First of all, what water are we talking about here? We’re talking about any water that you and your family drink or use. This article is especially important if you own or control your own source of water. While municipal water benefits from strict testing, there is still a lot that can happen between the water treatment plant and your kitchen tap.
The quality of your well water affects every single person who drinks it, or uses it. As a responsible homeowner, you should do your best to ensure it is the best quality possible.
Why Test Your Water?
There are a lot of factors that go into clean, drinkable water. Regularly scheduled water tests are vital to your well-being. The quality of your water can be negatively affected by dissolved solids, impurities, and heavy metals. On top of being a safety concern, these contaminates can cause your water to have an unpleasant taste or smell. Issues with your water also translate into scratchy laundry, cloudy water, accumulation of limestone, and degrade the health of your pipes.
Testing your water on a regular basis, is important because it identifies abnormalities before they become a problem. New homeowners should always have their water tested. Regular water tests allow you to keep track of the quality of your water over a long period of time. Furthermore, if you do make amendments to your water in response to any issues, you can make sure they are working. It is recommended that your water is tested annually, meanwhile shallow wells should be tested more frequently, due to a higher chance of groundwater contamination. We suggest testing shallow wells on a seasonal basis.
What Tests Do I Need?
In Ontario, Public Health tests for the presence of E. Coli and Coliform bacteria in your water. A water sample kit can be picked up from many local post offices, as well as public health offices. The kit provides you with a water sample container and specific instructions on how to collect and submit your sample. The water will be tested in a laboratory and you will soon after be informed whether your water is safe for consumption. This test is by far the most important, as it determines the safety of your drinking water. For more information about this testing, please visit publichealthontario.ca.
There are other tests that can be performed on your water, such as testing for the presence of iron, water hardness, and sulphur. These tests can be completed in your home by a plumbing professional.
What If I Fail My Water Test
It is not uncommon for your water results to come back showing contamination. Hand dug, older wells often have increased trouble with contamination, but there are always solutions. Some potential water treatment options include, UV Systems, Reverse Osmosis Systems, Water Softeners, Iron Filters, and Air Injectors.
If you have concerns about the quality of your drinking water, please contact us at Ward’s Water Pumps & Plumbing. We are happy to discuss your water treatment options.
RSS Feed