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How to Manage Lead in Your Drinking Water
Lead contamination in drinking water is an issue that still affects many households across Canada and beyond. While we’ve come a long way in improving water safety, homes built before the late 1980s are especially at risk due to aging infrastructure. If your home has old plumbing, it’s worth understanding how lead may be entering your water—and what steps you can take to protect your family.
Solid and Dissolved Contaminants in Water
Once we have established what may be in the water (and we are only talking about drinking water), let's see how this applies to our water so we can make a strategy to remove the challenges, and have clear clean and safe water at all taps in the house. Refresh - the water can have insoluble or solid contaminants (1), dissolved chemicals (2) or organics (3), biological contaminants or pathogens (4) and radiological contaminants (5). 1. Solid Contaminants These occur only in water from surface sources or wells. City water typically does not contain solids. Solid, insoluble substances or sediments are small impurities like sand, rust, dirt, silt or scale. They are generally not harmful for human health but can be considered an aesthetic contaminant and are physically filtered out. 2.1 Generally Harmless Dissolved Chemical Contaminants Soluble chemical substances can be present in all water for drinking (city water, well water, surface water) in various concentrations. They come in form of molecules and formulas and can not be filtered out with physical filtration methods. There are harmless chemicals and minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium), harmless heavy metals (iron, manganese), and harmless gases (hydrogen sulfide), they show up as scale or precipitation, colourization or they impart odour. These can be removed for aesthetic reasons. 2.2 Harmful Dissolved Chemical Contaminants There are harmful chemicals and heavy metals (arsenic, lead, copper, cadmium, antimony, mercury, fluoride) and harmful gases (carbon dioxide, radon). “Forever chemicals” Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are part of a large group of man-made chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals need to be removed for safety resons if the concentration is above the MCL (Maximum Concentration Level) set by the EPA. 3. Organic Contaminants Organic Contaminants are substances containing carbon and hydrogen. They are dissolved and appear as chemical compounds. Some are naturally occurring, others are man-made, and there can be a combination of both. Organic chemicals reach the water supply from industrial and agricultural runoff, from improper disposal of household products (paint and cleaning products), or domestic animals. They include pesticides, herbicides, solvents, petroleum-derived products, and many other types of compounds. There are two main categories of organic contaminants: Total Organic Carbon (TOCs) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). TOCs are all-organic carbon compounds including decaying plant and animal matter. High TOC levels may be found in some surface water supplies (streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs) VOCs are contaminants like solvents, hydrocarbons, alcohols and other industrial compounds (eg. Benzene, Trichlorethylene, Vinyl chloride, Styrene, Tetrachlorethylene.) 3.1 Not Harmful Organics Decaying plant matter shows up in the water as tannins and lignins, they are seasonal and climate dependent. These are generally not a health hazard, even in higher concentrations, but are an aesthetical problem, they have staining quality and can have an effect on the taste and smell of the water. Tannins are easily removed from drinking water. 3.2 Harmful Organics There can be harmful chemical compounds or byproducts of chemical reactions and traces of industrial processes in the water supply (solvents, cleaning agents, paint removers, chemical extractors, adhesive components), resulting in toxic pollution. Trace amounts of pharmaceuticals may be present in some cases, they accumulate in the water over time. Pesticides, herbicides and insecticides are organics from runoff that can contaminate the water supply. 4. Pathogens / Biological Contaminants Biological contaminants are any organisms that are in the water, they can be bacteria, parasites, protists, viruses or fungi. Bacteria and viruses are everywhere in our environment, including in surface waters and groundwater. They are microbial, so they will not be caught in a filter. Typically they are harmful, especially in high concentrations, so they need to be removed from drinking water to make it safe. 4.1 Bacteria Bacteria that can be present in drinking water are Bacillus anthracis, Campylobacter jejuni, Cyanobacteria, Escherichia coli, Legionella, Listeria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Shigella dysenteriae, Vibrio cholerae and many more. It is not practical to test drinking water for every type of pathogen, but it is simple to test drinking water for coliform bacteria. The presence of coliform bacteria can indicate there may be harmful pathogens in the water. 4.2 Pathogenic Protists and Parasites Some severe diseases of humans are caused by protists and parasites in drinking water (protists are primarily blood parasites): Malaria, Trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis, Toxoplasmosis, Amoebic dysentery. Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, Acanthamoeba spp. (cysts), Chlorella vulgaris, Naegleria fowleri (cysts), Paramecium spp, Toxoplasma gondii are pathogenic protists. 4.3 Viruses and Fungi Microbiologically contaminated drinking water can transmit viral diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitis, typhoid and polio. Pathogenic viruses in water can be Coxsackie, Enterovirus, Norovirus, Rotavirus, Adenovirus, Hepatovirus, Hepevirus. Pathogenic fungi are Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Exophiala dermatitidis, microsporidia. Biofilms are an important habitat for fungi in drinking water. Their development is influenced by many factors including temperature, nutrient concentration, pipe material and water flow rate.
Water Chemistry 101
Water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, making the chemical symbol H2O. Apart from the basic hydrology, water can also contain other physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter. These are called contaminants, but despite the word having a more negative implication, there are are also healthy substances in water, so we must define them regarding harmful vs. harmless. General categories of drinking water contaminants Water can have soluble and insoluble substances other than the molecule H2O. All insoluble substances are solid while soluble substances are dissolved.(Review of Physical and Biological Contaminants) Insoluble Insoluble physical contaminants are suspended solids like sediment or particulate matter and are visible in the water. They are measured in NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) because they affect the turbidity and clarity of the water. Water with high NTU values looks unpleasant, water that has low levels of NTU (below 1) looks crystal clear. Soluble These substances can be inorganic or organic, they can be ionised (electrically charged) or non-ionised. They are present in the water in form of ions or molecules of various sizes. They are measured in ppm (parts per million) or mg/l (milligram per litre) and the comprehensive value of all soluble substances is the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). Ref Organic contaminants are pollutants and pesticides in the water that result from natural decay of plants (tannins) and soil erosion, from traces of industrial processes or from runoff (eg. nitrite, nitrate, potassium, glyphosates). They are soluble, measured in ppm (parts per million) and are visible as colourisation only in high concentration. Organic substances in the water can be harmless yet aesthetically unpleasant (tannins) or harmful (eg. solvents, pharmaceuticals). Ref When you boil and evaporate water, you are being left with the contaminants, which are now a dry residual, of the dehydrated soluble substances. Sea water has a sizeably quantity of dry residual, it can be 35g to 40g per litre of sea water. River or lake water on the other hand has a residual of 50 to 500 ppm or mg/l. The dry residual are the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and are measured in ppm (parts per million) So, in terms of these numbers, sea water has a TDS of 3500 ppm and lake water has a TDS of approx. 500 ppm. Biological contaminants Biological contaminants are organisms like microbes, bacteria, protozoa, viruses, parasites(Paramecium, E. coli, Coliform, Hepatitis, V. cholerae, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Legionella, Nematode and many more9). Radiological contaminants Radiological contaminants are elements with an unbalanced number of neutrons and protons and can emit ionizing radiation, like cesium, plutonium, uranium.
Drinking Water Sources
The Water We Use: Clean, fresh, and safe drinking water is a hallmark of good health, and its importance cannot be overstated in our busy everyday lives. In this post we discuss the various sources of the water that reaches your tap.
How Can I Improve My Water?
Improving the quality of your drinking water can be as simple as installing one or more water filtration systems, or it can be a more involved process requiring a significant investment... and it all depends on the initial water quality you begin with. Lets back up a minute. An initial water quaity test will give you a baseline water quality from which you can make some decisions about how to treat your water (and indeed whether to treat it at all). A basic water quality test that will provide data for a limited number of potential contaminants is available from a variety of public and private labs depending on where you live. Common tests will help determine levels of bacteria (E.coli and coliform), plus things like iron, hardness, calcium, turbidity etc. In most cases the lab report will provide information on what levels are acceptable and what are not. It's the levels that are unacceptable that must be dealt with first. There are a number of filtration systems available to help clear up the water and to remove contaminants such as sediments, excess iron and hardness etc. Most people prefer an automatic filter system that not only processes all of the water in the home but also cleans itself on a regular basis (auto backwashing) in order to make sure the filter is working at it's peak performance level. Look for a combination type filter that can remove several contaminants at once – this will result is a smaller system overall and is usually less expensive to install. Now that the physical appearance of the water has been taken care of with filtration, it's time to address the biological contaminants that may be present in the water like E.coli and coliform. Disease-causing pathogens in water are not uncommon in many places in the world. There are several ways to disinfect (kill the pathogens) including adding chlorine (or other chemicals) to the water, and employing UV light to do the job. Over the years it is becoming increasingly obvious that people would prefer to use a non-chemical method of disinfecting their water supply and UV checks all the right boxes: It's inexpensive to own It's simple to use – and operates automatically It's chemical-free It's much better for the environment It's safer to use – there is no risk of overdose So the simple answer to the question how can I improve my water? is to contact Wyckomar and let us walk you through the process of improving your water right now.
Do I Need to Treat My Water?
The truth is many of us don't spend much time thinking about the quality of our drinking water. Often we are lulled into a false sense of security that our water quality is top-notch, while in reality there may be alarming amounts of contaminants in our residential water supply. For home owners with a well, the issue of water quality is more prevalent than those supplied by municipal water. Well owners are generally more aware of the need for some vigilance in monitoring water quality, especially those located near potential sources of run-off including agricultural run-off. Well owners should be testing their water on a regular basis (at least 4 times a year) and they must take special care to have the water tested for micro-biological contamination (bacterial and viral pathogens) regularly too. Micro-biological contamination, most commonly bacterial pathogens such as E.coli and Coliform can be a major cause for concern as these pathogens can do great harm to your health. The presence of either of these pathogens simply must not be tolerated and you must take action to ensure your water is free of contamination by killing these organisms before they get a chance to infect your family. Traditional disinfection has been done by adding chlorine (usually chlorine bleach) to the well and waiting for a period of time while the bacteria is killed in the well. This process is cumbersome and in addition must be done on a regular basis as new pathogens are introduced into the well water. The other draw back of this method is that chemical disinfection can create byproducts which in themselves can be harmful to your health. Those supplied with municipal water should not think that they are necessarily immune from water quality problems. A quick search of stories related to boil water orders alone issued by municipalities will convince you that the ultimate responsibility to ensure your own water quality rests in the end with you. The chemical-free way to ensure that your water is completely safe is to use Ultra Violet light (UV) to kill all bacterial and viral pathogens in real time (as you use the water) and around the clock. UV is a time-tested technology, completely safe, absolutely effective and environmentally sound. There is no better way to ensure safe drinking water, and no more cost effective method per unit volume. UV systems are available in a wide range of sizes to suite the smallest residence to the largest. Maintenance is minimal (change a lamp once a year) and the system is ready to work for you all year, without the hassle of buying, storing and using harsh chemical treatments. UV is the environmentally superior option as no byproducts are produced and there is never any risk of chemical overdosing in water treatment. UV is the future of safe, sustainable water purification and this is proven by the number of municipalities now installing UV as a primary disinfection technology to serve their customers.
