The following discusses potential water quality issues or concerns as well as water filtration options for residents of Boston, Massachusetts.
Water Filtration Solutions
The Boston water supply and many surrounding cities and towns are supplied by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The latest available Annual Water Quality Report can be viewed at the following link MWRA Annual Report. While the water quality is generally pretty good from MWRA, the long distance to the water’s eventual points of use and other issues may cause taste & odor issues as well as various types of staining in sinks, toilets, showers and other plumbing fixtures. You may experience taste and odor issues that are commonly associated with chloramine (a chlorine, ammonia compound), which is used to disinfect the water and control bacterial growth.
For more detail on common taste & odor issues in water, see the link at https://h2ocare.com/bad-odor-taste/. There is a “Frequently Asked Questions” publication provided by MWRA that reviews what you may encounter. See the link at FAQs MWRA Water. See the Water Filtration Systems section below for more information on water quality improvement.
DETERMINING WHICH WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS TO INSTALL
A water test is the best place to start to determine which contaminants or minerals should be removed. . Additionally, estimating volume & other information will lead to the proper sizing of the filtration equipment.
WATER TEST & ANALYSIS
Water Testing
Preferably, testing should be conducted by an EPA or Massachusetts state certified laboratory. Additionally, for proper sampling or for what to test, you should contact a lab or water treatment professional for assistance. Furthermore, certain items can be tested for on-site by a qualified water treatment professional However, for health threat contaminants, a proper sample should be taken to a certified state laboratory.
TYPES OF WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS
A water softener will remove dissolved iron, dissolved manganese and hardness minerals from the water. Furthermore, sediment filters will remove particulate iron or manganese in the water as well as other forms of sediment. In addition, there are many other types of systems depending on what needs to be removed from the water. Some of these systems are presented in this write-up.
High Efficiency Water Softener
COMMON WATER QUALITY ISSUES – Private Wells & Public Supplies
Common issues encountered in private wells and some public water supplies are hardness, manganese and iron. Additionally, low pH and sometimes radon and arsenic may be detected. Additionally, if testing results for Radon exceed the current Massachusetts guideline of 10,000 pCi/L in water, it must be removed.. Notably, New Hampshire requires action if radon is only 2,000 pCi/L (Pico curries per liter), Maine and Rhode Island are at 4,000 pCi/L. Also, the maximum allowable level of Arsenic in drinking water per the EPA is .01 mg/L (Milligrams per liter) or 10 parts per billion. For more, see the link at arsenic-in-private-well-water.
For information on reverse osmosis purification technology, see the link at https://h2ocare.com/reverse-osmosis-ro-water-purification/.
Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Purification System
TYPES OF WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS
A water softener will remove dissolved iron, dissolved manganese and hardness minerals from the water. Furthermore, sediment filters will remove particulate iron or manganese in the water as well as other forms of sediment. In addition, there are many other types of systems depending on what needs to be removed from the water. Some of these systems are presented in this write-up.
In conclusion, up front water testing and analysis with subsequent professional installation will resolve your water problems.
H2O Care is an established, Massachusetts based water filtration and testing firm, formed in 1989 with offices in Middleton & Stow, MA. Articles published by the Company can be seen in Water Technology Magazines at http://h2ocare.com. Contact us at service@h2ocare.com or 800-539-1100.