Water Quality Tips For Your Home

August is National Water Quality Month so we’re wondering, have you tested your water quality lately? Water is one of the most important things that we consume so we should make sure that the quality is consistently up to par.

If your water comes from a public water system, the water is monitored and tested, and the results are reported to federal or state agencies that make sure it meets the National Primary Drinking Water Standards. If there are contaminants in the water that might cause illness or other problems, your water company must notify you.

You may also receive an annual water quality report (or Consumer Confidence Report) from a community water system that provides your water. It is normally included with the July bill. This report contains information on any contaminants that have been found, what health effects they may cause and what the source of the water is. If you do not receive this report, you can ask your water company for it.

If your water is not from a public water system or if you have a private well, the responsibility for ensuring that the water is safe is yours. The EPA highly recommends testing your water routinely for the most common contaminants. These contaminants include nitrates, total coliform bacteria, total dissolved solids, and pH levels. Also be mindful of the distance between your well and your septic system, and the quality of the well casing, pumps and pipes.

Even if your water is pure and safe, regular testing will help you establish a record of your water quality, which can be helpful in solving problems you may have in the future or getting compensation if your water supply is damaged by someone else.

Also, if you’re going to have a new baby in the house, you want to consider testing your water more frequently.If expecting, you should test for nitrate in the early months of the pregnancy, before you bring the baby home and again during the first six months of your baby’s life.

Signs that you should get your water tested include unexplained family illnesses, taste, odor, color, staining of fixtures or clothing. To hire a local pro to test your water, check out our listings!