Did you know that most drinking water contains various minerals, chemicals, and other pollutants that are not safe for human consumption? While there are Federal regulations regarding what deems a water source safe, many of these standards are outdated and allow for a large margin of error. In addition to human waste, livestock will often be housed near bodies of water that serve as their drinking supply. This is not only unsanitary but can also contaminate your drinking supply with bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites.
Before you order a water analysis, there are several signs you can look for that show that your water may indeed be contaminated. If you spot any of the following signs, you should not use your water source as a drinking supply.
1. THE WATER HAS A DIFFERENT TASTE THAN USUAL
If the water tastes or smells differently than it usually does, there might be high chemicals in the water. These can include pesticides, herbicides, nitrates, and chlorine. You should attach an under-sink carbon filter to your kitchen faucet if this is the case. Sometimes the water can taste sweet, salty, or metallic; this might be due to high sodium levels in areas where water is obtained from wells. High concentrations of manganese sulfate result in sweet water, while the water results in a salty taste due to magnesium sulfate. If you notice that your water tastes metallic, it could be because of iron or other minerals. Excessive sodium can also cause bloating, cramping, and hypertension. Again, attach an under-sink carbon filter to your kitchen faucet.
2. THE WATER APPEARS CLOUDY OR CONTAINS SEDIMENT
If the water appears cloudy, contains sediment, or is discolored, there could be heavy metals in your drinking supply. Lead and mercury are hazardous to ingest in large doses. Many homes still have copper plumbing containing lead solder within the pipe joints; when this type of plumbing breaks down over time, it can cause lead poisoning. When water sits inside a container for too long, it will often accumulate metal particles that destroy much-needed nutrients in the human body. This is why it’s essential to drink water regularly throughout the day instead of in one large dose.
3. THE WATER SMELLS BAD
If the water smells bad, it could be due to hydrogen sulfide gas. You can tell if your water contains this by the smell of rotten eggs or sewage. While small amounts of hydrogen sulfide are acceptable, anything more than a few parts per million is not safe for human consumption. If you plan on drinking the waters from an open source such as a lake, pond, spring, river, creek, or stream, you must regularly test its chemical and bacterial levels to ensure that it is drinkable at all times. Also, you can attach an under-sink carbon filter to your kitchen faucet to remove any contaminants that could be causing the smell.
4. THE WATER CONTAINS ALUMINUM OR YELLOW/BROWN STAINS
If your water contains a high aluminum concentration or has yellow or brown stains, there could be iron bacteria in the supply. When these toxins are ingested over time, they can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and even Alzheimer’s disease. You should also test if the water contains manganese; while this mineral isn’t dangerous to your health, it can turn your shower black due to using too much soap while bathing in it.
5. YOUR WATER HAS HIGH CHLORINE LEVELS
Too much chlorine in water can cause dryness, irritation of the eyes and skin, coughing, headaches, sinus problems, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and asthma. You should also test your water for chloramines. If you are ever boiling the water to purify it before drinking it, make sure that you let it cool down first, as hot water can cause more damage than good when consumed. To rid yourself of this problem, have an expert inspect where your home’s plumbing lines are being released into the ground. Once they have identified the source of the issue, they can take the necessary steps to correct it before you become sick due to high chlorine levels.
6. THE WATER COMES OUT OF YOUR FAUCET AT A HIGH TEMPERATURE
If the water comes out of your faucet at a high temperature, then there is likely an electrical short in your water heater causing this reaction. This may be dangerous since the electrical current could cause harm to both humans and other organisms that drink or come into contact with this contaminated water. If you notice that the water coming out of your faucets has become extremely hot, shut off your water system immediately and contact an electrician to fix this issue before it becomes even more problematic.
You should be able to determine whether or not your water is safe for drinking if you are in an area where clean water is scarce by the taste of it, its smell, color, high temperature, and levels of chlorine. If any of these signs are present, make sure to have your water inspected immediately to avoid illness.