Drink to your health

BY REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
T TASTES BAD, IT SMELLS BAD, AND,with rust and calcium deposits building up in the bathtub, it even looks bad.
If the water pouring out of your home's faucet seems more like it came straight from a mud puddle, perhaps it's time to install a home water treatment system.
There are a variety of home water treatment systems on the market designed to solve every type of water problem.
Steve Withers, owner of Mahoning Valley Water in North Lima, said hard water is the most common water problem in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
"Hard water is water with too much calcium, magnesium and iron. It often smells like rotten eggs because of a high content of sulfur gas," Withers said
Lisa Demski, of Omega Water Treatments in Cortland, said hard water leaves stains and buildup on sinks, showers and sometimes in waterlines.
How to tell: You might suspect that your home's water is hard because of the way it feels on your skin while you are standing in the shower, but the only way to really find out more specifically what is wrong with your home's water is to have it tested.
"To diagnose the problem, you must have your water tested," Withers said.
Many local water companies will test the cosmetic makeup of your home's water for free.
By having your water's cosmetic makeup tested, you can find out how much iron, sulfur, sodium, calcium and magnesium is in the water.
You can also sometimes find out what types of TDS, or total dissolved solids, are in your water.
"TDS is a measure of all minerals and salts dissolved in the water," Withers explained.
Dangerous substances: A TDS test will indicate trace elements of dangerous substances in water such as arsenic, lead or nitrates.
If traces of dangerous substances such as these are found, you will have to send your water to a professional lab and pay a fee for further analysis.
Withers said if your home has well water, you should also request a test for coliform bacteria. This test costs $15 to $30 and will determine if harmful bacteria from surface water or other contaminates are filtering into your well.
If you have municipal water, coliform bacteria will be eliminated at the water plant long before it reaches your home.
Withers said sometimes water must also be tested for acidity, copper content or tannins -- an element that gives the water a tart taste and yellowish cast.
Once you have determined the scientific reason for your water's bad taste, odor or appearance, the next step is to determine what water treatment system is best for your home and family.
"We ask customers what they care about the most. Some care more about the way the water tastes, others more about eliminating stains in the sinks and bathtubs," Withers said.
Usage factor: Withers said it is important to consider the amount of water usage in your home when shopping for a home water treatment system.
"If you have a family of three, your water usage is going to be much less than if you have a family of seven, and this will affect what type of water treatment system you will need," he said.
After you have clearly determined your needs, now you can decide on the water system that will best suit them.
In homes with low amounts of iron, Withers recommends a water softener.
The softener is placed where water enters the home -- the well pump if you have well water, or the city water meter if you have municipal water.
A softener works by replacing calcium and magnesium ions with inert sodium ions, or in less scientific terms, the softener uses salt to replace the undesirable elements in the water.
Withers said a common myth about water softeners is that during the process, salt gets into the water you use in your home.
"Sodium gets into the water, but not salt. Salt and sodium are not the same. Salt is sodium and chloride combined, and during the softening process, the chloride is removed, and you end up with sodium, so if you are salt sensitive, having a softener will not harm you," he explained.
Potassium chloride can also be used in a softener in place of salt. Withers said it is more expensive but is gentler to the environment.
The cost: Water softeners cost about $1,000 to $1,800, but they can also be rented from most water companies for about $20 per month. As with any home water treatment system, the life of the unit depends on proper care.
If your water has large amounts of iron, Withers recommends an iron and sulfur oxidizer. This device is installed at the well pump or water meter and will remove iron staining and sulfur gas.
It costs about $1,000.
If you would like to have great-tasting, purified water to drink and use in cooking, Withers said your best bet is reverse osmosis.
Reverse osmosis, also known as hyperfiltration, is the finest filtration known and removes salts, bacteria, sugars, proteins, particles and dyes to improve the taste, appearance and properties of water.
In homes, reverse osmosis systems are designed to treat water used for drinking and cooking. The reverse osmosis system is typically set up in the home's basement, where a 2- to 3-gallon holding tank slowly filters 96 percent to 98 percent of water impurities.
The holding tank produces about 15 to 16 gallons of water per day and crystal-clear, great-tasting water trickles from a separate spigot installed in the kitchen. A second spigot can also be installed in the bathroom or even routed to a refrigerator.
A reverse osmosis system costs about $500 to $1,400 and can last about 10 years with proper care. Filters, which cost about $20 to $30, must be changed about every six to 12 months.
Comparison: If you think this sounds like a lot of money, Withers said to consider that on average, a gallon of water produced with reverse osmosis would cost about 4 cents, but a gallon of drinking water purchased at the supermarket rings up at 50 cents to a dollar.
If chlorine is the top trouble with your home's tap water, consider a carbon filter. Withers said carbon filters will remove chlorine and make water more pleasant tasting and more healthy.
"Studies have shown that chlorine in drinking water has been linked to colon cancer and other illnesses," Withers said.
Carbon filters cost about $600 to $900.
If dirty water is the problem, a sand filter can be installed at the well pump or water meter to eliminate cloudy water that coming from an old well or old city waterlines.
Less costly options: If you don't have the money to invest in a professional water treatment system, there are numerous filtration devices made by manufacturers such as Brita or Pur that can be purchased over the counter for as little as $20.
Withers said the majority of these devices are carbon filters.
"In general, carbon filters remove gaseous materials that create strong odors and a bad taste, such as carbon dioxide, chlorine and hydrogen sulfide, which produces a rotten egg smell. Most of these filters attach to your faucet, and the water coming out of the faucet is filtered by passing through the carbon," he explained.
If you decide to buy a carbon filtration system, Withers recommends buying the best.
"Look for systems that allow the water to pass through the carbon filter for at least 10 to 20 seconds since this allows for a higher removal capacity. Systems that are designed to be tall and thin are more likely to have the highest removal capacity. Also, look for a system that uses a high level of carbon, and keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Don't expect much from something that costs $19.95," he said.
Also don't expect carbon filtration devices to remove bacteria from tap water.
"Carbon filters will not remove bacteria and can actually cause bacteria to multiply because carbon happens to be a food source for bacteria," Withers explained.
Sediment filters, or filters designed to clarify water that appears cloudy, are another common type of home water filtration device that can be purchased in home improvement centers and hardware stores.
"Sediment filters work by trapping colloidal matter in a filter. Colloidal matter is matter suspended in water that makes it appear cloudy or dirty. Sediment filters are often a cartridge made of wound string or a paper filter pleated like an accordion," Withers explained.