With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley. 

Knowing how to treat water problems is a vital step to ensure that you enjoy high quality water in your home. There is a variety of filtration systems, softeners and other devices that can provide an effective solution to many common water problems. Depending on your water source and your geographical location, the quality of your water can vary a great deal. So, it’s important to stay up to date on possible issues and knowing the risks will help you treat common water quality problems. So, here we’ll explore the most common issues and how they can be most effectively treated.

Hard Water

Hard water is an extremely common problem throughout North America. While it isn’t considered a health risk, it can be harmful in various areas of your home. Hard water contains high levels of minerals, specifically magnesium, calcium and iron that can contribute to scale accumulation. This can build up inside your pipes, fixtures, and water using appliances to restrict water flow and compromise efficiency. Additionally, hard water can interfere with detergent and soaps, creating skin irritation, dull hair, spots on dishes, grimy looking laundry and staining on fixtures. You may even notice a filmy residue on surfaces in contact with water that can be challenging to clean.

The most effective solution for hard water is a water softener. These devices use ion exchange to remove the hard water minerals from your water. This can have an immediate effect to allow you to use less detergent, eliminate soapy buildup on clothes, glasses, dishes, and even skin and hair. A softener can also eliminate the scale build up inside your appliances and plumbing to increase equipment lifespan.

Rust Stains

Orange or red stains on sinks, bathtubs, or even freshly washed clothes are a reliable indicator that your water has a high iron content. A high iron level in your water can not only create an unpalatable taste and appearance, but it can also cause damage to your laundry, fixtures, and appliances.

There are a number of ways to treat high iron content water, but the most common is a whole home filtration system. This can stop rust stains, protect against iron buildup inside your plumbing and appliances and remove that metallic smell and taste of your water.

Bad Tasting Water 

There are a number of issues that can leave your water tasting bad. From hydrogen sulfide to chlorine, bad tasting water is unpalatable and could have health implications. In order to determine why your water tastes bad, you’ll need water testing. A thorough water test will allow you to identify any underlying issues to determine the best treatment method.

It is likely that a filtration system can correct any bad tasting or bad smelling water. For example, a Reverse Osmosis system can remove up to 99.9 percent of contaminants including those causing bad smells or tastes. Active carbon can remove the taste and smell of chlorine, while carbon filters can eliminate the rotten egg smell of hydrogen sulfide. Oxidation can destroy gas smells and oily tastes. Your filtration system can be tailored to address your specific water quality issue.

Acid Stains and Corrosion

Discoloured, hazy or cloudy water may leave blue, green stains in bathtubs, sinks and other fixtures. This is typically a sign of acid stains and corrosion. This may be due to the corrosion of brass or copper pipes in your home.

The most effective solution for this problem is acid neutralisation. A whole house high efficiency system can reduce the contaminants in your water and adjust the pH to prevent corrosion and acid stains. This will not only eliminate staining on fixtures, but it will stop acid from creating pinhole leaks in pipes and prevent copper from seeping into your water supply.

Sediment

If your water has a cloudy appearance, it is likely to be due to high turbidity. This refers to a fine sediment of scale, sand, dirt, and clay suspended in your water. This is particularly common in water that was drawn from lakes, rivers, and ponds.

Sediment is a fairly simple problem to resolve, as it can be eliminated by a filter. If you have other water quality issues, you may need a sediment pre-filter to remove the suspended particles to make the treatment more efficient. Sediment can also damage more specialist filters, such as RO membranes, so it is important that it is removed before water treatment.

Viruses and Bacteria

There are millions of cases of acute gastrointestinal illness each year in North America as a result of waterborne viruses or bacteria. Unfortunately, these contaminants are able to survive in water for months and are undetectable to the human eye. While municipal facilities disinfect water to protect against viruses and bacteria, the responsibility for this task falls on private well owners.

There are several types of water treatment systems to ensure that water is free of viruses, bacteria, and other microbial pathogens, but the most effective is reverse osmosis. RO systems can remove up to 99.9 percent of contaminants, making it an excellent option for homeowners.

Swimming Pool Smell

If your water has an odour like a swimming pool, it is due to the presence of chlorine. Chlorine has been used as a water disinfectant since the 1800s, but treatment plans need to use sufficient amounts to protect the water as it is transported to homes. While this has helped to end a major threat to public health, even small traces can leave a distinct odour that makes the water unpalatable. Additionally, chlorine can dry the hair and skin, fade clothing and damage appliance rubber seals.

Carbon filtration is an effective treatment to remove traces of chlorine, but there are other treatment methods that can be used if you have other water quality issues.

If you have concerns about your water quality, it is crucial to consult a water treatment expert. An experienced professional can not only perform water testing to detect the levels of contaminants, but can also guide you through the treatment options most appropriate to the characteristics of your water.