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Drinking Water FAQ
Here is some helpful information on the tests we run on water in
your home and some of the concerns that you may have about your
water. Is it safe to drink? What will happen if we drink bad
water? And you may have other health concerns. Water is a big part
of our daily living, and we don't really stop to think about what
could be in the water that is getting into our systems. We hope
this information will answer some of the commonly asked questions
about water tests and what you should test for.
Nitrates
are a big concern for people,
especially for infants. The whole family can drink water with
levels of nitrates and show no adverse reaction, but a new infant
brought into the home can become severely poisoned by the water.
This is called Methemoglobinemia, or otherwise known as "The blue
baby disorder". The nitrates from fertilizers lock up the hemoglobin
in an infant's bloodstream, displacing the oxygen. If left
untreated, the condition can be fatal.
Boiling the water increases the nitrate level rather than
decreasing it. Concerned parents should be informed of their
nitrate level before bringing the new baby into the home and using
the water supply. After the infant's digestive system becomes
developed, the child is no longer as susceptible to nitrate
poisoning. As a precaution, children under the age of 3, nursing
mothers, and pregnant mothers should not consume water high in
nitrate.
Where do nitrates come from? They can occur naturally from
decaying organic material such as pastures, or on-site septic
systems, but the greatest source is from crop fertilizers. They
usually contain nitrogen compounds, which either are in the form of
nitrates or turn into nitrates in the soil. Once the fertilizer is
in the ground, heavy rains wash any nitrates not used by plant roots
into the ground water.
Nitrates cannot be removed from the water by treatments such as
UV lights, chlorinators, carbon filters, water softeners, iron
filters, or neutralizers. Nitrates can be removed by properly
designed distillers, RO systems, or anion exchange systems.
Distillers and RO systems are only suitable for point of use (i.e.,
one or two faucets in the home); anion exchange systems remove
nitrates from the whole house.
Lead
which has been used in many consumer products, can
also be found in your drinking water. It is a toxic metal now known
to be harmful to human health if inhaled or digested. It can be
found in water due to corrosion of plumbing. It is estimated that
lead in drinking water contributes between 10 and 20 percent of
total lead exposure in young children. Young children, infants and
fetuses appear to be particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning. You
should have your water tested for lead, especially if you own or
live in an older home that may have lead plumbing, or solder.
The following simple steps can be taken to reduce your exposure
to lead in drinking water. "Flush" the tap before using the water
for consumption. Flushing the tap means running the cold water
faucet until the water gets noticeably colder, usually about 15-30
seconds. Do not cook with, or drink water from the hot water tap.
Hot water can dissolve lead, more quickly than cold water. You must
do this with each faucet you are going to use. Taking a shower will
not flush your kitchen tap. Once you have flushed the tap, you may
want to fill one or more bottles with water and put them in the
refrigerator for later use.
Iron is a very abundant
mineral. It is frequently found as a naturally occurring element in
well water. Iron in well water does not have any adverse health
effects in healthy people. But iron in your well water will cause
problems around the home. It is an orangish color that will
eventually stain your clothing, the inside of the washer, or
dishwasher and sinks and bathtubs. There are two forms of iron.
Clear water iron (ferrous iron) and red water iron (ferric iron).
Clear water iron usually comes out of the tap looking clear and
later, after being exposed to the atmosphere, turns rusty color.
Red water iron comes out rusty colored. You should consult a water
treatment professional for treatments of removing iron from your
water.
Other forms of iron are Bacterial Iron and colloidal iron.
Bacterial iron is a living organism that feeds on iron and is often
recognized by a stringy, slimy growth inside the water closet of a
toilet tank. Colloidal iron is made up of very fine, suspended
particles that are very difficult to filter out.
MTBE is a member of a
group of chemicals commonly known as fuel oxygenates. MTBE is used
in gasoline throughout the United States to reduce carbon monoxide
and ozone levels caused by auto emissions. MTBE also has been used
as an octane enhancing replacement for lead since 1979.
To learn if MTBE is in your drinking water supply, contact your
local water supplier, if you have city water. If you have well
water and would like to have your water tested for MTBE, contact
SOS Analytical to test the water. Due to widespread use, reports of
MTBE detection's in the nation's ground and surface water supplies
are increasing. The EPA is actively involved in identifying the
issues and addressing the concerns over the potential presence of
MTBE in our water supplies.
Copper is a metal found
in natural deposits as ores containing other elements. It is widely
used in household plumbing materials. Since copper contamination
generally occurs from corrosion of household copper pipes, it cannot
be detected or removed by the water system.
Copper is an essential nutrient, required by the body in very
small amounts. However, EPA has found copper to potentially cause
the following health effects when people are exposed to it at high
levels. Stomach and intestinal distress, liver and kidney damage,
and anemia.
Arsenic is an element
that occurs in the earth's crust. Accordingly, there are natural
sources of exposure. People may also be exposed from industrial
sources, as arsenic is used in semiconductor manufacturing,
petroleum refining, wood preservatives, animal feed additives and
herbicides. Exposure to arsenic at high levels poses serious health
effects, as it is a known human carcinogen. In addition, it has
been reported to affect the vascular system in humans and has been
associated with the development of diabetes.
E. Coli is a
type of fecal coliform bacteria commonly found in the intestines of
animals and humans. E. Coli is short for Escherichia coli. The
presence of E.coli in water is a strong indication of recent sewage
or animal waste contamination. Sewage may contain many types of
disease-causing organisms. During rainfalls, snowmelts, or other
types of precipitation, E. coli may be washed into creeks, rivers,
streams, lakes, or groundwater. When these waters are used as
sources of drinking water and the water is not treated or
inadequately treated, E. coli may end up in drinking water.
Although most strains are harmless and live in the intestines
of healthy humans and animals, some strains produce a powerful toxin
and can cause illness. Infection often causes diarrhea and
abdominal cramps. Usually the person will experience "flu" like
symptoms, although frequently no fever is present. Children under
the age of five, elderly people and people whose health is weakened
(i.e., people who have a long-term illness such as cancer or AIDS)
are at greater risk of severe illness.
If you have a private well, you should have your water tested
periodically. Contact SOS Analytical and get instructions on how to
send a water sample. Typically, the lab will first test for total
coliforms, which is a group of related organisms that is common in
both the environment and the gut of animals. If the sample is
positive for total coliforms, the lab will determine whether E. coli
is also present.
If your well tests positive for E. coli, do not drink the water
unless you boil it for at least one minute at a rolling boil, longer
if you live at high altitudes. You may also disinfect the well
according to procedures recommended by your local health
department. Most in-home filters will not filter E. coli, or other
types of bacteria.
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