While most of us don’t have to give the quality of our drinking water a second thought, as it comes from a carefully monitored public drinking water supply, homeowners who use private water supplies don’t have that care-free luxury. Those using private water supplies must be diligent about taking the time to question and consider the possibility of hidden contaminants in their drinking water. After all, if you’re one of these homeowners, you are solely responsible for monitoring the quality of your own drinking water. So, how can you go about ensuring your water is safe?
We highly recommend the use of water treatment systems and devices for homes sourcing private water supplies. These systems can greatly improve the quality of your water by reducing and ridding it of hazardous contaminants, from chemical pollutants to bacteria, and all kinds of other toxic substances. But, before you choose a water treatment system to invest in, you have to have your water supply thoroughly tested. Once lab tested, depending on the level of contamination found, you can begin to weigh your treatment options (if treatment is even a recommended option).
If your water supply can be purified through a treatment system, there are several options that may be implemented. The types you’re most likely to encounter are the following:
- Ion Exchange: For those with hard water, the ion exchange system is essentially a water softener. It works to remove minerals that cause frustrating and often unsightly buildup in your pipes, fixtures and water heaters.
- Filtration – If your water supply is already found to be clean and contaminant-free, then a filtration system is your best option. This system is made up of mechanical, activated carbon, neutralizing, and oxidizing filters that work to control all sorts of contaminants that could creep in.
- Reverse Osmosis – This process removes about 90 percent of water impurities. It’s able to remove both mineral and biological contaminants, as well as most organic chemicals and microorganisms.
- Disinfection – This method is excellent at killing potentially illness-inducing contaminants like bacteria, viruses, worms, cysts, etc. The system uses chlorination, ultraviolet light, boiling and pasteurization to purify.
- Distillation – Distillers work to remove all sorts of minerals, metals, nitrates, organic chemicals, and bacteria from your water. The process works by heating the water until it vaporizes, then you are left with clean, odorless, flat water.
The key to choosing the right system for your home lies in taking that first step to having your water laboratory tested. Only then will you know what you’re actually facing so that you can make an informed decision that best serves your health and safety. Your trusted plumbing professional can help guide you through this process and help you narrow down your best options to ensure you have fresh, clean water coming into your home.
Tritan Plumbing is here to answer any and all of your questions regarding water treatment systems as well as any general plumbing queries you may have. And, always, our expertly trained team is standing by, ready to jump into action whenever the need arises.