Nine Dangers Lurking in Your Water Supply

To the average person in the United States, clean running water is such a normal part of life that we hardly notice it. However, what we assume is clean and safe water with a reasonable degree of purity may not be exactly that. In fact, our water supply, while usually completely safe, may contain elevated levels of substances that could be harmful in larger quantities.

If your water contains elevated levels of some of these contaminating substances, you could experience a number of issues, including strange tastes, odd textures, foul odors, and even a potential impact to your health and the health of your loved ones. Here is a list of nine things you could find in your water supply that could be significantly improved by installing a Crusader Water Systems water filtration system.

Calcium Carbonate

Calcium carbonate is the primary ingredient that causes a condition known as “hard water.” Calcium is a common mineral that’s actually not bad for you—in fact, it’s vital for bone density and overall health. However, too much calcium carbonate causes issues with your pipes, and can lead to a shortened lifespan for your appliances.

Sediment

Sediment particles often appear as tiny bits of sand, rocks, or other mineral content. In most cases, sediment in public drinking water is composed of calcium and magnesium, which combine to form limescale residue that can be found on a number of your faucets and fixtures. However, other minerals can also cause cloudiness or strange tastes that are hard to get rid of.

Metals

Yes, your water very well could have dissolved metallic particles present in it. Does your tap water leave a reddish-brown residue when left on your sink? This is a sign your water has elevated levels of iron and manganese. This is actually fairly normal, as iron and other metals and minerals find their way into our water supply by filtering in through the groundwater supply.

Arsenic

Arsenic is a known carcinogen, or a substance known to cause cancer. While this substance can be found in public water supplies in extremely small amounts (usually far too small to be of any real concern), it is more common in private water supplies, such as water wells. Long-term exposure to arsenic can lead to a wide variety of health problems, including skin lesions and several different types of cancer.

Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen sulfides are extremely easy to detect in water. In fact, you can usually figure it out as soon as you turn on the water. Because hydrogen sulfides include sulfur, they have a distinct rotten eggs smell that’s almost impossible to ignore. Fortunately, these substances can be filtered with a water purification system from Crusader.

Lead

Lead was an extremely common construction material for decades, and many homes still have lead pipes somewhere in their water supply. Lead was not discontinued until 1986, so if your home is older than that, you probably have lead-based supply lines. Lead in the water supply can cause all sorts of health problems, particularly for infants and young children who can be developmentally hindered as a result of lead poisoning.

Mercury

Mercury is a rather well-known toxin that can be found in trace amounts in drinking water. While generally nowhere near levels high enough to cause problems, private water supplies can deal with higher concentrations than most people feel comfortable with. Oftentimes this problem comes when substances like paint find leach their way into the groundwater supply. Mercury can also find its way into the atmosphere’s water vapor when well water with higher concentrations of mercury is boiled.

Bacteria Colonies

Bacteria are absolutely everywhere, and your drinking water is no exception. While the bacteria in your drinking water generally are not harmful or detrimental, well water can contain different types of bacteria that are more prone to being harmful. Leaking septic systems, runoff from livestock yards, and plenty of other causes can see this water leak its way into the water in your well, where it can potentially cause health problems for you and your loved ones.

Nitrates

Inorganic nitrates are a widely recognized toxin that are frequently included in fertilizers as a pesticide. While they have improved commercial farming, consuming too many of them can be harmful to your health. Nitrate poisoning affects those with cardiovascular problems, and can make it difficult to breathe. Reverse osmosis systems are great at filtering nitrates out of your water, keeping your drinking supply safe.

Interested in installing a high-quality water filtration solution from Crusader? Call Advanced Home Services at 208-745-9406 to schedule a consultation or start your free water quality test today!