In order to take advantage of the many health benefits of drinking water, it is vital that your water is clean and free of contaminants. As many people know, clean water should be odourless, colourless and tasteless. For this reason, water that smells, has a strange colour, or a funny taste is a clear indicator of contamination. But did you know that rural water sources, such as well water systems, are vulnerable to a host of unique contaminants that most residential communities don’t have to worry about?

Here are the top 4 contamination threats to rural water sources, and how Canadian Water Conditioning Inc. suggests you deal with them.

Tannins

Water that is tainted an organic or tea-like colour, with an earthy odor and a bitter taste is most often contaminated with tannins, an organic material created by decomposing vegetation which can get into your well water source. Water contaminated with tannins can discolour laundry and leave yellow stains on household fixtures and dishes.

CWC Solution: A Tannin Removal Filtration System to help filter tannins from your water.

Coliform Bacteria

Coliform bacteria are known for being an indicator organism, so although their presence in drinking water doesn’t always cause disease in humans, they indicate the possibility that more dangerous disease-carrying microbacteria may be present in the water as well. The most common source of coliform bacteria is from human and animal waste, and often contaminates rural water supplies through surface runoff as well as septic-tank effluent.

In order to determine if your water is contaminated with coliform bacteria a water test is required. This can usually be obtained easily through your municipality, or CWC suggests having a water test done as a part of the closing agreement when you purchase a new house in a rural area.

CWC Solution: Ultraviolet Disinfection is the most effective and affordable option, and works by exposing living organisms in the water to UV radiation as the water passes through the system. This destroys the harmful microorganisms without adding any chemicals into your water.

Sediment

Water contaminated with sediment shows signs of turbidity including cloudiness, haziness, and grittiness in the water. Sediment contamination often occurs in rural water sources as a result of surface soil runoff.

CWC Solution: Filtration Cartridges are specifically designed to remove sediment, dirt and other particles from your water.

Iron and Sulphur

Iron and sulfur contamination is a common issue in rural areas. Water contaminated with iron is often a reddish-brown colour, and has an unpleasant ‘rusty’ smell and taste. Sulphur contamination manifests as a ‘rotten egg’ smell and taste. Both of these minerals can not only adversely affect the taste and quality of your water, but can also cause unsightly stains on laundry, and if left untreated can lead to reduced well yields and restricted water flow in distribution lines.

CWC Solution: Iron Filters are designed to remove a variety of different contaminants in order to improve your home’s water quality.

Contact our team to learn more about how to protect you and your family from possible rural drinking water contaminants.