Water Quality
When we think of water we think of a compound composed of
two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Good old H2O. However, when we
experience water we are not experiencing the compound by itself. Unless we are in an
extremely clean laboratory setting, water as we experience it, is a mixture of the
compound H2O and various minerals and gases. This is the reason we need the
term water quality.
Water quality refers to the presence of minerals, gases,
chemicals (both organic and inorganic), and microbes (bacteria, molds, viruses, etc.). In
a laboratory setting, we can analyze the various minerals, gases, chemicals, and microbes
in a sample of water and measure the amount of each specifically. This is called a
comprehensive analysis. A comprehensive analysis costs hundreds to thousands of dollars,
depending on how detailed and comprehensive the analysis must be.
State regulations often require that commercial well water
be analyzed in this manner, especially if the water will be used for drinking and
cooking. In the case of residential water wells, there are cases when this type of
analysis is needed but those cases are unusual. Normally, the water treatment specialist
can perform tests to determine the basic water characteristics which are causing the
problem. These basic characteristics include the water's total hardness, pH, iron content
and total dissolved solids level. Let's explain each one of the basic characteristics.
Basic Water Analysis
Hardness
Total hardness refers to the amount of calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese present in
the water in both dissolved and precipitated forms. Hardness is usually expressed as a
number of grains per gallon (gpg). One grain per gallon equals 17.1 parts per million
(ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/l). Parts per million (ppm) and milligrams per
liter(mg/l) are equivalent measures. In our experience we have analyzed waters containing
as little as 1 grain per gallon and waters containing as much as 70 grains per gallon.
pH
pH is a designation which stands for "potential of hydrogen" . It is an
exponential measurement of the hydrogen and hydroxide ions present in a water sample.
Water with a pH of 7.0 has equal numbers of hydrogen and hydroxide ions and is referred to
as having a neutral pH. Water with a pH below 7.0 is considered acidic and has a greater
number of hydrogen ions. Water with a pH above 7.0 is considered alkaline or basic and has
a greater number of hydroxide ions. In our service area, we have observed pH readings
between 5.8 and 7.8.
Iron Content
Iron content is measured in parts per million or milligrams per liter. The iron content of
a water source is important in determining the type of treatment which will be necessary.
Generally speaking, if your water has a significant amount of iron, you already know you
have a problem. Staining occurs with iron measurements of 0.3 parts per million. That's
not much iron. It doesn't take much iron to cause unsightly stains. Also, reverse osmosis
purification systems do not tolerate iron. Iron bearing waters require pre-treatment if a
reverse osmosis purification system will be used for drinking and cooking water.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
Total dissolved solids (TDS) level is a measurement of all solids (minerals, metals, and
chemicals) which are dissolved in a water sample. The TDS level is expressed in parts per
million (ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/l). We have observed TDS levels from 10 ppm to
over 1200ppm.
Particulates and Contaminants
The larger a particle's size, the easier and simpler it is to remove from water. As
particle size decreases, removal becomes more difficult. Particles as small as 5 microns
are routinely removed with simple cartridge filtration. The most troublesome and hazardous
contaminants are far too small to be seen with the naked eye. Most contaminants are in the
too small to be seen category and can only be removed through more sophisticated methods
such as ion exchange, adsorption, distillation, and reverse osmosis.
Most of the municipal water supplies in our geographical
area come from the Catawba River System (including but not limited to Lake Norman,
Mountain Island Lake, Lake Wylie, and the South Fork River). There is no new water. Water
is continually being recycled through the process known as the hydrologic cycle. The
Catawba River is no exception. Water is taken out of the Catawba River system, treated,
distributed, used, and returned to the river system as treated sewage. The municipalities
in our region of the country do a fair job of particle removal. New federal regulations
will force them to do more testing. More importantly, the new federal regulations will
compel municipalities to disclose the contaminants found in the water they supply to the
public as well as the concentration levels of those contaminants. At the very least, the
water consumer will finally know more about exactly what is in tap water other than water.
The worst and most serious cases of water contamination
have not been discovered by routine water testing. Human illnesses have called the
attention of public health officials, water suppliers and regulators to the possibility
that a problem may exist in a water supply. Only then, the analyses are done, the
contaminants are identified, and the hunt for their pathways into the water supply is
begun.
Municipal water sources, community well water sources, and
private well water sources contain mineral and chemical (organic and inorganic)
contaminants. Some are harmless and some may be seriously harmful. Some contaminants are
easily removed from water while others may be downright tricky to remove due to the
complexity of water chemistry. The Water Mechanic is not saying that any of the
contaminants listed on the linked table are in your water supply. Only an exhaustive and
comprehensive analysis can determine the exact chemistry of a given water sample. The
Environmental Protection Agency is saying that each of these contaminants (as well as
numerous others) have been found in various water supplies. The contaminants which are on
the list are the ones which pose the greatest public health risks.
Our web site includes several references to assist you in
better understanding water quality and those contaminants and particulates that may affect
that quality. Visit our Primary
Drinking Water Contaminants reference page for a listing of contaminants that
occur in our water. This reference includes the maximum level allowed by EPA
standards, the associated health effects, and common methods of water treatment for each.
Our site also includes a graphical representation of the commonly occurring particulates
in the Filtration Spectrum.
Evaluation and Consultation
Once we know these basic characteristics of a water source
as well as the answers to a number of questions we pose to the persons who use the water
on a regular basis, we can recommend the treatment equipment necessary to solve most water
problems. Some of the questions we ask are below:
Is your water consistent?
Do you ever experience any coloration in your water?
Do you experience staining of your laundered clothes or staining or
buildup on your kitchen or bath fixtures?
Do you ever experience any odors when using your water?
Has your water ever changed color or had an odor after a rain?
Has your water ever changed color or had an odor during a period of drought?
In additional to the basic water analysis, if your water
source is a private well, we will perform a visual well inspection at the time we do the
water analysis to determine if the well construction itself or maintenance of that well
may be causing a problem.
No one can perform a laboratory test for bacteria outside
of a laboratory setting. During our water analysis and consultation with the consumer of
the water, we may suspect that the water source is contaminated with bacterial growth. A
rotten egg odor is the most common indicator of a bacteria problem. An improperly
constructed well, failure to chlorinate the well after drilling or pump service, and
surface water intrusion into the well are the most common causes of bacterial
contamination. If we suspect that a bacterial problem may exist we will collect a sample
and have a state certified lab do an analysis of the water for both coliform and
non-coliform bacteria. These results will be ready in about two business days.
A Matter of Taste...
Finally, water quality is also a subjective matter of
tastes and opinions. Some people like certain tastes while others do not. For instance,
one person may find the "flavor" which hardness or a small amount of iron
imparts to a water source to be desirable. Another individual may find these tastes
objectionable and unacceptable. When dealing with tastes there is no right or wrong…
it is strictly a matter of taste.