Contaminated water supplies pose a significant threat to human health. According to the World Health Organization, contaminated water is linked to a variety of diseases, including cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, and hepatitis A, among others. Sources of drinking water are exposed to contaminants, and many people may have no idea if their water is safe for consumption or what they should be doing to ensure it is.
The Environmental Protection Agency notes that many testing labs or services supply sample containers to people interested in having their water tested. But that leaves the question of when to test water. The EPA states that certain conditions and activities may justify testing water for the presence of various things that can make people ill.
Condition: Recurrent gastrointestinal disease
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Recommended test: Coliform bacteria
Condition: Household plumbing contains lead
Recommended Test: Pit, Lead, Copper
Condition: Flaky residue, soaps do not lather
Recommended test: hardness
Condition: Water softener required for hardness treatment
Recommended test: manganese, iron
Condition: Stained plumbing fixtures, laundry
Recommended test: iron, copper, manganese
Condition: Foul taste or smell
Recommended Test: Hydrogen Sulfide, Corrosion, Metals
Condition: Cloudy, foamy or colored water
Recommended test: paint, detergent
Condition: corrosion of pipes, plumbing
Recommended Test: Corrosion, pH, Lead
Condition: Rapid wear and tear of the water treatment system
Recommended test: pH, corrosion
Condition: Nearby areas with intensive agriculture
Recommended test: nitrate, pesticides, E. coli
Requirement: Nearby coal or other mining operation
Recommended Test: Metals, pH, Corrosion
Condition: Smell of gasoline or heating oil and near gas stations or buried fuel tanks
Recommended Test: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Condition: Salty taste and sea water or a heavily salted roadway nearby
Recommended Test: Chloride, TDS, Sodium
Various conditions can indicate a contaminated water supply. When such conditions arise, individuals should not hesitate to have their water tested.
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