Drinking water can get contaminated with many pollutants and this is something that should be identified and rectified from the beginning to ensure the health of your family. There are many signs to watch out for when assessing whether your drinking water is clean.
You need to do a visual check of the water. It should have no strange odour or test. If there is some contamination, the water will be cloudy. This may or may not be safe to drink so you need to test the water. There can be bacteria or chemicals dissolved in the water. Wash your hands with water and soap to see if your hands still feel unclean. Most of the time, your hands will feel slimy and unwashed in this situation. This is an indication of hard water. Hard water carries a high percentage of calcium and magnesium which can deposit on the plumbing, sinks, dishes etc. You will also find yourself using more laundry detergent when washing clothes and using more soap when you are showering. Hard water can also be caused by aluminium, lead and manganese so it can be harmful to your health in some cases. Calcium or magnesium will not affect your health but it will make normal household chores very difficult.
To make sure you have clean drinking water, you can invest in residential drinking water filtration systems . There are many options available in the market. When the colour of your water is brown, orange or yellow, this can indicate the presence of chemicals. There can be an excess amount of iron, lead, manganese in the water. When there is rust in the water, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Sometimes, it can be your pipes as well. There can be rust in old metal pipes. If the water is yellow, it can indicate chromium in the water and it is a cancer causing chemical. So whenever the colour of the water is not normal, you should avoid drinking it completely unless it is cleared as safe. When there is a lot of copper in the water, you can see a blue or green tinge in water. This can be due to corroded pipes. A high percentage of copper in water can affect your health negatively. It can give rise to kidney or liver damage.
When there is more chlorine in the water than what is regulated, it can smell like bleach. However, there is a tendency for chlorine to react with other organic compounds. This can cause the formation of harmful products such as trihalomethanes that increase the risk of cancer and kidney problems. When there is hydrogen sulfide in the water, you will be able to smell rotten eggs. This is a colourless gas that can be converted to sulfate in the presence of bacteria. This can give rise to diarrhoea or dehydration. When there is cadmium or barium in the water, it has a tendency to smell fishy. To prevent any harmful effects of contaminated water, you need to understand the source of your water and check the water quality reports from the local authority. If there is any issue, you can submit your water for testing.
