Solutions
Overview
What is wrong with your water? Explore the tabs to find what the water in your home or business may be missing. Every household depends on a safe water supply to clean their homes, wash their clothing and cleanse their bodies. You use water to feed and hydrate your families, nourish your pets and power your appliances. Since water is in such frequent use by every member of your family, it is important to ensure its safety through effective testing. When you’re ready, contact us to find the solution that’s right for you.
San Antonio Water
San Antonio, like much of the United States, has hard water. This means that it’s full of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Water is considered “hard” if it has more than 7.1 mineral grains per gallon. 10 grains per gallon is considered very hard. 14 grains per gallon is considered off the charts. The average in San Antonio is 18 grains per gallon to 28 grains per gallon hard.
All that to say, water in San Antonio is very hard! With a simple water softener installation, there are a number of benefits you can expect. Your plumbing will be in much better shape to avoid costly repairs in the future. Your appliances, such as coffee makers, dishwashers, and washing machine, will last much longer. Your drinking water will taste better, and your tap will leave fewer water spots on dishes. Not to mention your hair and skin will feel much smoother! If you are in the San Antonio area, cut out hard water today for your household by giving us a call.
Home Water Contamination
All tap water was not created equal—in fact, there are hundreds of impurities that may be lurking in your tap water. Since the average person uses approximately 50 gallons of water every day, knowing what’s in your tap water and finding the right solution is crucial to your wellbeing. Tap water may contain contaminants such as arsenic, iron, sulfur, lead, and nitrates. In addition to harming your health, contaminants can also harm your home with rust stains, odors, foul-tasting water and corroded pipes. Cleaner water will improve the health of your home, all while saving you time, money, and energy.
We use reverse osmosis membrane filters to deliver convenient, healthier water right to your faucet. This eliminates the need to purchase bottled water, but you can trust that you and your family will be getting the cleanest water possible.
Common Water Contaminants
While certain water contaminants are easy to spot by residue, odor, and discolored water, other potentially harmful contaminants, like arsenic and lead, can go undetected by the senses. Here is what you need to know about potentially harmful contaminants.
Sulfur: This particular problem water most often affects homes or businesses using well water, those in areas where the water supply could be easily compromised, or areas that may be poorly or irregularly treated and monitored. If sulfurous water is localized, it may also be a sign of a contaminated water heater. While sulfur bacteria in water is not inherently dangerous, it is unpleasant. Sulfur in your water can create slime that results in the growth of other bacteria, like iron bacteria, in water. Presence of these bacteria can lead to problems with plumbing and appliances, eventually corroding pipes and fixtures. Luckily, there will signs around your home that can indicate some level of sulfur problem that needs to be addressed. Some potential signs include a rotten-egg smell; an odor that’s worse or more obvious from hot water sources, and unpleasant taste. The most common and effective way to address this problem in your home is with a water filter.
Nitrates: Along with water contaminants like lead and arsenic, nitrates in water can be difficult to detect because they are generally odorless, tasteless, and colorless. This means the only way to know whether they are present in your water or not is to have it tested. Nitrates are common contaminants of groundwater, especially in rural areas, as they find their way into water sources through fertilizers and septic systems. Due to the widespread nature of some levels of dissolved nitrates in water, municipal sources are generally tested regularly and if elevated levels are found, steps are taken to identify the potential sources of elevated nitrogen. While some levels of nitrates in water are naturally occurring and normal, problems can arise when human activities cause normal levels to exceed what can naturally be moderated by our bodies. Those relying on well water have a potentially higher risk for nitrates in their water, and should have their water tested regularly to rule out any contamination. The EPA drinking water limit for nitrates in water is 10 mg/L, levels any higher than that should be treated.
Lead: Perhaps one of the most concerning aspects of lead in water is that it can be next to impossible to tell if it’s there or not. Generally invisible, odorless, and tasteless, levels of lead concentration in drinking water and tap systems can often pass unnoticed. The most common way drinking water is exposed to lead is through aging pipes and plumbing infrastructure. A holdover from the days when the dangers of lead were not as well known, many of the country’s pipes and fixtures still contain the chemical or contain portions of plumbing infrastructure that hasn’t been updated properly. Lead can also become an issue when pipes, fitting, or solder have aged to a point where they become corroded, which can contaminate water more quickly. In general, homes built before 1986 are more likely to have plumbing components containing lead, though new constructions may still be at risk due to fluctuating regulation. Since there are no signs to look, smell, or taste for, the best and only way to rule out lead in your water is to have it tested. If you suspect lead in your water, give us a call today!
Iron: One of the most obvious signs that you may have dissolved iron in your water is its “hardness.” This is one of the most common water problems in our area! You may suspect iron because of the way hard water can leave your skin feeling – rough and scaly. It also may taste slightly metallic, and you’ll likely notice rust-colored stains on fixtures and in sinks, or scale buildup in plumbing. Beyond unpleasant side effects, iron in water can cause real damage throughout your home. Appliances running on hard water lose efficiency over time, as limescale buildup and mineral deposits slow it down and require more energy to run. This not only limits the effectiveness of any appliance that uses water, like your water heater, it also shortens major appliance lifespan and costs you money in the form of higher utilities. Hard water can also impact plumbing efficiency, causing problems in pipes and fixtures that can be costly to repair. Look for these signs around your home that can indicate iron in your water: dry or itchy skin, dull hair, scratchy clothes, buildup around drains, faucets, and fixtures, soap that takes a long time to lather, and rust-colored stains in sinks and tubs. While you can spot treat iron in your water chemically, the most common and effective way to address this problem is with a water softener or filtration system. Softeners and filters work by removing dissolved solids, like iron, calcium, and magnesium, that make water “hard.” What’s left is cleaner, better-tasting water that works harder around your home.
Arsenic: A naturally occurring mineral element, arsenic is primarily found in conjunction with sulfur and heavy metals. Frequently used for strengthening lead and copper, it is often used as a component in car batteries and electronics. Arsenic can also be found in treated wood products, herbicides, and insecticides. While arsenic can accumulate in water through erosion, it is more commonly the result of industrial or agricultural runoff. One of the more dangerous water contaminants, arsenic can be toxic even in small levels over the long term. According to the EPA, prolonged arsenic exposure has been known to cause or increase certain types of cancer, nervous system damage, skin conditions, and other health concerns. It is often invisible and undetectable, so if you suspect arsenic in your water supply, it is important to contact Alamo to eliminate it right away.
