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North Florida Water Problems |
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There are several common water problems that can be identified by smelling
tasting, or observing the residue left behind in water. However, there are many
more possible problems that have no flavor, odor, or taste including toxic
substances. They must be tested in order to be detected.
Best Water staff is trained to perform a comprehensive in home water test and
we also have affiliations with certified and licensed laboratories for more
sophisticated testing at a reasonable cost.
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Acid Water
Looks like blue/green stains on fixtures.
Water, by its nature, wants to dissolve a little of everything it touches. Acid
water begins to form as rain comes into contact with pollutants in the
atmosphere and forms carbonic acid.
Acid water cannot be detected by odor, color, or taste in water but its
symptoms are very apparent in the home. If copper plumbing is present, acid
water can cause blue/green stains on plumbing fixtures and can dissolve chrome
faucets, fittings, and pipes. You are actually seeing part of your copper pipes
lying in the bottom of the sink and/or tub. Acid water can also etch china and
glass wear and corrode water-using appliances
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Algae/Bacteria/Mold
Bad taste probable odor
Different forms of organic (living matter) can cause your water to taste bad,
often imparting a grassy, musty, or earthy odor. Sometimes these issues have
proven to be meaningful clues to health risks such as dangerous bacteria.
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Hard Water
Looks like scale build up on fixtures
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85% of the United States has Hard
Water. In North Florida hard water is formed when water flows through the lime
rock in our Karst topography and dissolves calcium and magnesium carrying it
into our homes. These minerals bind with metal reducing the efficiency of hot
water heaters and causing excessive wear to our water using appliances.
Hard minerals also bind with soap and detergents to create "soap scum" that
sticks to shower walls and fixtures making them difficult to keep clean. Soap
scum also binds to our clothing - dulls the colors and causes premature textile
wear. Worse of all, soap scum sticks to our skin and hair causing dry, itchy
skin and lifeless, unruly hair.
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Hydrogen Sulfide
Smells like rotten eggs
Hydrogen sulfide or "sulfur" tastes and smells like rotten eggs. It is a gas
created by decaying vegetation and oil deposits beneath the earth's surface.
Water with hydrogen sulfide discolors coffee, tea, and other beverages and
ruins the flavor of cooked food. It is particularly obnoxious in the shower
often making the entire house smell foul.
Hydrogen Sulfide in water is very aggressive and can dissolve plumbing metals
such as iron, steel, copper, and brass and any exposed metal parts in washing
machines and other water using appliances. It darkens and discolors silverware;
copper, and brass cook wear and utensils.
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Iron and Manganese
Visible stains, possible metallic or bitter taste
Iron water is created when water dissolves iron-bearing rocks. Because iron is
the fourth most abundant element on earth it can be found in all types of water
supplies, especially on the East Coast of the U.S. It can also be caused,
usually temporarily, by water standing in iron pipes. Iron stains sinks,
clothing, and linens, and it can form scale on pipes and water using
appliances. It makes water look, smell, and taste bad.
Iron is found in several forms: Ferric (red water), Ferrous (clear water),
Organically complexed with tannins, and Colloidal (the color does not settle at
the bottom of a glass). Iron Bacteria often feed on iron leaving stringy,
slimy, or a mucus substance along the walls of a toilet tank.
Manganese enters water when dissolved from the earth's crust. Although not
prevalent in North Florida water, this inorganic compound does show up in some
local wells. It causes a
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brownish/black staining and adds a bitter taste to water. Detergents do not
remove these stains and use of chlorine and other alkaline products such as
sodium carbonate can intensify the stains. Manganese Bacteria feed on this
element and also may cause problems. Although harmless, manganese bacteria can
form gelatinous growths that may plug pipes or break free in "slugs" of dirty,
iron-laden water with unpleasant tastes, odors and staining in laundry.
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Turbidity
Looks like milky water
Turbidity is simply dirt or other suspended soils such as dissolved lime rock
or silica or run-off of other organic matter into water supplies. These solids
cause a cloudy or milky appearance. In addition to looking unpleasant they can
clog small water openings and cause wear on plumbing valves, seats, and
washers. While these particles are generally invisible to the naked eye when
only a few are present they are sometimes prolific enough to clog a water pipe.
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Nitrate/Nitrite
Undetectable smell or taste.
Nitrates (NO3) are a naturally occurring and introduced form of nitrogen, which
is very mobile in water. They are predominately found in water that has been
affected by chemical fertilizers and livestock or poultry operations. Elevated
nitrate levels pose an immediate threat to infants and to lactating women.
Long-term exposure can be harmful to young children and can cause chronic
illness in adults.
Nitrites are indications of bacterial contamination in the water. Levels of
nitrites as low as 1 ppm (parts per million) can be harmful to humans.
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Chlorine and other disinfectants
Smells and tastes like swimming pool water.
Chlorine was first added to drinking water in the early 1900's to control the
spread of typhoid, cholera, and other diseases. It was identified as a health
hazard more than 30 years ago when scientists discovered that chlorine reacts
with naturally occurring organic matter in water to produce trihalomethanes
(THM's) Among this group of four disinfectant byproducts two have been found to
be carcinogenic. Reports indicate that long-term exposure to chlorinated water
appears to increase a person's risk of bladder and liver cancer by up to 80%.
Research has also shown our largest organ (our skin) absorbs unhealthy chlorine
and chlorine compounds (THM's) in the shower, bath, and swimming pool.
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Biological Pathogens
Invisible, no odor or taste
Waterborne organisms that can cause disease in humans. They include cysts like
Cryptosporidium and Giardia; bacteria like typhus, fecal coliform (e-coli) and
cholera; and viruses like influenza. These organisms typically cause unpleasant
intestinal disorders and pose a significant threat to the immune-impaired. In
1993, 109 citizens of Milwaukee, Wisconsin died from an outbreak of
Cryptosporidium.
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Lead
Invisible, no odor or taste
Used extensively in plumbing materials (pipes and lead-based solder) until the
late 1980's, lead can leach into water supplies. Lead has also been found
locally in water coming from wells. Low levels of lead have been linked to
learning disabilities in young children and high levels can cause hypertension
in adults.
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Heavy Metals
Invisible, no odor or taste
Metals like mercury, zinc, copper and cadmium usually enter the water supply as
industrial waste and, in excessive amounts can cause physiological damage to
humans and mammals - including damage to the central nervous system. For years
high levels of mercury have been found in our Florida environment ultimately
blamed on the grandfathered coal-fired power plants in the Southeastern U.S.
Mercury has proven detrimental to large mammals across the State. High mercury
levels have been found in sea trout in the Gulf of Mexico and bass in the St
John's River.
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VOC's
Invisible, no odor or taste
Volatile organic compounds such as the petroleum distillate benzene and the
industrial degreasing solution trichloroethylene have been found in North
Florida water supplies. High concentrations of VOC's are linked to organ damage
and cancer in humans.
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Arsenic
Invisible, no odor or taste
Numerous wells in North Florida have tested positive for high levels of
Arsenic. Both a natural and manufacturing induced ground water contaminant,
arsenic is linked to various cancers and may damage the circulatory and central
nervous systems.
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Radium/Radon
Invisible, no odor or taste
Naturally occurring radioactive elements linked to cancer in humans. Radon gas
has been found dissolved in the water in some local wells. This water presents
a health risk when it is consumed. The gas also escapes from the water into the
air and it is absorbed through inhalation during washing and showering.
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