Well Water - Odor, Taste, and Stain Pains By Andy Boure I
t is undeniable that water is essential to human health and well-being. When your water supply comes from a private well instead of a public source it is your responsibility to protect the quality of that water. Maine has a very high well water population, with an estimated 57% of homeowners relying on private wells. This makes homeowner education for measuring water quality and implementing required corrections so important to preserving the Family Home.
With well water comes a variety of elements that can cause
physical effects we see, taste, and smell. These noticeable nui- sances do not necessarily pose an immediate risk to our health, but they can impact the lifespan of many home necessities we count on each day. There are some common elements in our Maine well water that at certain levels lead to aesthetic, cosmetic, and techni- EPA as secondary contaminants because they are known to cause undesirable physical effects.
Water pH levels are measured on a scale of 1 to 14 with a
normal range being 6.5 to 8.5. Low pH, less than 6.5, is considered causing damage to plumbing, a sour taste, laundry staining, and blue-green stains in drains. Water pH above 8.5 indicates a high level of alkaline. Alkaline water can cause problems such as bitter electric water heaters. There are a number of whole house treat- ment options that use calcite or anion media to correct pH imbalance.
and cause odor issues. Underground the gas remains trapped within the water. When water is pumped from your well to the plumbing system, then dispensed from a hot or cold water outlet, scribed as a musty, swampy, or rotten egg odor. There are a number of water treatment options to correct this concern including carbon water is dispensed it is most likely the magnesium control rod in the electric hot water heater. This magnesium rod can chemically
hot water only odor concerns.
solved solids" commonly known to cause physical non-health related effects to our water experience are iron, manganese, water hardness and sodium-chlorides. Elevated levels of iron can cause rusty colored staining of laundry, porcelain, dishes, utensils, glass- ware, and a metallic water taste. Manganese acts in a similar way causing a brownish-black stain. Soaps or detergents do not remove these stains and use of chlorine bleach may actually intensify the stains. Water hardness is something you may have felt the last time residue. Hard water residue is not dangerous but is unsightly caus- ing mineral buildup in appliances, spotting on glassware, and a variety of skin irritations. When hard water is heated, solid deposits and clogging pipes. There are a number of water softener options that will remove iron, manganese, and hard water concerns. High amounts of sodium chloride cause a salty water taste, leave white ing, appliances, and water heaters. Reverse Osmosis is the recom- mended approach to correcting elevated sodium chlorides in a well water supply.
time to test your well water. The good news is there are plenty of resources and proven solutions available to correct all water nui- sance concerns in Maine well water.
and provides a number of services that include test- ing, analysis, and treatment solutions. Our number one priority is community education, so contact us as needed with water qualty questions or guidance on the right treatment solution. Home health relies on
the quality of the water that runs through it and testing is the only more information, visit:
www.deadriver.com/dunbarwater or call
www.EssentialLivingMaine.com 17
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