Today’s question comes from ‘Tanya’ and if you have ever gone out to eat at a restaurant, picked up a glass of water, taken a sip, and then noticed cloudiness in the glass as you went to put it back down… you will understand why Tanya sent us an email.

Tanya asked, “We live in the country and obviosuly don’t have access to city water. It would cost a small fortune, they say, to connect us up to the water lines running about 5 miles from where we live. Our well gives us water that tastes OK and don’t leave stains on our stuff like we’ve read other people’s water can do but it always looks cloudy like stuff is floating in it. Is that dangerous? What can we do about it? Thanks a bunch. Tanya.”

As for whether or not your water poses any danger to you or anyone else that drinks it, well, that all depends on what contaminants it contains. Often times the visible stuff floating in your water will not harm you…

…but other times it will. Only testing can tell you if the contaminants you see in the water pose any danger.

We suggest getting your water tested by a certified water testing laboratory such as National Testing Labs or contacting your local health department to see if they offer free or low cost water testing programs in your area.

Then, depending upon what the lab report tells you, you may want to look into getting a water filter system designed to remove the contaminants it has identified.

Do NOT just run out and buy the biggest and most powerful filter you can find, though. Not all filters remove the same contaminants and believe us when we say you will get very mad at yourself if you spend a few hundred (or more) dollars on a water filter that doesn’t even remove contaminants in your water!

Need help selecting a filter? Read the tutorials on sites like FilterWater.Com, WaterFilters.Net, FiltersFast.Com, and IsoPureWater.Com

What if it’s just… non-harmful junk?

In cases when the lab comes back and tells you that your water has nothing particularly harmful in it, and that it simply contains a large number of total dissolved solids, you may want to look into installing a sediment filter designed to remove small, suspended particulates from drinking water.

As an example, the Crystal Quest Whole House Sediment Filter uses a special NSF-certified resin media which effectively removes suspended solids down to the 20-40 micron range and does other things, at the same time, to improve the quality of the water passing through it.

First, water travels through a 20″ sediment cartridge that removes unwanted contaminants such as sediment, silt, sand and dirt. Sediment filters also extend the life of water softeners, water filters, and prevents damage to control valves or pumps that you may have installed after this unit.

Second, water travels through a specially blended bed (1.5 or 2.0 cubic feet depending upon model) of sediment removal media (CQ-S 100) equipped with an Automatic Microprocessor Control valve that regulates the amount of time water spends in contact with the media. Longer contact times with filtration media typically means more effective filtering and better conditioning of the water.

Third, water travels through a 20″ solid carbon cartridge which removes or reduces levels of compounds such as chlorine and organic contaminants which typically contribute to bad taste and odor in drinking water.

Will this or any other system work for you?

Depends… You will first need to get your water tested before you even know what contaminants you need to remove.

Start there.

Today we want to show you a quick and easy way to check the efficiency of your reverse osmosis water filtration system: The AP-1 AquaPro TDS/Temperature Meter makes checking to see if your reverse osmosis filter works properly a quick and painless process.

Simply test the TDS level of water before the filter and after the filter. If you do NOT see the TDS level drop dramatically after the filter, you have a problem with the filter system… and most likely need to change the RO filter.

Benefits and features of the AP-1 AquaPro TDS/Temperature Meter include:

• AP1 Measures TDS (total dissolved solids) and temperature
• Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC).
• Water resistant housing.
• Measuring range: 0-5000 ppm (parts per million)
• Digital calibration via push button.
• Auto-off and data holding functions. Low battery indicator
• Large and easy to read LCD display includes simultaneous TDS and temperature reading
• Comes factory calibrated with 342 ppm NaCl solution.

Throw in the fact that the meter costs less than $30 at FilterWater.Com, a leading online distributor of water quality filters and drinking water test kits, and you have found yourself an easy and inexpensive way to test the working status of your reverse osmosis water filter system.

In drinking water settings, high TDS levels may mean cloudy water and possibly mean that water may stain or leave deposits adfter it dries.

In swimming pools cloudy water may result and pool chemicals such as granular chlorine and chlorine tablets may not dissolve properly. As a general rule underchlorinated pool water can become aesthetically displeasing (also known as ‘green’ because of an algae problem) and potentially unsafe to swim in.

click here for more details Part Number: A7910	Total Dissolved Solids Meter (TDS) Total Dissolved Solids Meter Measure the Total Dissolved Solids level of your swimming pool water quickly and accurately. TDS meter for swimming pool water is easy to use. Many more pool water test kits available at In The Swim. Your Cost: $129.99
click here for more details Part Number: A7911	Total Dissolved Solids Meter (TDS) Calibration Fluid Use this Total Dissolved Solids calibration fluid to keep your total dissolved solids testing meter properly calibrated so that you get accurate total dissolved solids readings each time you use your TDS meter. Your Cost: $4.99

TDS Meter: Digital Pen Style 10 to 9990ppm (TDS503) ATC with Calibration Solution, Screwdriver & Hard Case	TDS503		$69.99
Water Purity Tester, Pen Style (WPT100) WaterProof with Protective Cap & Battery	WPT100		$32.95

For more information on other water quality parameters you may want to test, please visit the Water Quality Testing section of WaterTestingBlog.Com

“Stop using the TDS (total dissolved solids) meter as the only measurement of water quality. Disinfection Byproducts like Trihalomethanes, Volatile Organic Compounds, METHYL tertiary-butyl ether, chlorine, chloramines, cysts and lead are the primary contaminants to Public Water Systems. They have no impact on the conductivity of the water. Yet these do not register on a TDS meter. And public water systems primarily supply from surface water that tends to have low TDS levels.” ( Water Conditioning & Purification Magazine, March 2009, page 42 )

While TDS does play a large part in the determining whether or not your water will leave deposits on your fixtures, it alone does not indicate the relative safety and purity of your water. As always Water Testing Blog suggests that people get their water tested by Certified Water Analysis Laboratories if they suspect a serious health risk.

For all other water testing needs, simple at home drinking water test kits used in conjunction with TDS meters ought to work just fine. you can find more information about home drinking water test kits on this page. You can also find more information about home drinking water test kits by using the links below:

Arsenic in Water and Soil: Arsenic Quick^TM

Bacteria in Water: Bacteria Check

Chlorine Residual (Free): SenSafe^TM Free Chlorine Water Check

Chlorine Residual (Total): SenSafe^TM Total Chlorine Water Check

Lead in Water: Lead in Water Test Kit

Multi Parameter (6 Parameters): Well Water Check

Multi Parameter (11 Parameters): Well Driller Standard Water Test Kit

Multi Parameter (13 Parameters): COMPLETE Water Test Kit

Multi Parameter (15 Parameters): Water Quality Test Kit