THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO WATER TREATMENT

Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines. Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years  —  and have not been reviewed in over 40 years. 

The Clean Water Act of 1977 only covered a minimal amount of conventional, non-conventional, and toxic pollutants. It extended the compliance deadlines for industries acting in good faith and enhanced the industrial pretreatment program to safeguard municipal treatment plants. It did not focus on drinking water quality, so the legal limits are where they are now. 

Additionally, we've made medical advancements since the '70s, discovering more information about drinking water contaminants and how they affect the body.  

Scott M. Bartell, PhD from UC Irvine says "since 2019, our research team at UCI has led a study to learn how drinking water that contains PFAS may affect the health of adults and children in Orange County... exposure to these “forever” chemicals can cause decreased vaccine response, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, hypertension during pregnancy, and other health problems." Proceed with caution when relying on federal water quality standards. 

Local Water Quality Quick Links:

• Spokane, WA water quality  
• Deer Park, WA water quality
• Coeur d’Alene, ID water quality  
• Post Falls, ID water quality 

Check your local water contamination: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/

There are over 90 drinking water contaminants. All of which can cause adverse side effects, especially in children. The EPA found that drinking water contaminants are “associated with increased risk of a range of diseases in children, including acute diseases such as gastrointestinal illness, developmental effects such as learning disorders, endocrine disruption, and cancer… children tend to take in more water relative to their body weight than adults do, children are likely to have higher exposure to drinking water contaminants.”

DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS

1. Harmful Microorganisms

• Examples: Bacteria (e.g., E. coli), viruses & parasites
• Source: Human sewage & animal waste
• Signs: Cloudiness, unusual taste or odor, gastrointestinal illness, or symptoms like nausea and diarrhea

2. Chemical Contaminants

• Examples: Pesticides, heavy metals (lead, arsenic), nitrates, nitrites, & industrial chemicals
• Source: Chemical fertilizers, human sewage, animal waste & fertilizers
• Signs: Unpleasant taste or odor, discoloration, methemoglobinemia or "blue baby syndrome" in infants (shortness of breath or blueness in the skin), or symptoms like headaches and fatigue

3. Heavy Metals

• Examples: Arsenic, antimony, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, & more
• Source: Household plumbing, service lines, mining operations, petroleum refineries, electronics manufacturers, municipal waste disposal, cement plants, and natural mineral deposits
• Signs: Brown, yellow, or orange discoloration of water. Intake can risk acute and chronic toxicity, liver, kidney, and intestinal damage, anemia, and cancer

4. Organic Chemicals

• Examples: Benzene, tetrachloroethylene, chloride, trihalomethanes, dichloromethane, styrene, MTBE, PFAS, carbofuran, etc.
• Source: Inks, dyes, pesticides, paints, pharmaceuticals, solvents, petroleum products, sealants, and disinfectants
• Signs: Chemical taste/smell. Intake may cause damage to the kidneys, liver, circulatory system, nervous system, and reproductive system

5. Radionuclides 

• Examples: Uranium & radium
• Source: Uranium mining and milling, coal mining, and nuclear power production
• Signs: No visible signs. Intake can cause toxic kidney effects and increase the risk of cancer

6. Flouride

• Source: Rocks & soil in aquifers & private wells. 
• Signs: No visible signs. Excess fluoride consumption can cause skeletal fluorosis, (pain and tenderness of bones and joints), may cause dental fluorosis (during a formative period of tooth enamel), tooth discoloration, and/or pitting of teeth

7. Nuisance Organisms

• Examples: Iron bacteria & sulfur bacteria
• Signs: No bodily harm. Yellow, orange, purple, black or brown stains, rainbow sheen on the water, slimy buildup, swampy or rotten egg smell, corroded metal piping, discoloration of silverware
• Source: soil, sediment, shallow groundwater, surface water, and environments rich in hydrogen sulfide

SIGNS OF HARD WATER

• Soap scum
• Dry skin
• Dry hair 
• Calcium/limescale buildup
• Damaged appliances 
• Low water pressure
• Fading of laundry colors
• Spots on dishes
• Difficulty lathering soap 

Where your water comes from points to what kind of water contaminants you may have  —  and why you might have them. If you have to pay a water bill, you have city water. If you don't have a water bill, you have well water. 

CITY WATER

City water goes through a treatment plant to add chemicals that separate sediment from the water. City water is treated differently in each community. 

According to the PBS, "there are no federal limits on half of the contaminants detected in drinking water... establishing such regulations takes years." Drinking water regulations are outdated and not necessarily safe." PBS also states "Control of the nation’s water supply is broken up into often tiny, localized jurisdictions... but water systems don’t start and end at property lines, said Sunil Sinha, a civil engineering professor who directs the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Management program at Virginia Tech. In some parts of the U.S., current water systems were put in place more than 100 years ago. Oftentimes, those systems have since been ignored."

WELL WATER

Well water doesn't go through a treatment plant. If you have well water, you are responsible for testing your own water. 

Washington State University (WSU) states, "Contaminants could show up in your drinking water, potentially putting your family’s health at risk. Because you may not taste, smell, or see many types of contaminants, the state Department of Health (DOH) believes regular water testing is very important."

If you have well water, the Department of Health recommends that "private well owners test their drinking water every year for coliform bacteria and nitrate. These two contaminants rapidly could affect a person’s health—possibly even with just one drink of water. If your nitrate level is 5 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or higher, you may want to re-test in six months" (WSU).

They also recommend "testing for arsenic—once in summer and again in winter—to check any seasonal influences that may occur. Though arsenic does not cause rapid health effects, continued consumption over a relatively short time could lead to health concerns" (WSU).

WELL WATER SHOCK CHLORINATION — EFFECTIVENESS  

Often shock chlorination, or bleach, is used to try to treat well water. 

Shock chlorination is not effective. 

According to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), bleach as a "chlorine chemical is particularly ineffective (and potentially damaging to well components) when used to disinfect wells with water that is alkaline and hard...Any attempt to use shock chlorination inside a water well to do anything other than to obtain a negative result from a test for the presence or absence of a single colony of harmless bacteria is fruitless. Well-owner shock chlorination treatment will do little or nothing to control or prevent the growth of biomass, and iron- and sulfur-reducing bacteria."

"Effective water well treatment methods for the temporary control of coliform and iron-, and sulfur-reducing bacteria should and can only be performed when the pump is out of the well. The well can then be brushed, bailed, and disinfected using National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) approved commercial well treatment chemicals and methods applied by qualified and licensed water well contractors" (CALS).

"Well owners should also consider home water treatment devices either for the entire home (point of entry) or at the point of use" states the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. 

If you have concerns about your water, have it tested. This will reveal exactly what is in your water, providing concrete answers. 

Water testing differs significantly based on what you are looking for. Ensure you get your water tested at a certified laboratory (state-certified or EPA-certified) as they follow health standards and regulations. 

If you’re looking to purchase a water testing kit, SimpleLabs offers certified mail-in water testing kits. If you're in the Eastern Washington or Northern Idaho area, EcoWater Spokane offers certified complimentary water testing. Contact us to get started. 

When looking for a water treatment company, you’ll want to ensure they meet industry standards. Certain companies can get away with selling water filtration systems that don’t filter certain water contaminants. Additionally, you’ll want to look for a company that has trustworthy customer service when you eventually need maintenance. The less a water system needs maintenance, the higher the quality of the system. 

CERTIFICATIONS TO LOOK FOR 

• NSF/ANSI 42
  • Filters are certified to reduce aesthetic impurities such as chlorine and taste/odor. These can be point-of-use (under the sink, water pitcher, etc.) or point-of-entry (whole house) treatment systems.

• NSF/ANSI 53
  • Filters are certified to reduce a contaminant with a Health Canada and EPA. health eect. Health eects are set in this standard as regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Canada. Both standards 42 and 53 cover adsorption/filtration which is a process that occurs when liquid, gas or dissolved/suspended matter adheres to the surface of, or in the pores of, an adsorbent media. Carbon filters are an example of this type of product.

• NSF/ANSI 58
  • Reverse osmosis systems incorporate a process that uses reverse pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane. Most reverse osmosis systems incorporate one or more additional filters on either side of the membrane. Filters are certified to reduce a contaminant with a Health Canada and EPA.

• NSF/ANSI 401
  • Treatment systems for emerging contaminants include both point-of-use and point-of-entry systems that have been verified to reduce one or more of 15 emerging contaminants from drinking water. These emerging contaminants can be pharmaceuticals or chemicals not yet regulated by the EPA or Health Canada.

EcoWater Spokane has all of these certifications, which is why we have been Eastern Washington & Northern Idaho’s trusted water provider.