5 Signs of Poor Water Quality at Home

Water is an essential component of the human body and plays a vital role in forming structures of organs, tissues, and cells. It maintains your body’s homeostatic functions, lubricates joints, carries oxygen and nutrients to cells, dissolves minerals, and flushes out waste products.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the human body contains 60% of water and drinking clean/quality water up to 8-10 glasses a day is essential for normal body functions. Water is used for drinking, preparing food, washing dishes and clothes, brushing teeth, bathing, gardening, etc.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that environmental allergens and pollutants in the water can cause acute and chronic health conditions, including neurological issues, digestive problems, hormonal changes, and reproductive disorders.

Tap water’s quality depends on various factors, such as the water source, location, and testing frequency. Taste and odor are the physical indicators of water quality. You can’t see other indicators or factors with a naked eye to determine the water’s quality. So, today’s article will list signs of poor water quality at home.

1.    Brownish Water

The most common sign of poor water quality is a brownish appearance caused by rust, oxidized iron, or dislodged from repair of leaky pipes. Although pipes last for a prolonged period, they can corrode and cause rust to get into them.

As a result, the water in your home has a brownish color. The problem gets worse overtime and may cause a leak. We recommend hiring a professional plumber to diagnose the issue and repair the pipes to restore the water quality.

2.    Chlorinated Smell

According to the CDC,4mg or less chlorine is essential for keeping the water safe. However, you will smell or taste chlorine if the water supply contains more than this amount.

When you drink water with too much chlorine, it will produce acids in your body. Because acids are highly corrosive, they can damage your tissues and cells, causing conditions like irritated eyes, cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, and Legionnaires’ disease.

In addition, chlorinated water reacts with rubbers and plastic materials in your kitchen appliances or plumbing products, giving it a metallic and bitter taste. So, if the water smells metallic or tastes bitter, avoid drinking it and call a professional to perform tests and implement reserve osmosis to control the amount of chlorine.

3.    Sulfur Smell

Tap water containing too much sulfate or sulfur can cause dehydration and diarrhea. You can easily recognize the presence of sulfur in your water supply. For instance, if the water smells like a rotten egg, it means the water supply contains high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide.

A professional plumber with years of experience performs a shock chlorination treatment to reduce or mitigate the rotten egg smell. Likewise, adding chlorine to the water kills the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and disinfects the water supply by reacting with manganese and iron.

4.    Oil or Grease Residues

Oil or grease residue is another sign of contaminated or poor water quality at home. When you notice an oily film sitting atop the water in the tubs, toilets, or sinks, it indicates the water is contaminated and unsafe for drinking or other household applications.

Poor filtration, leaks in the water main, and poor water treatment are the primary causes of oily or greasy residues in the water supply. An experienced plumber uses innovative and safe methods to de-grease the water supply and ensures it is safe for drinking, washing, and other purposes.

5.    Low pH Stains

A low water pH value is characterized by blue-green stains in showers, sinks, and other areas. It indicates acidic water and causes corrosion in pipes made of copper.Blue-green stains also indicate the leaching of metals into your drinking water.

So, when you notice the white porcelain around your tubs, sinks, or faucets has turned greenish or bluish, it is due to the corrosion of the copper pipes or fixtures. Hire a licensed plumbing service to fix the issue.

Final Words

Common indicators of water quality at home are temperature, oxygen, pH, nutrients, and salinity. Call us today if you notice any of the above signs while drinking or using water.

We have a team of professional plumbers with extensive knowledge and years of experience to diagnose water quality issues and use evidence-based methods and cutting-edge tools to fix the problem and give you peace of mind.