The Benefits of Good Water Quality

Water and Health Are Linked



Bad water is bad for you, but safe water is key to life — and good for you! Water has so many health benefits that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day.

Water and health are linked. According to the CDC, the top causes of disease outbreaks related to drinking water are Giardia intestinalis, hepatitis A, norovirus, andShigella. Bad as that sounds, it's far from a complete list. There are also health risks related to water contaminated with organic and inorganic matter, other bacteria and viruses and other pollutants.

Some studies link high levels of lead in drinking water to delays in physical and mental development, short attention spans, and learning difficulties in children. There's also evidence that arsenic in drinking water can lead to nerve, heart, skin, and blood vessel damage. And Cryptosporidium is responsible for potentially life-threatening diarrhea.

Still, water is essential. The human body is, after all, 70% water, and although a human being can survive a month or more without food, a week without water can be fatal. http://qoo.ly/efg8f

The Benefits of Good Water Quality
Bad water is bad for you, but safe water is key to life — and good for you! Water has so many health benefits that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. High quality water is good

Perceptible Water Quality Issues

Your first diagnostic tools are your senses. You can, at times, see, taste, smell, and feel contaminated water. Water that is red, orange, yellow, brown, or cloudy can signal iron, rust, or other contaminants in the mains or your household plumbing. Tannins from decaying vegetation and leaves can also give water a yellow or brownish hue.

The main perceptible signs of water issues include:

Scale Deposits
Staining
Bad Taste & Smell
Cloudiness & Discoloration
Corrosion
Foul-smelling or bad-tasting water are signs of impurities. Here are common water odor or taste problems you might encounter:

A rotten-egg or sulfur smell or taste suggests the presence of hydrogen sulfide. That's often caused by a certain type of bacteria in the water. Sulfates can also cause the water to taste salty. Investigate further to pinpoint the source, such as bacteria growing in drains, water heaters, wells, or on the inside of pipes.

Musty, earthy odors and tastes may signal dissolved solids. Such aromas and tastes may be caused by decaying organic matter in the plumbing or even in the source water itself.

Then there's the smell and taste of chlorine. It's there for disinfection to make water safer to drink and originates during the normal chlorination treatment process, but to enjoy the taste you may want to get rid of it.

If water smells or tastes like turpentine or other chemicals that might indicate the presence of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) or xylenes, byproducts of gasoline refining, paints, detergents, or inks.

Metallic smells and tastes may be a sign of mercury, lead, copper, arsenic, or iron in the water. Manganese and zinc may also cause a metallic smell or taste. These chemicals may come from the pipes themselves. http://qoo.ly/ebhgp

Common Perceptible Water Quality Issues
Your first diagnostic tools are your senses. You can, at times, see, taste, smell, and feel contaminated water. Water that is red, orange, yellow, brown, or cloudy can signal iron, rust, or other contaminants in the mains or your household plumbing.

Common Waterborne Contaminants

It's bad enough to be able to see, smell, or taste a contaminant. But what if your water looks, smells, and tastes just fine — is it? Not necessarily.

Microbial and organic contaminants cannot always be detected by human senses. You might go years before realizing a problem exists. Many folks never become suspicious until people in the community start to get sick. Water near agricultural areas may contain harmful organic material from pesticide or fertilizer application. Chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers in water may increase cancer risk and reproductive problems, and can impair eye, liver, kidney, and other body functions. Similar problems can result from exposure to water near industrial plants.

Some common waterborne contaminants include:
Aluminum
Ammonia
Arsenic
Barium
Cadmium
Chloramine
Chromium
Copper
Fluoride
Bacteria & Viruses
Lead
Nitrates/Nitrites
Mercury
Perchlorate
Radium
Selenium
Silver
Uranium

Even if you cannot see, taste or smell the contaminants, there are resources available to help you detect and treat the issues. Find a laboratory and/or a local water professional to help you perform a water analysis. http://qoo.ly/e978f

Common Hidden Contaminants
Microbial and organic contaminants can't always be detected by a human's vision, sense of smell or taste. You might go years before realizing a problem exists. Many folks never become suspicious until people in the community start to get sick. Water

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Dangerously High Lead Levels Detected In Tap Water At Englewood Hospital In N.J.
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When even municipal water is unsafe!

Sacramento State officials: Don't drink the water. Water testing found elevated levels of lead in drinking water sources

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Sacramento State officials: Don't drink the water
Water testing found elevated levels of lead in drinking water sources