If you have clicked on this blog entry, then we would guess that you believe your drinking water has a funny taste to it — and you hoped that we had some revealing news about a potential reason for that funny taste.

Sorry to report, though, that unless you live in the Camden, Ohio area, this blog entry will not contain any information about your water supply.

It will, however, contain information about drinking water test kits and a certified drinking & well testing service that people can use to get a professional opinion regarding the quality and relative safety of their drinking water.

Remember… The first step towards making sure you have safe drinking water begins with water testing!

For right now, though, we will quote an article talking about the salty tasting drinking water in Camden, Ohio:

Many residents of Camden village in Ohio had been complaining about the taste of their drinking water, and for good reason, as testing revealed that one of the village’s three drinking water wells has high salt levels.

OEPA located several large piles of road salt believed to be the source of the village’s contaminated drinking water. The agency also believes that runoff from these piles poses a threat of contamination to surface waters in the area.( source )

Sounds pretty nasty, right? We cannot think of ANYone that would want salt water coming out of their faucet and while the salty taste in Camden’s water supply may have come from highway department salt piles, if you have a salty taste in YOUR water, where did IT come from?

Can the average person test for salt (chlorides) in their tap or well water? Yes. SenSafe manufactures a chloride test strip with a detection range of 0.05 to 80 ppm (mg/L) and a total test time under 1 minute.

Keep in mind, though, that laboratory testing of your drinking water by a certified water testing organization such as National Testing Laboratories will provide a more thorough cross-sectional view of contaminants in your water — including chlorides.

While the presence of chlorides in drinking water may not cause a terrible amount of harm in most instances, it may indicate presence of other, more harmful drinking water contaminants not easily detected by human senses — and for that reason we suggest seeking the assistance of a certified water testing lab if the taste of your drinking water ever becomes salty or otherwise begins to taste ‘funny’.

Yesterday we mentioned that health officials suspected that a college community’s water supply may have gotten contaminated with bacteria (Bacteria Found in College Water Supply) and gave examples of undersink and countertop filters that effectively reduce levels of such as bacteria (i.e. E.Coli, Cholera, Shigella, Salmonella, etc.) cysts (i.e. Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc.), chlorine, lead, and undissolved particles (i.e. dirt, sand, sediment, etc.)

Today we’d like to bring a very popular Culligan Faucet Filter to your attention — because it certifies and tests to the NSF 53 and will not break the bank in the process!

We recently saw the Culligan FM-15A faucet filter in-stock at the Filters Fast web site for under $20 with replacement Culligan FM-15RA Filters priced below $15.

What can this Culligan water filter do for me?

The Culligan Faucet Filter FM15A reportedly produces delicious, filtered drinking water from tap w/in minutes of installation, a process Culligan says requires no tools or plumbing knowledge. As an added bonus, the unit can get installed in both right and left-handed configurations for convenience.

Inner workings of the unit, or the part most people call the filter element (Culligan FM-15RA), reduces much more than most faucet filters which use only granulated activated carbon (GAC). Besides removing bad taste and odor as well as the undesirable taste and odor of chlorine, the Culligan FM15A also reduces sediment, turbidity (cloudiness), atrazine, lindane, particulates (class 1), cryptosporidium cysts and giardia cysts.

So if you want to improve the quality of your water w/o spending a fortune, climbing under your sink to install a filter, or using valuable counter space for a water filter, you will definitely want to take a look at the Culligan FM-15A Faucet Filter!

If you think that having city (municipal) water as your source of drinking water will save you from ever having to worry about coliform bacteria — which comes from fecal matter, by the way — think again. Even homes and offices on municipal water systems can have problems with potentially harmful bacteria showing up in their water on rare occasions.

While very true that numerous safeguards exist within the infrastructures of water treatment and water distribution facilities, accidents can occur and potentially harmful contaminants could find a way into the water supply after it leaves the water department’s capable hands.

Therefore, it does make sense for people on city water supplies to check every once in a while for the presence of bacteria in their water. Again, not because the city made a mistake, but rather because a small crack anywhere in the piping that carries the water from the water treatment facility to their homes could possibly serve as an entry point for dangerous strands of bacteria.

October 22, 2010 — The town of Amherst has issued a “Water Quality Advisory” after three of 22 water samples tested positive for total coliform and E. Coli bacteria today. The town’s water system also supplies the UMass campus.

The samples were taken as a part of routine testing and public health officials are conducting further tests to determine whether a “Boil Water Order” is needed.

Results of the tests and the officials’ decision will become available Saturday afternoon, said a campus alert.

The university has a campus-wide precautionary plan in place if a “Boil Water Order” is called for. The plan will supply members of the campus with bottled water and hand sanitizer as well as instructions on how to minimize any health risks.

More information about the water testing can be found at www.amherstma.gov. ( source )

Occasional reports of bacteria in water remind us that even with all of our great technology, our water public water supplies can sometimes fall victim to contamination. Periodic testing for simple water quality parameters using test kits from companies like WaterSafe and SenSafe put the power of contamination detection in the hands of the people who need it most… the general public.

As always, though, if you already have reason to suspect that you may have unwanted contaminants in your drinking water, defer to the expertise of certified water testing laboratories what have the advanced equipment and skills required to accurately assess the quality and safety of your water supply.

Regardless of whether you choose to install a counter top model which will require no fooling around with plumbing or you opt for an undersink model which will install cleanly and neatly beneath your sink, the Doulton line of ceramic water filter systems offer excellent protection against potentially dangerous and/or unpleasant drinking water contaminants such as bacteria (i.e. E.Coli, Cholera, Shigella, Salmonella, etc.) cysts (i.e. Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc.), chlorine, lead, and undissolved particles (i.e. dirt, sand, sediment, etc.).

When used with the UltraCarb ceramic filter candle, these units test and certify to NSF 42, NSF 53 and World Health Organization Standards.

Part number for the UltraCarb ceramic filter element: W9123053

Looking for a system with a bit more…. bacteria killing power? Or perhaps a water filter system that certifies to the NSF 55 Standard Ultraviolet Microbiological Water Treatment Systems? Take a look at the UV Pure Hallett & Upstream systems listed on the IsoPure Water web site.

The fact that problems involving city (municipal) water testing high for lead will continue to pop up from time to time… but that does NOT mean we ought to ignore them because we keep hearing about them. In fact, we believe it means people ought to pay MORE attention to news about lead in water — and test their water periodically for lead.

Keep in mind, though, that in our experience most instances of elevated lead levels in city/municipal water resulted from the water coming in contact with lead after it left the municipal water treatment facility. Miles and miles of piping that may have sat in the ground for the past 50 years could very well contain metal components that contain lead.

As matter of fact, for a long time the solder used to join copper water lines contained lead and in places like Ancient Rome, you could find lead in water lines as commonly as you would sand at the beach.

BANGOR, Maine — The public water system that serves some 50,000 Bangor-area residents has tested high in lead for the first time since routine testing began in 1992. The health threat is not great, according to Kathy Moriarty, general manager of the Bangor Water District, and local and state health officials agree.

“I think there is really a pretty minimal public health threat,” said Patty Hamilton, director of public health for the city of Bangor. “We really don’t want to be alarmist about this.”

But with levels exceeding the acceptable level of lead in drinking water established by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the water district must now conduct a broad-based public awareness campaign in the seven communities it serves, review its water-treatment processes, and implement a ramped-up testing schedule.

…

Moriarty said the EPA standard represents an “action level” — a red flag for the water system to review their process — and does not in itself indicate a danger to public health.

…

Exposure to lead can cause lowered intelligence, neurological problems, and brain and kidney dysfunction in adults and children. Pregnant women, infants and young children are at the greatest risk. ( source )

Please don’t let this article scare you into buying the biggest and baddest reverse osmosis or distillation water system you can find. In most cases city municipal water will not contain dangerous quantities of lead or other heavy metals… but it never hurts to check every once in a while.

Welcome back to the real world, folks… a place where scam artists and lowlife pieces of beetle dung attempt to use water quality issues to turn a fast, illegitimate buck. This time the scam artist report we have for you comes out of Niles, Indiana and involves a water filter system company with a weird name for the water business: Wolverine Water Systems.

Huh? What? They used an animal called a wolverine in their name? What in the world do wolverines and water quality have in common with each other than wolverines probably despise unsafe drinking water as much as any other creature on the planet?

At any rate, police in Niles, IN have received reports that a company calling itself Wolverine Water Systems has contacted local residents and tried to persuade them to set up in-home water test appointments by telling them they needed to have their water tested.

Telling someone they need to have their water tested implies that the person making the statement knows of a pre-existing situation involving water quality issues in the area and local health officials in Niles, IN staunchly deny the presence of any problems with the local water supply.

Area residents alerted Niles Police this week of a water testing scam. Friday, police issued a scam alert.

Callers identify themselves as Wolverine Water Systems and tell residents they need to have their water supply tested in an attempt to sell water testing, according to Police Capt. Jim Millin, via a department issued news release.

“The City of Niles regularly tests our water for citizens and has not contracted with Wolverine Water System or any other company for testing purposes,” Millin said.

For more information about the scam or to report a call you received, call Niles Police Department at 269-683-1313. ( source )

So… What do you do when someone calls you and tells you that you need to let a stranger in your home to test your water?

• First of all, never agree to ANY sort of appointment before you check and double check the validity of their story. Call your local water department — using a number YOU get from a phone book — to get the real story.

• Never make an appointment with a water filter company that breaks ‘the news’ to you about problems with the water in your area. State and Federal laws require local water departments to test the water they distribute on a regular (frequent) basis and immediately issue a public statement if any problems arise. They do NOT, and we repeat, NOT have a private company contact the general public on their behalf.

• Contact local law enforcement to find out if anyone else has reported receiving these sorts of calls.

Remember that these sorts of scam artists rely upon YOUR IGNORANCE and prey upon YOUR FEARS. Keeping yourself educated and informed about the quality of your water will give you the tools necessary to disassemble any argument put forth by a non-reputable water filter company.

Whether you opt to test your own water with simple water test kits made by SenSafe and/or WaterSafe, or you choose to use the services of an independent, certified water testing company that has no interest in selling you a water filtration system, the information you get from testing will prepare you to quickly and easily turn away scam artist water companies using scare tactics

Really? A Wolverine?

We keep asking ourselves the same thing: Why name a water company after a wolverine?

It… simply makes no sense. Not to US, at least.

So avoid the wolverine, people! Avoid the wolverine!

Today we’d like to bring to your attention a situation in a part of Connecticut (Stamford) where the representative for a group of local residents publicly states that some water testing beats no water testing.

While we think no area with doubts about water quality should have to settle for less testing than they’d like, we do want to mention that we agree with the man’s assessment that some testing beats none — and we encourage people to test their drinking water for the simple things that require only a basic water test kit.

Variations in basic water parameters can sometimes indicate a much bigger problem or, at the very least, give well owners a reason to investigate further. As an example, elevated total dissolved solids (TDS) levels means water contains more broken down substances than usual… and a well owner might want to know WHAT substances have broken down and infiltrated his/her water supply.

Residents of Stamford, CT hope that compiling water test results from across their region will help identify potential sources of well water contamination and although only a fraction of the requested testing will get done, as we mentioned before, some testing beats no testing each and every time.

STAMFORD — The Board of Representatives unanimously approved funding for limited well testing Monday night, freeing nearly $18,700 for analysis of 50 city wells in North Stamford.

“It’s not everything that we would have wanted,” said Jay Crutcher, a representative for North Stamford Concerned Citizens for the Environment, a residential group. “It’s 50 wells out of 5,000 across North Stamford, which is literally 1 percent. The statistical accuracy of it is definitely less than bulletproof, but it’s better than nothing.”

…

In addition to testing 50 wells, the city is also compiling data voluntarily submitted by North Stamford residents who have tested their wells at their own expense, Fountain said. So far, the city has received more than 70 submissions of data analysis from residents.

“Any environmental results that the city gets are all public information,” Fountain said.

The health department is creating a map that will identify contamination locations. The map will be posted on the city’s website and also on the Scofieldtown Task Force website when completed, Fountain said. ( source )

So… what can the average person test for in their own drinking water? On a very basic level, and in addition to TDS testing, sudden changes in pH, total hardness and/or alkalinity can make water ‘aggressive’ and may result in the corrosion of metal surfaces which in turn adds dissolved metals to the water. Some metals, such as iron and copper, may not pose all that great a health risk (usually), but others like lead and arsenichave the ability to do a lot of sometimes irreparable damage to the human body.

We have previously mentioned that many people have started to pay closer attention to the quality of their well water when it comes to pesticides. In this case we’d like to point out that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, abbreviated as MDA, but not to be confused with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, has put together a video that educates homeowners on the dangers of atrazine in their well water and ways to test for it.

The MDA also suggests that state residents with private wells also keep an eye on bacteria and nitrate levels. Elevated levels of either in drinking water can result in severe illness and some cases even death.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has created a video, educating homeowners on how to test private wells for atrazine. This video explains some of the ways a well could become contaminated, provides a step-by-step procedure for screening a well, and what to do if atrazine is detected. Information regarding other common contaminants is also provided.

The video is available online at www.mda.state.mn.us/privatewelltesting, where additional information on pesticides and well testing is also available.

In Minnesota, private well owners are responsible for testing their own wells. While state agencies periodically conduct surveys of water quality in private wells, it is ultimately the responsibility of the well owner to monitor for drinking water contaminants, including atrazine. Nitrates and Escherichia coli (E.coli) are perhaps the most common and important contamination concerns for private wells.

Atrazine concentrations in private wells are expected to be absent or below current health-based guidance of three parts per billion (ppb) set by the Minnesota Department of Health. Nevertheless, there is always a potential for atrazine contamination of drinking water in high atrazine use areas and geologically vulnerable areas. ( source )

So, just like everywhere else, owners of private wells in Minnesota must also accept ultimate responsibility for the quality of the water their wells produce. No government agency has the authority to force well owners to test their water and more importantly, no government agency will begin an investigation into sources of groundwater contamination if no one provides them with test data indicating a potential problem.

Some members of the Water Testing Blog lived near the Hudson River at various times in their lives and can vividly recall seeing some pretty ‘interesting’ things come out of that water — especially in the Albany/Troy Area in Upstate.

It pleases all of us, though, to know that people have taken an interest in cleaning up the river and/or at least making sure the quality of its water doesn’t get worse. It makes us even happier to know that students all over the state have become apprised of the importance of water quality in the river.

Over 70 schools in the state of New York took students field-sampling at about 60 sites on the Hudson River. This is the eighth year for this event, sponsored by the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program and run in conjunction with Hudson Basin River Watch.

“A Day in the Life of the Hudson River” not only has the advantage of giving NYC youth a great science class, which may not be part of the original curriculum as a result of budget cuts, but it also involves them directly in today’s environmental issues faced by the region they live in. Young New Yorkers get a chance to experience hands-on how to use lab equipment for measuring water quality and chemistry, observing tides, weather and fauna. The data collected is then posted via the Internet, and will be available to all teachers in the Hudson Valley. The findings are incorporated into the lesson plans developed by the Hudson River Estuary Program, and some are also used in ongoing research projects. ( source )

Students all over the country can embark on similar water testing adventures using Science Project Test Kits from WaterSafe.

Science Project Kit 10-pack is a comprehensive test kit for comparing the water quality of up to 10 different water samples. Results on the spot.

Tests for:

Purity of water has far reaching real life significance. Science Project Kits are ideal for for science fairs and school projects. They are designed to provide structure and at the same time can highlight student thought and innovation. Kits are easy enough to be used by elementary school children and scientifically sophisticated enough to be used in experimental investigations by high school students.

Science Project Kit contains:

• All supplies necessary to conduct scientific investigation
• Directions for use of the water test kits
• Suggested project outline
• Presentation-ready data recording sheet
• Background information on water purity and ideas for water source comparisons

Do you know what contaminants your water contains? If not, then please allow us to come into your home and scare the pants off of you so we can sell you a water treatment system that you may or not need.

Sounds ridiculous and unethical, right? We think so, too, but obviously some folks in the Minnesota area think that plan sounds absolutely wonderful… and profitable.

Thankfully some folks up that way did the right thing and notified local authorities so they could put out a statewide alert detailing the actions and intents of those shady water filter sales cretins.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is reminding Minnesota residents to beware of false claims, deceptive sales pitches, and scare tactics being used by some water treatment companies to sell expensive and unnecessary water treatment systems.

High profile investigations of groundwater contamination in Washington County and elsewhere in the state have resulted in a noticeable increase in the number of complaints regarding such deceptive sales activities.

While the sales pitch varies, the salesperson nearly always:

– Recites a list of recent groundwater contamination problems across the state, regardless of whether the contamination actually affects the resident or not.

– Conducts a series of water quality “tests” that the salesperson claims indicate the presence of contamination, when in fact they may simply indicate the presence of naturally occurring minerals in the water.

– Misrepresents state and federal drinking water standards, claiming the resident’s water exceeds those standards, and implying the water is unsafe to drink.

– Offers a “one-time only” offer of a water treatment system at a “greatly reduced” price, when in fact the systems are being sold at grossly inflated prices.

In some of the worst instances, the salesperson has implied or said that he is working with the city’s water utility or the state health department. In most cases, the systems are being sold for thousands of dollars more than they would cost if bought through a reputable water treatment company.

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Anyone who believes they have been provided false or misleading information or that they have been subjected to unfair or high-pressure tactics in the course of a sales visit should contact the Minnesota Attorney General’s office Consumer Complaints division at 651-296-3353 or 800-657-3787 or online at http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Complaint.asp.

Additional information about drinking water and home water treatment systems is available on the MDH website at:

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/index.html and

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/factsheet/com/pou.html.( source )

Now don’t get us wrong. Not ALL water filter salespeople use deceptive and underhanded sales tactics. Many water filter companies adhere to strict codes of conduct and actually PREFER to work with an educated and informed customer base. You can find companies of this type listed on the Water Quality Association and NSF web sites.

Educate yourself before talking to a water filter salesperson?

Absolutely! By definition the salesperson wants to SELL you something, not teach you things that will cause him or her to lose a sale!

First line of defense against shady sales tactics: Educate yourself on water quality issues potentially affecting people in your area by contacting your local health department. They will gladly provide you with the information you request.

Second line of defense against shady sales tactics: Have your water tested by an independent, certified company such as National Testing Laboratories or an independent lab recommended by you local health department.

If nothing else, you can always test your water for the basic water quality parameters using a test kit from companies like SenSafe and WaterSafe.

It strikes as very odd that in these modern times we still come across reports of lead poisoning on a semi-regular basis, but it still happens.

This time we found a story about Milwaukee, a city that apparently has a problem with lead reaching its population via the public water supply.

Milwaukee is alarmed at the rate of occurrence of childhood lead poisoning in the city, and it is taking steps towards its possible elimination by next year.

Late last year, the city received two federal grants that came up to a total of $6.9 million to be used for programs aimed at the elimination of lead hazards as well as the increase of public awareness on the dangers of lead poisoning. The Health Department is encouraging citizens to have their children tested for the presence of lead three times before the age of three, and eligible properties can apply for assistance for lead removal.

Their concern is understandable. The North Side of Milwaukee has an average lead poisoning rate of 14.1%, which is nine times the national average. The entire city’s lead poisoning rate is 5.9%, still significantly higher than the national average – almost five times.

Aside from government-sponsored efforts, households can also actively participate in the prevention of lead poisoning in children. One easy and doable way of doing it is to ensure that water consumed in the home is lead-free.

Generally, water from reservoirs have been treated and are lead-free upon distribution, but it can still become contaminated through home service pipes and faucets. While water may not be the primary source of lead poisoning, it may contribute to an increase in lead levels in someone who already has lead exposure once ingested. Since water is a resource that households can easily control, it will be beneficial for homes to proactively ensure lead-free water intake.

There are a number of ways to ensure that the family consumes lead-free water. One way is to perform a simple task called “flushing” each morning – basically letting the tap run for about 15 to 30 seconds or until the water gets cold, to ensure that any stagnant water that may have reacted to the pipe as it sat there overnight and may contain lead is flushed out and not used.

Another way is to purchase devices such as reverse osmosis systems or distillation units. To be really safe, families can also choose to not use tap water for drinking and purchase distilled water from reliable water distributors separately. ( source )

So… What can the average person do to find out if they have a problem with lead in their drinking water? Quite simply, they could use a readily available lead in water test kit from WaterSafe, a leading manufacturer of home drinking water test kits.

In a matter of minutes a person can find out if their water contains more than 15ppb of lead, the maximum contaminant level recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing for exposure to lead?

A person may come into contact with lead in a number of ways. It can show up in the paint used in older buildings, at one point it existed in our gasoline, and, of course, we all know it can show up in our drinking water. With that information in mind, the question quickly becomes how do we find out if we have received too much exposure to lead?

In the past a person had to go and have blood drawn to determine if they had received exposure to lead. Now, however, test kits like LeadConfirm allow people to have their saliva tested and avoid needles.

We find that a very good thing… because we hate needles!

Testing for lead and other metals?

In our experience many other metals besides lead can find their way into the water supply and these days it makes little sense for homeowners not to periodically test their water… if only to err on the side of caution.

You can find more links to metal test kits on Water-Test-Strips.Com