Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – To understand drinking water quality, we must first dive into what is commonly found in drinking water across the country.
Some compounds are added to water, while others can inadvertently infiltrate drinking water through groundwater or be accidentally introduced into the water system.
What is in the Water?
Chlorine and chloramines are added to the water supply to help reduce bacterial growth inside the piping that conveys the drinking water. It was first introduced into U.S. water systems in the early 1900’s to kill waterborne pathogens and prevent diseases such as typhoid fever.
The main objective of this chlorine addition is to disinfect the water and maintain chlorine residuals as it travels through the distribution system, keeping it safe until it reaches the tap for use.
Unfortunately, this means municipal water contains measurable amounts of free chlorine and chloramines. “Free” indicates that chlorine is present in the water and is still able to sanitize and disinfect. This is why you must treat the water in a fish tank with a conditioner so it won’t harm the fish or the microorganisms that keep them healthy.
Fluoride was first introduced into municipal water systems in the late 40’s to help combat cavities and tooth decay, but with increased awareness about dental health and the use of fluoride toothpaste, many question whether fluoride should still be added to treated municipal water.
Just because you have a well does not rule out the possibility of fluoride in the water. Fluoride has been known to infiltrate groundwater from natural and man-made sources, such as industrial runoff.
PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” are a group of man-made chemicals that persist for years. They have been used in countless consumer products and in many manufacturing processes. According to the EPA, exposure to PFAS can lead to the following:
- reproductive effects such as reduced fertility
- developmental issues in children
- increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers
- Reduced ability of the immune system to fight infections
- Hormonal interference
- Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity
There is currently no consensus on what levels of PFAS should be considered “safe,” and many ongoing studies are determining what those levels actually are. Just as with fluoride, PFAS can infiltrate groundwater supplies and affect wells.
Heavy Metals like lead, cadmium, and aluminum. These can infiltrate groundwater and leach from older piping systems into drinking water.
Viruses, bacteria, parasites, and organic compounds (such as tannins from plant material) can enter the water system accidentally through contamination from a piping break or an unintentional cross-connection. When this happens, the affected municipality will issue a boil order for its customers, usually hours after the problem began and the water became contaminated. Private wells are highly susceptible to bacteria and organic contaminants because they lack chlorination.
How can we remove contaminants?
Now that we’ve laid out what can be found in drinking water, how do we effectively remove it?
Some have turned to carbon filters to clean their water, but they have drawbacks. What most people don’t know is that their refrigerator’s carbon filter is quite limited on what it can “filter” out.
Carbon filters work by allowing the water passing through them to come into contact with the carbon in the filter, so higher flow rates result in less filtration. Also, carbon filters are only marketed to “help improve taste and odor.”
Let’s look at the limitations of carbon filters:
- Carbon filters only help improve taste and odor.
- Carbon filters remove some heavy metals, PFAS (forever chemicals), and parasites that might enter the water system.
- Carbon filters will not remove viruses, bacteria*, arsenic, dissolved solids such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, and other inorganic minerals, and fluoride.
*Some carbon filters can control bacterial growth within the filter, but they must be listed as using a silver-impregnated carbon
A reverse osmosis (RO) system will remove everything we have discussed thus far.
Chris West Plumbing’s Aqua-Flo Reverse Osmosis water filters do this through 4 different filter stages:
- 5-micron Sediment Filter. This pre-filter removes large particles of sediment or organic matter, helping extend the life of the other three filters.
- Pre-Carbon Filter. This is the first of two carbon filters, which remove additional compounds from the water before it flows through the RO membrane.
- Reverse Osmosis Membrane. This is where the system gets its name, and where the magic happens. The semi-permeable membrane will remove up to 99% of the total solids not filtered by the first- and second-stage filters. It is a slow process, so these systems are used in conjunction with a storage tank to allow you at least 2 gallons of filtered water on demand. Once it leaves the storage tank, it passes through one final stage:
- Post-Carbon Filter. This last stage allows the water to pass through a second carbon filter to remove any taste or odor that may have come from the storage tank before it reaches the dedicated RO faucet installed in your kitchen sink. These dedicated drinking water faucets can be custom-ordered to perfectly match your existing kitchen faucet.
Peace of Mind. With an R.O. system installed, you never have to worry about the cleanliness of your drinking water. Whether you are issued a boil order, notice dingy brown water one night in the shower, or an unknown contaminant enters your plumbing system, you can have total peace of mind knowing that your drinking water is always filtered and safe.
Clean Water is a Choice. Understanding what is in your drinking water and the potential negative health impacts is the first step. Carbon filters are a basic improvement, but Reverse Osmosis is true filtration.
Contact us today for more information and to schedule a consultation. Click here to access our website, email us at customer@chriswestplumbing.com, or call (870) 931-9634.
