMs can affect the body’s central nervous system and cause abnormalities to the liver and kidneys. 

For more information, read our blog post on this subject.

PFAs (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of man-made chemicals, including PFOs (Perfluorooctane Sulfonate) that are commonly used in a wide range of industrial processes and are found in many consumer products. 

They can be found in products such as: 

• Stain- and water-resistant fabrics
• Non-stick products
• Polishes
• Waxes
• Paints
• Cleaning products
• Fire-fighting foams

These chemicals bleed into the water source and are impossible for towns to remove on a large scale. These chemicals are known to cause cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease.

Despite the advertisement of a pure mountain stream, most bottled water is filtered tap water and the cost per gallon is much higher than tap water. 

Water sits in petrochemical bottles for long periods of time, often in sunlight or extreme temperatures that can release chemicals from the plastic water bottle. 

If you filter your water at home, tap water is better and much cheaper. 

If you use well water: Hard water, low pH, Iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, radon and arsenic

If you use town/city water: Hard water, elevated levels of iron, manganese, and chlorine, objectionable taste and odor are common

Iron: Reddish or brown colored staining in tubs, toilets & showers

Manganese: Brownish staining tubs, dishwasher and showers, musty odors.

Hydrogen sulfide: Rotten egg smell

Low pH: This is a sign of dissolved copper and it manifests itself in a bluish green staining in sinks and toilets.

Arsenic and Radon: These two elements are detectable through lab water tests only.

Just because your water looks clear and tastes good, doesn’t mean it’s safe to drink. The only way to ensure it’s free of contaminants and bacteria is to have your private well tested regularly

It is recommended that homeowners test their well water once a year for both bacteria and nitrates. If homeowners suspect contaminants, your well should be tested twice a year.

Stains in tubs, sinks and showers are some of the first signs you should be looking for. Additionally, look out for bad tastes, odors, cloudiness and water coloration.

Your city or town may disclose this in their Annual Water Quality Report, which is a requirement. If not, you need to contact your local municipality to see if you have fluoride in your water. 

A reverse osmosis system is one of the best ways to remove fluoride from your water.

Either system can be safe or unsafe. Cities and towns perform frequent testing and must report any health threat contaminants above the EPA limit.

If your well water is tested on a periodic basis, safety should not be a problem.

This rotten egg or sulfur smell or taste means that there is hydrogen sulfide gas in your water. This chemical is not harmful at low levels, but the odor is pretty bad.

If your water has a metallic smell or taste it means that there is too much iron in the water. The water could also have a low pH, which can pose problems because it dissolves copper and other pipe metals into the water.