Importance of Understanding Water Treatment Processes
It is nearly impossible to guarantee all public water systems produce safe water. They collect both surface and groundwater, and those sources are never completely free of contaminants. This is why home- and business-based water treatment systems are popular. Water filtration creates safer water and addresses the contaminants that may be affecting taste and safety. Here is why you should understand water treatment processes and consider investing in a filtration system:
- Contamination is common—and easy: When water is treated in public systems, it is vulnerable to contamination through all stages of its journey. Before collection, it is found in natural sources, where it is exposed to runoff, stormwater and industrial waste. Groundwater and well water are not spared from this. They are exposed to disease-causing pathogens that may arise from nearby landfills and septic systems.
- Public treatment is not always enough: Collected water goes to a treatment plant. There it is disinfected with chlorine, which intends to make the water safe for consumption. However, while this may kill bacteria, it also produces hazardous byproducts like trihalomethanes and halogenic acetic acids (THMs and HAAs). These can have adverse health effects. Once treated, water is stored until distribution. During this time, it can be contaminated through water main breaks, microorganisms and exposure to sewer lines.
- There is a risk of acute health conditions: Many of the contaminants in water can cause anything from digestive distress to organ shutdown. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting and eye or skin irritation. Perchlorate, a neurotoxin sometimes found in public drinking water, may cause thyroid dysfunction and developmental health risks in infants and fetuses. Other reports include cancer, reduced bone density, Type II diabetes and liver failure. Since many water treatment plants may not discover the danger until there are multiple health complaints, there could be a ticking health time bomb existing in your tap water.
- Water filtration can help: Consider water testing if you are concerned about your water quality or if a new weird taste or other development occurs. These tests can analyze whether your water is safe and contaminants are within acceptable parameters. However, studies advocate water filtration systems and have standards for judging them. Depending on your concerns and common contaminants in your area, the right system can keep you safe and produce purer water. Filter starts at Standard 42, which addresses elements that affect taste, to Standard 61, which addresses the minimum standards for preventing health effects.
- Filtration reduces costs: When water is considered questionable or merely tastes funny, people are more likely to purchase bottled water and produce additional costs and waste. If your employees or household members are more likely to drink filtered tap water, it will reduce costs on bottled water or hauling bottles for garbage or recycling.
M.L. Ball Company, Inc. is a leading supplier of water treatment systems and water filtration solutions. If you are ready for safer, better-tasting water, contact our experts today to find a system that will work best for your home or business.
Categorised in: Water Filtration, Water Treatment Systems