We always hear reminders to “drink plenty of water” and “ditch the plastic water bottles” to be more eco-friendly. For those reasons, many of us turn to the tap water in our homes. Whatever the reason might be, before jumping right into drinking tap water, it’s important to make sure you’re getting the best quality from your water system. You might think the water is water, but do you actually know what to look for? Below are three ways of detecting the red flags that indicate bad water quality that will save you from potentially harmful effects in the long run!
As simple as it is, sight is one way of detecting issues with your water.
Simply checking the color of the water can let you know instantly how healthy or unhealthy your water is.
- The most common indicator of contaminated water is cloudiness. Cloudy water can occur from bacteria and chemicals, but generally, air getting into the water causes cloudiness, which isn’t harmful.
- If you see yellow or brownish water, the cause may be from your pipe’s rust buildup or other metals present.
- Other color tints, such as blue and green, are signs of high copper levels. They are harmless in small doses but can be harmful if not caught and dealt with right away.
Using your sense of smell.
Perhaps, your drinking water is clear and there are no visual signs of water quality issues or dangerous levels of chemicals. What next? Well, there’s another way to check it, which is by smelling it.
- A more apparent odor is a rotten egg-like scent which indicates the presence of hydrogen sulfide that is commonly found in groundwater.
- Musty and earthy smells are due to drainage issues with decaying organic matter or the well is polluted.
If all else fails, taste is your last resort!
You’re craving that fresh cold glass of water and you’re hit with a yucky taste. Ew.
- A metallic taste is most likely coming from rusty pipes that are releasing metals into your water. Metals like lead, copper, and zinc are giving off the metallic taste — and frequent intake of those, particularly lead, are dangerous. High blood pressure, heart, and kidney disease are associated with long-term effects of lead-contaminated water.
- Now if your water has a dirt taste, although it’s usually harmless, the faucet may require deep cleaning to get rid of the earthy taste.
Bye-bye bad water quality and hello healthy hydration!
There are simple fixes to these issues. First, you can try to figure out the source of the problem and clean your faucet thoroughly. If you’re supplied by the city, you can also contact them to alert them of a water quality issue! Whatever the issue, we’ve got your back — from professional insights to high-quality filtration and water softening systems that will give you peace of mind. Working with Watters means you can rest easy knowing you and your family are drinking clean water. Not only that, but a water filtration system will making cleaning easier, improve the look and feel of hair and skin, and your clothes will be brighter than ever! Watters Plumbing can help you customize and choose the best water softener and filtration for your Fox Cities or Green Bay home!