What's in your Water?
Tap water typically comes from two sources – surface water or groundwater. Before it comes to through your faucet, though, most water will be disinfected to destroy any harmful bacteria and parasites. In the case of city-provided water, this treatment is often done with chemical additives like chlorine.
Whether from the city or a well, determining your water quality is very important to your health. Your water may contain other undesirable contaminants like toxic metal salts, hormones, and pesticides, or it may become contaminated by chemicals or microbes within pipes (e.g. lead, bacteria, protozoa).
Do You Know What is in Your Water?
It is as easy as 1-2-3!
Nortest Analytical on Huntington Drive here in Flagstaff can help you to figure this out! Nortest is an Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) licensed laboratory that participates in the guidelines set by the EPA.
Visit Nortest and explain to them the type of analysis you would like to have performed on your water. They will provide the containers and instructions on how to draw the samples. Once the samples are drawn, take the samples back to Nortest for the analysis. They will contact you once the analysis is complete.
If you have a private well, it is important to test your water for Coliform and E. coli presence and quantities particularly during the times of year when there is run off and/or if you live around areas where there is livestock.
If you purchase water from a local municipality then you may want to check your water for levels of chlorine, especially if you or someone in your household has asthma or dermatitis. Read more about the problems with chlorine.
Once you know what is in your water, YOUR PLUMBER can make recommendations on the best treatment.
Testing Our Water
Watch as we walk you through a water quality test. We'll show you the step-by-step process of properly collecting a water sample and cover other considerations important to providing healthy water to your home!
The Problem with Chlorine
Have you ever smelled chlorine from the fresh water coming from your kitchen faucet, especially in the summer months? We have checked the drinking water in several areas around Flagstaff and found the chlorine levels to be near and above levels to be maintained in a swimming pool. Now that is a lot of chlorine!
Chloramines and trihalomethanes in chlorine can exacerbate the symptoms of asthma and even worsen the condition. These chemicals may actually be capable of causing asthma. Learn more: The Connection Between Chlorine and Asthma by Susan Knowlton.
Chlorine can also be corrosive to your plumbing and plumbing fixtures causing you costly repairs over time.
It is necessary for the municipalities to put chlorine in the water as a disinfectant in order to deliver bacteria free water to their customers. What can you do to eliminate or reduce the chlorine in your water?
We have a solution! HALO water filtration systems are highly effective at reducing and/or removing chlorine, chloramines, and chlorination by-products from all of your household water. This equates to no more chlorine damage, no more bad taste and smell and NO MORE BOTTLED WATER, a win-win for our environment and landfills! Learn more about the HALO water filtration system, and check out the different options to improve your water quality.