Contaminants found most often in Twin Cities drinking water

“What’s in your drinking water?” This question was asked recently by The Washingtonian in a very well-written article which focused on the quality of water in and around Washington, D.C. The city gets its water from the Potamac River, a surface water source (Minneapolis and St Paul get theirs from another surface source, the Mississippi River). The article noted:

In tests conducted by the USGS between 2003 and 2005, trace amounts of 26 chemical compounds were detected in Potomac River water, including the herbicide 2,4-D, a component of Agent Orange, and insecticides including DEET. Atrazine, a chemical commonly used in weed killers, has been associated with intersex in amphibians and has been found in many rivers, including the Potomac. Studies revealed that male frogs exposed to atrazine produce eggs in their testes, the same phenomenon seen with intersex fish.

The whole article can be read by clicking here.

Haferman Water Conditioning makes sure to know what’s in your drinking water, and how to best remove these foreign objects. There are many different contaminants that can be found in tap water, and here are some of the most common:

Arsenic

The level of arsenic in groundwater widely varies, and is the result of rock formations that contain the contaminant. Very low levels are not harmful, but high levels can damage skin and increase the risk of cancer.

Nitrate

This is a chemical found most often in manure, fertilizers and the liquid waste emptied from septic tanks. Nitrate often affects well water systems that are shallow, not very well constructed or not properly located. If ingested, it can be hazardous, especially for small children and pregnant women.

Microorganisms

Microorganisms include bacteria and viruses that can cause illness, and death in the most severe cases. The microorganisms found in drinking and tap water are the result of animal and human waste products washed into bodies of water. These are usually treated by municipal water systems, so it’s rare to find a case of contamination from these microbes. Water systems are required to test for contaminants that can indicate waste products, including e. coli and coliform, which are not permitted in public drinking water supplies.

Other common contaminants

• Radioactivity (Radon)
• Methane
• Lead
• Chromium
• Calcium
• Aluminum
• Chloride
• Fluoride

Please visit our page on Twin Cities Kinetico Water Filters for more information.

The Ins & Outs of Water Softeners

Noticing an increase in soap scum on your shower doors? It might be hard water, and you might need to have a water softener installed. We recently wrote an article about the ins and outs of water softeners, and noted:

If your home or business is plagued with hard water, one of the best ways to get rid of it is to have a water softener installed. The appliance runs on the convention that calcium and magnesium ions will switch places with ions that result in softer water (i.e. sodium, etc.). The amount of sodium added to your drinking water is minimal and well below FDA standards.

Hard water might not seem like much of a problem, but it can lead to your showers not getting you as clean as possible and can leave your dishes and shower doors looking unkempt. The best solution to the problem may be to call a Minneapolis water softeners specialist and see what can be done to remove the hard water from your home. There will be an initial cost, but you'll save so much more by not having to constantly fight hard water.

Read the entire article: "Water Softeners: The Ins and Outs of Water Softening."

How to Select the Right Water Treatment System

Water isn't as cut and dry as you'd think. Actually, it's not dry at all, but that is beside the point.

Getting water to a point where it will do the least amount of damage to your home's plumbing usually takes a water conditioning system. Most of the complaints about water come from it being "hard," which means that it contains a certain level of calcium and magnesium. Hardness is measured by how much of those two elements are in each gallon; 1 to 3.5 grains, and your water is considered "slightly hard." Another complaint is water that has a bad taste to it.

A water conditioning system can help improve your water. There are actually several types of systems, and a recent article by AZCentral.com described a bit about what each one does to your water.

Water softening system:

"The main way of reducing water hardness is by installing an ion exchange water softener. It will remove the scale-forming calcium and magnesium, replacing them with sodium chloride or potassium chloride."

Water purification system:

"To improve the taste of Arizona water, consider reverse-osmosis drinking-water systems. These units fit under the kitchen sink and will supply water to a holding tank, and, in some cases, connect to a refrigerator.Water flows through a sediment filter, which removes large particulates, then goes through a carbon filter to remove organic material, chlorine and the bad taste."

Catalytic system:

"...a catalytic system will provide soft water without using sodium chloride or potassium chloride as water softeners do."

You can learn more about different water treatment systems, including Minneapolis water softeners, by getting in touch with Haferman Water today at (952) 894-4040.

Benefits of a Water Softener

A water softener can bring a number of different benefits to your home or business. We've compiled a few and listed them below. If you're on the fence about whether or not you want to have a water softening system installed on your property, read the benefits below; you might reconsider.

Cleaning is easier. Hard water contains certain minerals that can leave white spots on your glassware, and can also require to use more soap or detergent. A water softener can help you cut down on expenses related to soaps, and you'll also leave less soap scum behind as an added bonus.

Pipes are healthier. The minerals contained in hard water can cause buildups to occur in your pipes. Over time, these buildups can make your water run less efficiently, and can even cause clogs. Soft water cuts down on these issues and help keep your pipes in good condition for a longer period of time.

Water heats faster. Soft water will heat up more quickly than hard water. When your hot water heater can run less but still heat the same amount of water, you save money. In fact, the Virginia Cooprative Extension found that, on average, a water softener improved water heater efficiency by 22% for electric units, and 29% for gas units.

Interested in having Minneapolis water softeners installed in your home or business? Get in touch with Haferman Water Conditioning today by calling (952) 894-4040.

Haferman Water Conditioning Announces New Website

Haferman Water Conditioning is a Twin Cities area business that services, installs and repairs Kinetico water softeners and other Kinetico products. On our new website, designed by WebDrafter.com, you can find information about our specific services and products.

This blog will be updated on a regular basis with company-related news and the latest information about Kinetico products. Check back, and be sure to visit www.HafermanWater.com!