Common Home Water Problems for City Water or Well Water
We cover, Dartmouth, Halifax, HRM, Nova Scotia
Hard Water
WHAT IS HARD WATER?
The hardness of water refers to high levels of calcium, minerals and magnesium in your water supply.
Filtering hard water reduces spots on your glasses and dishes, reduces soap scum, and reduces the calcium and magnesium that causes these problems. An Eagle Water System softens your water, removing these unwanted contents of minerals from your home water supply. Not just from one faucet but the whole house.
A home water system will protect all your water appliances, your washing machine, coffee machine, shower head, kettle, water heater and dish washer.
These appliances will look better and last longer without all those minerals to clog them.
The hardness of water refers to high levels of calcium, minerals and magnesium in your water supply.
Filtering hard water reduces spots on your glasses and dishes, reduces soap scum, and reduces the calcium and magnesium that causes these problems. An Eagle Water System softens your water, removing these unwanted contents of minerals from your home water supply. Not just from one faucet but the whole house.
A home water system will protect all your water appliances, your washing machine, coffee machine, shower head, kettle, water heater and dish washer.
These appliances will look better and last longer without all those minerals to clog them.
Bad Tasting Water
WHY DOES MY WATER TASTE BAD?
You may have high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) in your water, which are usually Chlorides, Sulfates and Bicarbonates. Other TDS problems such as scaling and spotting on wet surfaces and deposit accumulation on your faucets and shower head.
Having purified water in your home provides for the elimination of these solids resulting in an amazing saving on cleaning time as well as using less cleaning agents.
These smells attach themselves to your skin when washing as well as your food when using water to rinse, boil and steam your food.
You may have high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) in your water, which are usually Chlorides, Sulfates and Bicarbonates. Other TDS problems such as scaling and spotting on wet surfaces and deposit accumulation on your faucets and shower head.
Having purified water in your home provides for the elimination of these solids resulting in an amazing saving on cleaning time as well as using less cleaning agents.
These smells attach themselves to your skin when washing as well as your food when using water to rinse, boil and steam your food.
Smelly Water
WHY DOES MY WATER SMELL BAD?
As your water flows through the ground, it can pick up molds and other organic material as well as chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, chlorine and other chemical odors from various materials that are changing state. Water filtration can reduce these unpleasant odors.
It is best to use Ultra violet to remove the bacteria and filtration to remove these unwanted components.
As your water flows through the ground, it can pick up molds and other organic material as well as chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, chlorine and other chemical odors from various materials that are changing state. Water filtration can reduce these unpleasant odors.
It is best to use Ultra violet to remove the bacteria and filtration to remove these unwanted components.
Filtering and Softening
SHOULD I FILTER OR SOFTEN MY HOME WATER?
Filtering water separates mineral particles, like manganese, iron and hydrogen sulfide from your home water. The water flows through a filter bed and the particles are then trapped.
Softening water utilizes ion exchange to remove dissolved minerals. These minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese cannot be trapped in a filter bed. Softeners use resin beads with sodium attached to the resin. As water enters the tank, the dissolved minerals are attracted to the resin.
With a home water purification system that has been defined for your home and it's water supply, this all happens together to leave you with Pure Water.
Filtering water separates mineral particles, like manganese, iron and hydrogen sulfide from your home water. The water flows through a filter bed and the particles are then trapped.
Softening water utilizes ion exchange to remove dissolved minerals. These minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese cannot be trapped in a filter bed. Softeners use resin beads with sodium attached to the resin. As water enters the tank, the dissolved minerals are attracted to the resin.
With a home water purification system that has been defined for your home and it's water supply, this all happens together to leave you with Pure Water.
Compare your Water here.
ABNORMAL FEEL OF YOUR WATER
Water with an abnormal feel may leave soap scum in bathtubs or sinks. The water may also leave an abrasive residual substance.
Impurity Problems Cause Health Effects
Abnormal Feel:
Hardness, there is usually a high content of limestone or chalk. Cannot be seen without chemical addition to highlight the content.
Abnormal Feel:
Grittiness, Soap crud, and scum in wash basins & bathtub. Whitish scale deposits in pipes, water heater & tea kettle. Calcium (limestone) and magnesium salts. Aesthetic only. However if consumed, could lead to kidney/ bladder stones. Abrasive texture to water when washing or residual left in sink. Excessively fine sand, silt in water. Various - sand could trap contaminants.
ABNORMAL ODOR OF YOUR WATER
Water with an abnormal odor may smell musty or may take a specific unnatural odor. For example, the water may smell like chlorine, rotten eggs, detergent, gasoline, methane, or phenol.
Impurity Problems Cause Health Effects
Abnormal Odor
Musty, earthy or wood smell. Generally, harmless organic matter. Aesthetic only Chlorine smell. Excessive chlorination. Could occur from formation of disinfection byproducts Rotten egg odor - tarnished silverware.
1. Dissolved hydrogen sulfide gas.
2. Presence of sulfate reducing bacteria in raw water. Various effects Hot water, rotten egg odor. Action of magnesium rod in hot water heater. Various Effects Detergent odor, water foams when drawn. Disease-causing microorganisms may be present. Gasoline or oil (hydro-carbon) smell. Leak in fuel oil tank or gasoline tank seeping into water supply. Fuel components may be toxic or carcinogenic. Methane gas Naturally occurring caused by decaying organics. Various effects Phenol smell (chemical odor). Industrial waste seeping into surface or ground water supplies. Various -- compounds may be carcinogenic.
ABNORMAL TASTE OF YOUR WATER
Water with an abnormal taste may taste salty, brackish, alkali, or metallic. These or other tastes may be indication that your water is far from pure.
Impurity Problems Cause Health Effects
Abnormal Taste Salty or brackish. High sodium content. Aesthetic only Alkali taste. High dissolved mineral containing alkalinity. (Stained aluminum cookware.) Aesthetic only Metallic taste.
1. Very low pH water (3.0-5.5).
2. Heavy iron concentration in water above 3.0 ppm Fe.
3. Leaching of lead and copper Various -- depends on cause
ABNORMAL APPEARANCE OF YOUR WATER
Water with an abnormal appearance may appear dirty, salty, silty, rusty, gray, brownish, blue-green, cloudy, or yellowish. In these or other cases, the water may have string-like particles or leave green stains in the water. The water may leave brown-red stains on clothes, sinks, or tubs.
Impurity Problems Cause Health Effects
Abnormal Appearance:
Turbidity Dirt, salt, clay. Suspended matter in surface water pond, stream or lake. Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms Sand grit, silt or clay substances. Well sand from new well or defective well screen. Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms Rust in water. Acid water causing iron "pick-up." Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms Gray string-like fiber. Organic matter in raw water algae, etc. Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms
Abnormal Appearance:
Acid water Green stains on sinks and silver, porcelain bathroom fixtures. Blue-green cast to water. Water which has high carbon dioxide content (pH below 6.8) reacting with brass and copper pipes and fittings.
Could lead to health effects if acid water causes leaching of lead and copper
Abnormal Appearance:
Discolored water red, "Iron" water Brown-red stains on sinks and other porcelain bathroom fixtures. Water turns brown-red in cooking or upon heating. Clothing becomes discolored.
1. Dissolved iron in influent (more than 0.3 ppm Fe+) water appears clear when first drawn at cold water faucet. Above 0.3 ppm Fe causes staining. Various effects
2. Precipitate iron (water will not clear when drawn). Various effects Brownish cast does not precipitate. Iron pick-up from old pipe with water having a pH below 6.8. Organic (bacterial) iron. Various effects Reddish color in water sample after standing 24 hours. Colloidal iron. Various effects
Abnormal Appearance:
Yellow Water Yellowish cast to water after softening and/or filtering. Tannins (humic acids) in water from peaty soil and decaying vegetation. Various effects
Abnormal Appearance:
Milky Water Cloudiness of water when drawn.
1. Some precipitant sludge created during heating of water.
2. High degree of air in water from poorly functioning pump.
3. Excessive coagulant-feed being carried through filter.
1. Various effects
2. Aesthetic only
3. Various effects
Abnormal Appearance:
Very high chloride content in water Blackening and pitting of stainless steel sinks and stainless ware in commercial dishwashers
1. Excessive salt content.
2. High temperature drying creates chloride concentration accelerating corrosion. Various effects.
Have a free water test to confirm your water is safely drinkable.
Want a very low cost solution?
Principal Source: "Sensitivity: A Key Water Conditioning Skill" written by Wes McGowan and published in Water Technology, September/October 1982.
Water with an abnormal feel may leave soap scum in bathtubs or sinks. The water may also leave an abrasive residual substance.
Impurity Problems Cause Health Effects
Abnormal Feel:
Hardness, there is usually a high content of limestone or chalk. Cannot be seen without chemical addition to highlight the content.
Abnormal Feel:
Grittiness, Soap crud, and scum in wash basins & bathtub. Whitish scale deposits in pipes, water heater & tea kettle. Calcium (limestone) and magnesium salts. Aesthetic only. However if consumed, could lead to kidney/ bladder stones. Abrasive texture to water when washing or residual left in sink. Excessively fine sand, silt in water. Various - sand could trap contaminants.
ABNORMAL ODOR OF YOUR WATER
Water with an abnormal odor may smell musty or may take a specific unnatural odor. For example, the water may smell like chlorine, rotten eggs, detergent, gasoline, methane, or phenol.
Impurity Problems Cause Health Effects
Abnormal Odor
Musty, earthy or wood smell. Generally, harmless organic matter. Aesthetic only Chlorine smell. Excessive chlorination. Could occur from formation of disinfection byproducts Rotten egg odor - tarnished silverware.
1. Dissolved hydrogen sulfide gas.
2. Presence of sulfate reducing bacteria in raw water. Various effects Hot water, rotten egg odor. Action of magnesium rod in hot water heater. Various Effects Detergent odor, water foams when drawn. Disease-causing microorganisms may be present. Gasoline or oil (hydro-carbon) smell. Leak in fuel oil tank or gasoline tank seeping into water supply. Fuel components may be toxic or carcinogenic. Methane gas Naturally occurring caused by decaying organics. Various effects Phenol smell (chemical odor). Industrial waste seeping into surface or ground water supplies. Various -- compounds may be carcinogenic.
ABNORMAL TASTE OF YOUR WATER
Water with an abnormal taste may taste salty, brackish, alkali, or metallic. These or other tastes may be indication that your water is far from pure.
Impurity Problems Cause Health Effects
Abnormal Taste Salty or brackish. High sodium content. Aesthetic only Alkali taste. High dissolved mineral containing alkalinity. (Stained aluminum cookware.) Aesthetic only Metallic taste.
1. Very low pH water (3.0-5.5).
2. Heavy iron concentration in water above 3.0 ppm Fe.
3. Leaching of lead and copper Various -- depends on cause
ABNORMAL APPEARANCE OF YOUR WATER
Water with an abnormal appearance may appear dirty, salty, silty, rusty, gray, brownish, blue-green, cloudy, or yellowish. In these or other cases, the water may have string-like particles or leave green stains in the water. The water may leave brown-red stains on clothes, sinks, or tubs.
Impurity Problems Cause Health Effects
Abnormal Appearance:
Turbidity Dirt, salt, clay. Suspended matter in surface water pond, stream or lake. Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms Sand grit, silt or clay substances. Well sand from new well or defective well screen. Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms Rust in water. Acid water causing iron "pick-up." Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms Gray string-like fiber. Organic matter in raw water algae, etc. Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms
Abnormal Appearance:
Acid water Green stains on sinks and silver, porcelain bathroom fixtures. Blue-green cast to water. Water which has high carbon dioxide content (pH below 6.8) reacting with brass and copper pipes and fittings.
Could lead to health effects if acid water causes leaching of lead and copper
Abnormal Appearance:
Discolored water red, "Iron" water Brown-red stains on sinks and other porcelain bathroom fixtures. Water turns brown-red in cooking or upon heating. Clothing becomes discolored.
1. Dissolved iron in influent (more than 0.3 ppm Fe+) water appears clear when first drawn at cold water faucet. Above 0.3 ppm Fe causes staining. Various effects
2. Precipitate iron (water will not clear when drawn). Various effects Brownish cast does not precipitate. Iron pick-up from old pipe with water having a pH below 6.8. Organic (bacterial) iron. Various effects Reddish color in water sample after standing 24 hours. Colloidal iron. Various effects
Abnormal Appearance:
Yellow Water Yellowish cast to water after softening and/or filtering. Tannins (humic acids) in water from peaty soil and decaying vegetation. Various effects
Abnormal Appearance:
Milky Water Cloudiness of water when drawn.
1. Some precipitant sludge created during heating of water.
2. High degree of air in water from poorly functioning pump.
3. Excessive coagulant-feed being carried through filter.
1. Various effects
2. Aesthetic only
3. Various effects
Abnormal Appearance:
Very high chloride content in water Blackening and pitting of stainless steel sinks and stainless ware in commercial dishwashers
1. Excessive salt content.
2. High temperature drying creates chloride concentration accelerating corrosion. Various effects.
Have a free water test to confirm your water is safely drinkable.
Want a very low cost solution?
Principal Source: "Sensitivity: A Key Water Conditioning Skill" written by Wes McGowan and published in Water Technology, September/October 1982.
