Tag Archives: contaminants

Post-Hurricane Guidelines for Private Well Owners

 

Florida got pummeled by Hurricane Irma last week and, unfortunately, our north-central region suffered more than its fair share of Irma’s wrath:  fallen trees, power outages, ripped roofs, debris, water damage, gas shortages. Best Water Solutions sends our condolences to everyone affected.

As electricity returns and the flood water subsides, many homes and businesses need to be aware of possible contamination to their water supply by disease-causing organisms resulting from the flooding.

The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County issued a press release with helpful guidelines for users of private well systems, including recommendations to sanitize the well and test the well water for coliform bacteria. The Department of Health’s full press release is posted online here:  http://www.alachuacounty.us/news/pages/story.aspx?itemid=199

Best Water Solutions has a team of technicians certified by the Water Quality Assocation (WQA) and are available to evaluate your well to ensure that you have SAFE & PURE water. A complete list of our service offerings are listed on our website HERE. 

Image of iron bacteria in toilet tank

Got Slime? If You’re on Well Water, Here’s Why

Iron Bacteria in Your Well Water May Be to Blame

Have you ever opened the tank on the back of your toilet and been greeted with a scene like this? Are there red-brown stains, crusts, and gross slime all over the inside, sides, and bottom of the toilet tank? If your home or business uses well water, this daunting problem is more often than not caused by tiny, unseen culprits:  oxidizing bacteria, more commonly known as Iron Bacteria.

What is Iron Bacteria?

Iron Bacteria (Gallionella) are small organisms that cause huge issues and are common in wells and other ground water sources. They produce buildup (such as rust, debris, and slime) in water by chemically merging iron and oxygen, further changing the characteristics of the water supply. While there are no reported health side effects, it can cause the quality of the water to be unacceptable to many people. Aside from the slime found in toilet tanks and other places where water accumulates from systems (for example:  water tanks, water heaters, bladder tanks, etc.), an Iron Bacteria population can cause unpleasant odors and tastes, severe water discoloration, and changes to the texture and flow of water through your home.

How can Iron Bacteria impact me?

The largest impact that oxidizing bacteria can have on you and your home are the problems it can create in the future. First, it causes damage and clogging in your pipes as well as in appliances and systems that use water. The bacteria film congregates in pipes, plumbing, and especially in any standing water fixtures. This leaves significant amounts of debris in the water and can eventually clog pipes and reduce water flow. The remaining flow will most likely be rust-colored and musty-smelling. Second, the contaminated water creates an ecosystem that encourages growth and accumulation of other, more harmful bacteria, as well as chemicals and hazardous compounds. Bacterial iron contaminations often are associated with the smell of rotten eggs, because it encourages accumulation of sulfur (the source of the smell). It can also encourage growth of coliform bacteria, leading to health risks. If left unchecked, this can lead to the need for expensive system-wide plumbing repairs as well as potential negative health effects.

How can I tell if my water supply has Iron Bacteria?

To see if you may have Iron Bacteria in your water, here’s what to check for:

  • Rust colored or red-brown stains in sinks, tubs, and toilets near faucets or other points of water entry.
  • Slimy, similarly-colored grime or build-up in areas with water flowing or standing, ESPECIALLY inside the toilet tank.
  • Thin film on the water surface, floating debris, or “oily” feeling to the water.
  • Staining of clothes, dishes, and other surfaces frequently exposed to well water.
  • Unpleasant or strange odors from the water (“musty,” “swampy,” “rotten-egg,” “metallic,” or various others).

If you have any of these qualities present in your water, or if you aren’t sure if that’s what you’re dealing with, we’re here to help ꟷ don’t hesitate to contact us today! We’ll work to develop an effective custom solution to your water problems.

Best Water Solutions offers complimentary in-home water testing and consultation to determine what is in your water, as well as water treatment options available to help you reach the goals you have for your family and home. We have practical, proven, cost-effective technologies that ensure your family drinks great tasting, contaminant-free water.

Say “Goodbye!” to the slime, and make your water SAFE and PURE today!

Schedule your FREE water analysis online here or call us:
Gainesville:  352-372-2707
Ocala:  352-369-1707

 

 

Sources: Minnesota Department of Health, National Groundwater Association, and Penn State University.

 

 

Child drinking RO water

What’s REALLY in Your City Water?

Do you ever wonder what’s actually in your city water? Drinking water represents only 1% of the water treated by municipalities.  The other 99% is “working water” which is used to flush toilets, water lawns, shower, brush teeth, wash hair, do laundry, wash dishes, clean,  fight fires, etc. Is it reasonable to expect that “working water” be brought up to the level of pure drinking water? The cost would be prohibitively foolish.

We are fortunate that municipalities in US disinfect water to remove disease-causing agents like bacteria and viruses which cause serious gastrointestinal illnesses and other problems. However, Chlorine and Chloramine, chemicals used to sanitize city water, create by-products such as Haloacidic acids (HOACs) and Trihalomethanes (THMs) −several of which are proven to cause cancer.

Municipalities are required by the EPA to diminish the level of some of the contaminants in city water, but they are not required to completely eliminate them. Numerous new chemicals have been invented and have ended up in our water supply since the Safe Drinking Water Act was enacted in December 16, 1974. Therefore, no minimum standards for an overwhelming majority of these contaminants have been established to protect our drinking water. Many impurities like endocrine (hormonal) disruptors, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, Chromium-6, and several others remain in city water.

Municipal water treatment plants do a great job at sending disinfection chemicals like chlorine into the water distribution system to protect the water.  However, on the way to our homes water can become contaminated by:

  • Leaching from pipe walls
  • Leaks in pipes
  • Repairs and replacements of pipes
  • Cross connection with waste
  • Corrosion from the water distribution system and from home plumbing
  • Biofilms, which are a collection of organic and inorganic materials (living and dead) in which cells stick together and adhere to surfaces regularly in contact with water such as water pipes.   Microorganisms in biofilms can include bacteria, protozoa, and fungi. Current research has revealed that viruses and parasites can get trapped in biofilms after a contamination event such as a break, leak, or repair in a water pipe.  There is concern for the potential of coliform bacteria growth in the pipe network.  Some microbes may separate from biofilm producing odor, color, or taste problems in drinking water.

Once the water reaches our home it is up to us to prevent our family and pets from ingesting contaminants that may pose a health hazard and to limit exposure to unpleasant odors, taste and color in the water.

Best Water Solutions offers complimentary in-home water testing and consultation to determine what is in your water, as well as water treatment options available to help you reach the goals you have for your family and home. We have practical, proven, cost-effective technologies that ensure your family drinks great tasting, contaminant free water.

Discover how to make your water SAFE and PURE Today!

Contact us:

Gainesville: 352-372-2707 Ocala: 352-369-1707

Schedule your FREE Water Analysis today by filling out this form!

Or Email us: info@BestWaterSolutions.com

Visit our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BWSFlorida/

Tweet us: @BestWaterFL

contamination in baby water

Dangers of Nitrates in Water

Nitrates are one of the most common and widespread contaminants in Florida. Waste disposal (particularly from animal farming), the increase of artificial fertilizers in homes and farms, septic systems, and changes in land has caused an increase in the levels of Nitrates in groundwater supplies throughout North Florida through the years.

Effects on Your Infant

Although high levels of Nitrates are not a direct threat for adults, it can affect your infant. Nitrates present a serious health concern for infants six months or younger. If bottle-fed babies drink formula made with water high in Nitrates, or if an infant drinks water or juice containing Nitrates, they can develop a potentially fatal condition: “blue baby syndrome.” This is when Nitrates interfere with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.

Nitrates do not change the smell, taste, or color of your water, making it very hard to detect without a water test.

Boiling Water Worsens the Problem

Do NOT boil water that may contain Nitrates. Boiling water will not decrease Nitrates, rather it INCREASES the concentration by evaporating water and leaving Nitrates behind.

Test Your Drinking Water on a Regular Basis

Testing is done frequently for contaminants in municipal water supplies at the treatment plant. However, contaminants can sneak in as it travels through water mains and your own home plumbing. Therefore, we highly recommend you test your drinking water on a regular basis unless you have a water treatment system.

Well Water

If your drinking water comes from a private well make sure you test your water annually. This ensures it is free of Nitrates and other contaminants. This is most important in North Florida drinking water where pollution from runoff at dairy farms, chicken farms, and crop farms is increasing.

We Can Help

Best Water successfully removes Nitrates using water treatment equipment such as Reverse Osmosis, Ion Exchange, and Distillation. Mechanical filters (including “pitcher filters” like Brita) or chemical disinfection, such as chlorination, do NOT remove Nitrates from water.

Want to learn more and let us test your water, call us:

Gainesville: (352) 372-2707 – Ocala: (352) 369-1707

You can also complete the online form HERE and a member of our team will contact you to make an appointment at your earliest convenience.