Your Water

  A new report documents what environmental advocates say has been happening for decades: The federal government fails to protect Americans from potentially cancer-causing chemicals. And they have little hope that will change anytime soon. BY  NATALIE DELGADILLO   |  SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 (Shutterstock)                1,4-dioxane is an unregulated industrial solvent often found in shampoos, bubble bath, cosmetic products -- and tap water. Across the U.S., 7 million people in 27 states are drinking water with elevated levels of the chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency classifies as a "likely carcinogen," according to a   report   published last week by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG). Despite decades-long concerns about the chemical’s connection to cancer, liver and kidney damage, the EPA does not regulate 1,4-dioxane levels in drinking water. That leaves millions of people exposed, with no knowledge of the elevated cancer risk they could be creating

  Below is a paragraph from an article we blogged last year.  The problem from  last year Unfortunately is the same.  The quality of our drinking water is not the responsibility of the municipality (which it should be) its our responsibility.  They (municipal some times un-elected officials like a "water district")  meet the guidelines of the EPA.  We as a community need to pay attention to the contaminants that are acceptable in the eyes of the EPA.   “The chloroform found in tap water is one of the trihalomethanes, a class of contaminants that form as byproducts when chlorine or other disinfectants are added to drinking water,” EWG reported. “Water utilities add chlorine because bacteria get into tap water from rivers and lakes contaminated with wastewater and animal farm runoff. Bacteria can also get into the water distribution system from groundwater through cracks and micro-leaks common in our aging infrastructure.”  Disinfectants make dirty, muddy water look clean and d

  Basics of Water Treatment Water quality improvement entails the disinfection and purification of untreated ground and surface water. At the Community Level The purpose of a public or private water treatment facility is to make water potable (safe to drink) and palatable (pleasant to taste) while also ensuring that there is a sufficient supply of water to meet the community’s needs.  Raw and untreated water is obtained from an underground aquifer (usually through wells) or from a surface water source, such as a lake or river. It is pumped, or flows, to a treatment facility. Once there, the water is pre-treated to remove debris such as leaves and silt. Then, a sequence of treatment processes — including filtration and disinfection with chemicals or physical processes — eliminates disease-causing microorganisms. When the treatment is complete, water flows out into the community through a network of pipes and pumps that are commonly referred to as the distribution system. Public vs. Priv

  Perceptible Water Quality Issues Your first diagnostic tools are your senses. You can, at times, see, taste, smell, and feel contaminated water. Water that is red, orange, yellow, brown, or cloudy can signal iron, rust, or other contaminants in the mains or your household plumbing. Tannins from decaying vegetation and leaves can also give water a yellow or brownish hue. The main perceptible signs of water issues include: Scale Deposits Staining Bad Taste & Smell Cloudiness & Discoloration Corrosion Foul-smelling or bad-tasting water are signs of impurities. Here are common water odor or taste problems you might encounter: A rotten-egg or sulfur  smell or taste  suggests the presence of hydrogen sulfide. That’s often caused by a certain type of  bacteria  in the water. Sulfates can also cause the water to taste salty. Investigate further to pinpoint the source, such as bacteria growing in drains, water heaters, wells, or on the inside of pipes.  Musty, earthy odors and tastes

  Where does it come from? Fresh water is the result of the Earth’s water or hydrologic cycle. Basically, the sun’s heat causes surface water to evaporate. It rises in the atmosphere, then cools and condenses to form clouds. When enough water vapor condenses, it falls back to the surface again as rain, sleet, or snow. The process repeats itself in a never-ending cycle. The water we consume and use every day comes from two main sources: groundwater and surface water.  Groundwater When rainwater or melting snow seeps into the ground, it collects in underground pockets called aquifers, which store the groundwater and form the water table, another name for the highest level of water that an aquifer can hold. Water levels can reach the water table or fall well below it depending on such factors as rainfall, drought, or the rate at which the water is being used. Groundwater usually comes from aquifers through a drilled well or natural spring. Surface Water Surface water flows through or coll

  Municipal Water Raw and untreated water is obtained from an underground aquifer (usually through wells) or from a surface water source, such as a lake or river. It is pumped, or flows, to a treatment facility. Once there, the water is pre-treated to remove debris such as leaves and silt. Then, a sequence of treatment processes — including filtration and disinfection with chemicals or physical processes — eliminates disease causing microorganisms. When the treatment is complete, water flows out into the community through a network of pipes and pumps that are commonly referred to as   the distribution system .  Approximately 85% of the U.S. population receives its water from community water systems. Community water systems are required to meet the standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Well Water A well is a strategically placed access point drilled into an aquifer, combined with a pump to withdraw the

 By Paul " The Water Man" The presence of arsenic (As) in nature is due mainly to natural deposits of metalloids in the earth’s crust and usually in ancient rock formations. Arsenic enters ground water through erosion or from manmade sources such as wood preservative, petroleum production, semi-conductor manufacture or due to misuse of animal feed additives and arsenic-containing pesticides (e.g. Paris green). Since soluble arsenic is tasteless and colorless, a chemical water analysis is necessary to detect its presence. Higher levels of arsenic tend to be found more in ground water sources than in surface water sources (lakes and rivers) of drinking water. Compared to the rest of the United States, the western states have more water systems with arsenic levels greater than 10 micrograms per liter (µg/L, ppb)  Parts of Midwest, New England, and Texas have some systems whose current arsenic levels are greater than 10 µg/L (or ppb). In ground water, arsenic can combine with oth

 By Paul "The Water Man" In my opinion water filtration equipment is going to be as common as your hot water heater and furnace.  The modern home builder needs to design the home for the ability to ad water filtration equipment.   Unfortunately we have business that treat water filtration residential business as a game show or old carnival side show.  As it is important to understand the quality of your water, companies who ask for an hour to two hours of your time to give you the "Demo" or "Side Show".  A series of demonstrations and test designed to bring emotion, your emotion into there process of selling you a water filtration system.  Some of the test they perform in my opinion are completely unethical.  When you are asked to finance $8000 to $11,000 worth of water filtration equipment to be paid for by the soap subscription they provide you, PLEASE STOP.  Finance Companies and the retail interest they charge can greatly increase your debt obligation.

 Water Pros designs Water filtration for extreme water conditions.  This system is engineered to remove high hardness (65 gpg ), extreme uranium and coliform bacteria.  Uranium requires anion media.  Anion media is very sensitive!  Meaning that it will not survive and function with water hardness, ferrous iron or magnesium.  The proper pre-treatment is a must!  The right size water softener is protection for the sensitive anion media that is essential for uranium removal.  Anion media will also remove Fluoride. 

 Be aware of the un-licensed company that sell Water Filtration!  They are out their!  Companies in Colorado that sell and install Water Softeners/Water Filtration system and are un-licensed.  Colorado Law requires any company that sells water softeners and water filtration to be registered with DORA as either a plumbing contractor or a water treatment specialist.  In order to offer financing by the state of Colorado you have to be registered with the state!  SO check out and make sure the company you are purchasing from is doing it Right!  Right means registered with DORA.

Salt Free Water Softeners Prelude:   Everybody that wants a water softener would love to have a “Salt Free Water Softener:… Including me !  For that reason, folks are eager to believe what they want to hear.   Therefore, they get ripped off !   What follows is my personal opinion on “Salt Free Water Softeners” developed through extensive research and many years of experience. They  Don’t  Work !    That is my educated & highly experienced opinion.  While there are many excellent water filtration appliances that do not use salt, I cannot include water softeners in that bunch. By definition, water softeners must remove hardness from the water. There are 3 common ways in which companies & manufacturers claim they are softening water without the use of salt… 1.  Clamp a magnet to your water pipe… Sounds simple enough.  They make lots of assertions about how the magnetic field changes or aligns the hardness in the water rendering it “soft”.  I would certainly challenge that theory.