Radon Although the dangers of radon gas in the home have been well publicized over the last few years, few people think of it coming in through their water supply. Even fewer people have their water tested for radon. Radon gas is created when the radioactive mineral radium degrades. Radium leaches from phosphates and other radium-bearing rock formations (including granite) into the water.Radon will quickly escape from water as soon as it hits the air. As water is run in the kitchen faucet for example, the gas separates from the water and is inhaled. As you are taking a shower, again the gas is released from the water and is inhaled. The major health concern here is the exposure to radiation. Elevated radioactive intake has been found to cause genetic disorders, birth defects, and many types of cancer. The Safe Drinking Water Act has set limits for radium at 4,000 picocuries/liter for drinking water. If your water is found to contain amounts above the recommended levels of Radon, we can install a
Radon Bubble-Up System to remove the gas from your water.
Arsenic
Arsenic in well water is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The only way to identify its presence in water is to have the water specifically test for arsenic by the State of Maine. Arsenic is a toxic element that can increase the likelihood of health problems in people who drink water contaminated with it. Arsenic is a known human carcinogen that causes cancer of the skin, bladder, lungs, kidneys and liver. It also causes increased risk of cardiovascular disease, peripheral neuropathy, skin hyperpigmentation and diabetes. Major exposure occurs when drinking or cooking with contaminated water. Additional exposure may occur when showering, bathing and brushing teeth. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has the arsenic limit set for drinking water at 10ppb (parts per billion) There are several methods for removing arsenic from drinking water, the most common being a reverse osmosis system. If you do have arsenic in your ater, we can install an Arsenic System.
Bacteria
Just like any water supply, well water can become contaminated with bacteria. This is why 98% of towns with public water systems chlorinate the water. It is generally recommended that drinking water supply be tested for bacteria once a year. Testing must be done by a state-certified laboratory and usually you will get results within a week. There will be two results listed: coliform and ecoli. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires that both results are no greater than 0 per 100ml. Coliform bacteria are found in the digestive tracts of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Therefore, if coliform bacteria are found, it is a reasonable assumption that the water supply has been contaminated with sewage. Since there are several waterborne diseases that can be transmitted from contamination, if coliform are found, the water is considered unsafe to drink. If your well has been contaminated with bacteria, the first thing to try is Shock Chlorinating your well. You can do this yourself, or we can do it for you. Once all the chlorine is out of the well, you can have the water retested. If the bacteria are still present, you can try chlorinating the well again. If the bacteria cannot be eliminated by chlorination, we can install a UV light. This will disinfect the water, making is safe to drink.
Hydrogen Sulfide Gas (Sulfur)
Hydrogen Sulfide Gas can occur naturally in ground water, or it can be produced by plant or other organic substances decomposing. It is characterized by a signature rotten egg smell.
The most objectionable problems caused by hydrogen sulfide gas are:
- Taste & Odor: Hydrogen Sulfide imparts an offensive taste and odor and can even turn certain beverages like scotch and whiskey a black color. Any beverage prepared with the water will be negatively affected.
- Corrosion Damage: Due to the fact that it is a weak acid, Hydrogen Sulfide gas is extremely corrosive. It can cause serious damage to pumps, tanks, piping, heating elements and fixtures. In many cases it will ruin paint and wallpaper and will instantly turn sterling silver black.
- Black Water: In the case where ater contains iron and hydrogen sulfide gas, they will combine to form iron sulfide, which is black in color. This is not only objectionable but will stain clothing and other items.
Sulfur can be removed with an Iron Filter
Hardness
The hardness of water basically depends on the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium present in the water. If these minerals are not removed from the water supply, they can cause many problems. Even a slight increase in temperature can cause these minerals to create scales in cold water piping. The problem gets worse when heated in water heaters, boilers, and other appliances. The dissolved calcium and magnesium will then chemically react with soaps, detergents, and shampoos to create an insoluble residue that is deposited on glassware, fixtures, hair, and skin.
The level of hardness in water is usually expressed as grains per gallon (gpg) or milligrams per liter (mg/l).
Hard water manifests itself in many ways in the home. The first indication of hard water is usually the unsightly scum that forms when soap or detergents are added to the water. More soap is required when doing laundry and dishes. Soap scum deposits on clothing cause graying of whites and loss of brightness in colored fabrics. Washing clothing in hard water can cut back the life of the clothing by 35%. It can damage the washing machine over time, costing money for repairs.
Hard water will leave deposits on everything it touches. It requires more time and money to clean with hard water because, the more the deposits build up. For example, many people are familiar with the gray ring of soap scum that forms around the tub. Would you believe soft water leaves no ring? Soft water doesn’t form soap scum, so there is no film to remove from your bathtub and other fixtures.
The same soap scum that you see in your tub from hard water is also deposited on your skin and hair when you bathe or shower in it. This can cause dry skin, brittle hair, skin irritation and clogged pores.
The calcium and magnesium will be absorbed by foods you cook in the water. Vegetables boiled in hard water will shrink and become tough. Cooked in soft water, foods are more tender and appetizing.
When scale builds up in a water heater or boiler, it can boost heating bills by as much as 20%. Even worse, the scaling acts as an insulator creating hot spots that will weaken and eventually burn out heating elements. It also builds up in pipes reducing water flow.
Hard water just isn’t clean water, and costs you money. The best way to deal with it is install a water softener.
PH
PH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of water. The PH scale ranges from 0 - 14, with 7 being neutral. Below 7 is considered acidic, and above 7 is considered alkaline.
Most water in Maine is below 7 on the PH scale. Water that is either strongly acidic or alkaline is corrosive. This means it can dissolve toxic minerals from plumbing systems that can cause serious health concerns. Additionally, this dissolving of piping takes its toll on the plumbing system, requiring costly repair and/or replacement.
As acidic water flows through copper piping, it dissolves the copper, creating tell-tale blue or green staining on fixtures. It also dissolves lead from solder joints, creating another health concern.
Acidic water can also have an adverse effect on the effectiveness of other water treatment systems. PH is very easy to test. If your water is found to be acidic, we can treat the water with an Acid Neutralizer.
