Whether it comes from a well, or a water system, what you need to know
By John D’Annunzio, Columnist, UnionvilleTimes.com
The experts say that the human body needs eight glasses of drinking water a day. This amount of water is needed because the body needs water for temperature control, removing waste from the body and brings oxygen to the cells and organ function.
Let’s talk about what could be in your municipal and well water system.
As we all know, municipal treatment plants use chlorine to control bacteria. But they cannot control other harmful chemicals such as lead, radon, cysts- protozoan parasites, pesticides and herbicides, and industrial chemicals.
What about bottled drinking water? How do we know if people are following EPA guidelines? After all, this type of water is contained in a Petroleum based product: plastic.
What can be done?
What you want to do first is get your water tested by your local health department. Municipal water and well water should be tested to find out what chemicals or minerals and amounts are involved.
Here is a list of materials or parts if you will that will help you along with different conditions when you find out what is in your water then follow the list below:
For metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, nitrate, sulfate, sodium use a reverse osmosis system which distills water. For organic chemicals such as pesticides, fuels; try a carbon filter.
If it’s an iron problem, consider a softener with an iron filter and/or a sand and carbon filter. For microorganisms, a disinfection device is needed.
For hydrogen sulfide gas—which produced a rotten egg odor—an oxidizing filter and a carbon filter and a sediment filter are recommended.
You may not need all of the above, but this is the best somebody can do to remove all the junk in your drinking water.
John D’Annunzio is a local Commercial and Residential builder who has held nearly every job in the construction industry from heavy equipment operator to home builder. He is ICC building code certified and lives and operates in Chester County, PA. His column will appear weekly and address various home improvement and building issues with special attention to subjects of interest locally.
Contact John at johnd3656@verizon.net
