Noticeable
water problems tend to involve unusual colors, smells, and tastes.
Once
identified, these aesthetically displeasing elements can be eliminated using a
variety of different methods.
Taste and Odor
Since taste and odor work together it is
often difficult to distinguish the two.
Common
complaints include:
1.
Strong Chlorine taste or smell - Generally this occurs when
the water is treated at the water treatment plant to disinfect it. The addition
of chlorine is used to kill off bacteria and other harmful microorganisms.
2.
Metallic taste - Some water systems have a
high mineral concentration giving the consumer a salty or soda taste. In the
case of Iron and Manganese, a strong metallic taste
is readily detected.
As water flows through these areas, hydrogen sulfide
gas is picked up, and when this water reaches the surface or comes out of the
faucet, the gas is released into the air.
Hydrogen sulfide gas produces the rotten egg odor,
can be corrosive to plumbing at high concentrations, and can tarnish silver
rapidly.
In large enough quantities, it is toxic to aquarium
fish. As little as 0.5 PPM (parts per million) can be tasted in drinking water.
4.
Musty or unnatural smells - These smells are normally a result of organic matter or even some
pesticides in the water supply. Even very low amounts can introduce unpleasant
odors into the water.
5.
Turpentine taste or odor - This smell can be a result of MTBE contamination
in your water. The odor threshold of MTBE is fairly low, so even though you can
smell it, the MTBE is more than likely not at a level to cause harmful effects.
MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) is a flammable,
colorless liquid that dissolves easily in
water. It is part of a group of chemicals known as fuel oxygenates. Oxygenates do not occur naturally in gasoline; they are added to increase gasoline’s oxygen content. MTBE and other oxygenates make gasoline burn better, which lowers harmful carbon monoxide and other emissions from vehicles, reducing air pollution. Evidence supports the conclusion that MTBE is a potential human carcinogen at high doses. cancer.org
water. It is part of a group of chemicals known as fuel oxygenates. Oxygenates do not occur naturally in gasoline; they are added to increase gasoline’s oxygen content. MTBE and other oxygenates make gasoline burn better, which lowers harmful carbon monoxide and other emissions from vehicles, reducing air pollution. Evidence supports the conclusion that MTBE is a potential human carcinogen at high doses. cancer.org
Color
"Clean" water should be clear
with no noticeable color deposits. Common colors include:
1.
Red or Brown Color - A red, brown or rusty
color is generally indicative of iron or manganese in your water. Disadvantages to iron
in your water include stains in sinks, or discolored laundry.
2.
Yellow Color - This coloration occurs in
regions where the water has passed through marshlands and then moved through
peat soils. It is more commonly found in surface water supplies and shallow
wells.
Although the yellow color may be displeasing, it
presents no health hazard, as it is only small particles suspended in the water.
3.
Blue or Green Color - A green or blue color is
generally a result
The copper can cause staining of your fixtures and
your laundry.
Copper is regulated in drinking water by the EPA at
1.3 PPM. This
is at a low enough concentration that the copper cannot be tasted (the taste
threshold is around 5 PPM).
Copper can become a problem if it is higher than 30
PPM in your water.
Effects at this dose are vomiting, diarrhea, and general
gastrointestinal distress. If you are using well water as your primary source
of water and copper is a concern in your area, it would be to your advantage to
have your water tested for
copper.
4.
Cloudy White or Foamy - Cloudy water is usually
due to turbidity. Turbidity is caused by finely divided particles in the water.
When light hits the water, it is scattered, giving a
cloudy look to the water. The particles may be of either organic or inorganic
nature. Neither one causes any harmful effects to the body, although they can
cause abrasions to pipes, or possible staining of sinks.
Before any treatment is done on your water,
it is best to arm yourself with some information as to what options are
available to you.
Obviously the best choice to improve water
quality is to remove the source of contamination. In some cases this may
be possible, i.e. removal of a leaking underground fuel tank and contaminated
soil.
However, source removal is impractical
in most cases. It is here that treatment options come into play.
When choosing a water treatment plan it
is important to keep in mind operating and maintenance costs. Also, remember
what needs to be removed from the water. Some chemicals may be easily removed
using a filter, while others may need a chemical pump. In either case, the best
choice is to contact a professional.
Typical water problems and some common treatments are listed
below.
Common Water Problems
|
Treatment
|
Fuel Products
|
|
Oxidizing filter, followed by a carbon filter, or
chlorination followed by a sediment filter
|
|
Water softener or iron filter
|
|
Metals
|
|
pH
|
|
Sediment
|
|
Typical Treatment
Systems
1.
Carbon
Filters:
These filters can remove most organic compounds that cause aesthetic problems
(odor and taste). The longer the water is in contact with the filter, the more
effective it is in removing the foreign matter. However, the filter may
actually serve as a place for bacteria to live and grow.
Typical carbon filters include faucet mounted, in line, line
bypass, point of entry, pour through, and specialty filters.
Faucet mounted filters are attached to the faucet directly.
In line filters are
located under the sink on the cold water supply line; this means that hot water
is not filtered.
Line bypass models
use a separate faucet at the sink which supplies only filtered water.
Water from existing fixtures will remain untreated.
Point of entry (POE) systems
feature a filter that treats all water entering the home.
These systems will also remove volatile organic compounds
that would otherwise disperse into the air. However, these are also the most
expensive.
Pour through filters are
the most common. These filters are not attached to a water line in your house,
but instead you pour the water through the filtering system. These systems are
the least expensive, but they do not filter large quantities of water, and may
not be the most effective type of carbon filter.
The final type of filter is the specialty filter which can attach to water supply lines
on refrigerators and ice makers. With all of these, it is important to realize
that the filter must be replaced should the odor or taste problem reappear. These
filters do not regenerate themselves.
2.
Fiber
Filters:
Fiber filters remove suspended material in the water. They may not be as
effective at removing taste and odor problems as the carbon filter, so in some
instances, it may be better to use both a fiber and carbon filter to remove
these problems.
These filters are made of fibrous material such as cellulose
or rayon. They can be bought in a variety of weaves, but those with the
smallest weaves may need frequent replacement, since more particles are trapped.
These filters need to be changed when problems reoccur, just
like the carbon filters. The price varies greatly, so it is best to know what
type of contaminant you are dealing with to choose the most effective filter.
3.
Reverse
Osmosis Units:
These units are similar to an all-in-one unit in that they have different types
of filters, membranes,
storage tanks, and drainage tanks. They remove inorganic
chemicals like nitrates.
 |
| Reverse Osmosis with Steel Tank |
They include a filter to remove sediment, a carbon filter to
remove odors and tastes, a membrane that water is forced through under
pressure, a tank to hold water, and a drain to remove all the compounds that
were captured.
These units tend to be the most expensive. Additionally,
there are maintenance costs to be considered. It may be best to compare the
total price of the unit versus less expensive alternatives.
4.
Distillers: A distiller is one of the most
effective ways to clean your water. Tap water is boiled and when steam is produced,
it condenses at the top of the distiller and is moved to condensing coils where
it cools down and is deposited into a separate container. The contaminants are
left behind.
These units can be expensive depending on their capacity,
maintenance, etc. They do require electricity to run.
Again, a cost benefit analysis may be necessary to determine
if this is the best alternative for you.
5.
Neutralizing
Filters and Chemical Feed
Pumps: Both of these units work similarly in
that they both adjust the pH of the water. They both add neutralizing solutions
to the water so that it is not corrosive.
 |
| Tachmina Solenoid-Driven Chemical Feed Pump |
6. The disadvantage of these is that they
tend to make the water harder due to the injection of the neutralizing agents.
 |
| Ultra-Violet Bactericidal System with Pre-Filters |
7.
Disinfection: Disinfection is used to kill bacteria
and microorganisms. Chlorination is the usual method; other methods use
ultraviolet light or ozone.
With chlorination, a residual chlorine taste may be present,
which can be removed with a carbon filter.
There are professional services that will disinfect your
system, but often the best way to treat a well is with shock chlorination.
8. Water Softeners: Water softeners are used to
treat hard water, and involve a system that
exchanges sodium ions with the calcium or magnesium present in your water. The
sodium is bound to a resin that is either regenerated at the home or by the
softener supplier.
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/safedrink/colors.htm
 |
| Multi-Media Filter, Highly-Activated Carbon Filter, Zeolite-Process Water-Softener with Brine Tank, (Fully Automatic Backwash & Regeneration) |
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/safedrink/colors.htm
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