Water treatment systems

 

In a modern society, water is one of the things in life we often take for granted. When we turn on the tap, we expect water that is clean, safe and suitable for all household tasks. But in recent years, there has been a growing concern about contamination of our water supplies. We hear unsettling news accounts that make us question the safety of our water.

This publication provides a few guidelines for deciding whether you need to install a home water treatment system, and if so, how to select a system appropriate to your specific need.

No water is 100 percent pure. It contains contaminants from natural and man-made sources, such as minerals, gases, bacteria, metals and chemicals. Many of these contaminants are harmless. However, some impurities can adversely affect your health. Others damage equipment, stain laundry and fixtures and emit odors.

The first step in eliminating exposure to water-borne contaminants is to assess your situation. If your water comes from a public or municipal system, it is regularly tested for contaminants regulated by federal and state standards, such as microbial pathogens, radioactive elements and certain toxic chemicals. These are the contaminants that affect the safety of water and may cause health problems. Since public and municipal systems are regulated, a home water treatment system is seldom needed for health protection. Water quality problems such as hardness, corrosivity, foaming, staining or bad tastes, smell or color are undesirable. However, these factors do not necessarily make the water unhealthful.

If your water supply is a private well, you are personally responsible for testing and treating the water to avoid health risks. One of your major concerns should be microbial pathogens (bacteria, virus and parasites) in the water supply. This is especially important if your well is near a septic tank, or an area subject to animal wastes or nitrates. For further information, request a copy of Water Quality Problems - Health and Household and Testing for Water Quality from your Cooperative Extension Service agent.

If you are concerned about or dissatisfied with the quality of your water, have it tested by a state-certified laboratory. The analysis will identify the contaminants that are present and the extent of the problem. Determining which contaminants are present is essential in selecting a treatment system. Many types of water treatment systems are available. Each type of system is designed to treat specific water quality problems. No single water treatment system will treat all problems and all systems have limits.