From the water treatment facility to your home’s pipes, water travels a long way. During this journey, water can pick up many contaminants, like silt, sediment, and other microorganisms. The pipes your water travels through may also add lead, copper, and other metals to your water. If these impurities remain, they can lead to stains on your plumbing fixtures, mineral deposits that clog your pipes, and even illness.
If your water smells like rotten eggs, tastes metallic, or leaves spots and stains on your dishes and plumbing fixtures, you may have a water quality problem. Here are some key signs you could be dealing with poor water quality in your home:
- Deposits—If you constantly see soap scum or bathtub rings, you could have hard water, which means your water contains excessive calcium and magnesium content. Either a scale control system or a water softener can help remove these contaminants.
- Odd colors—If you notice your water has a bluish or greenish tint, there could be copper in your water supply, which can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses. If your water is brown, black, red, or orange, there could be manganese or iron in your water. A whole-house water filter can eliminate these contaminants.
- Weird smells—If your water smells like a swimming pool, rotten eggs, fish, salt, or metal, consider installing a whole-house filter or a point-of-use system.
The first thing to do if you’re concerned about your home’s water quality is to have it tested. At Bowen Plumbing Supply, we can do this for free, and we’ll check your water for hardness, pH, odors, and iron. You should also receive an annual drinking water report from the EPA every summer. To get a copy, you can visit the EPA website or contact your water supplier directly.