Water filtration installations & service – Hudson, Mass.

WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS FOR HUDSON

There are certain common contaminants that find their way into the water supply, some of which are more difficult to remove than others. As a resident of Hudson, MA, you likely have the town supplying your home with water but may have a private well, both of which may benefit from water filtration. Later in this write-up, specific contaminants that are commonly found in Hudson private wells and the public water supply are identified and effective water filtration or water softening methods are covered. Excellent water quality is achievable with the proper approach.

WHERE DOES MY WATER COME FROM IN HUDSON,MA?

The Hudson, MA public water supply is a blended supply. Approximately 22% comes from the city of Marlborough,MA (which has a blended supply themselves from the MWRA, Lake Williams and the Millham reservoir in Marlborough).  The remaining 78% comes from several sources within Hudson including Gates Pond Reservoir and five different wells. The water treatment that takes place prior to entering the distribution system varies depending on the source. For the latest Hudson, MA consumer confidence report, look for the link at the following website: Hudson Consumer Conf. Report. If you have your own private well, you are your own supplier and are responsible for your own water quality. For more, see below.

BAD ODORS & TASTES IN YOUR WATER

There are various types of bad odors and tastes that you may experience in your water.  Hydrogen Sulfide is not uncommon and is evidenced typically by a rotten egg smell in your water, however this may also be caused by high Manganese levels as well.  A water filtration system specifically for this problem is effective in correcting this. For a more complete description of this and other potential bad odors and taste in your water, see the link at https://h2ocare.com/bad-odor-taste/.

You may notice odor and taste issues if your home is supplied by town water, typically associated with Chlorine. Chlorine is used for disinfection purposes by the town to control microorganisms including bacteria and others that may be present in the water distribution system. Carbon water filtration systems are effective at removing chlorine and the associated taste and odors that come with it. These systems can either be installed at the point of entry in your home, typically in the basement, or at a point of use for drinking water only.

WATER TESTING

If you have a private well, water testing should be conducted by an EPA or Massachusetts state certified laboratory and should include analysis for at least the parameters in the table below. If you are uncertain as to how to take a proper sample and get it to a lab, you should contact a lab or water treatment professional for assistance. They can walk you through the steps required to complete this task. If your water is town supplied, they frequently test for health threat contaminants, therefore, an in-home water test can be performed on items such as iron, hardness, manganese, pH or chlorine level. Depending on whether or not your home is supplied by the town or you have a private well, items which may be tested for at a lab are as follows:

Coliform bacteria	pH
Arsenic	Radon
Chloride	Sodium
Iron	Sulfate
Lead	Conductivity
Manganese	Nitrogen-Nitrate
Hardness	Total Dissolved Solids

COMMON CONTAMINANTS

In Hudson, MA, some common issues encountered are manganese, iron and the hard water minerals magnesium & calcium. Private wells may also experience low pH and sometimes the health threats radon and arsenic making their way into the water. See the Water Filtration section below for more information on typical methods for removing water contaminants. For a chart of symptoms, causes and solutions, see the link at Common Regional Water Problems.

WATER FILTRATION/ WATER SOFTENING SYSTEMS

Water softeners are typically installed to remove hard water minerals, dissolved iron and manganese in the water through a technology called Ion Exchange.  Particulate iron or manganese (which you can see in the water) can be removed with a properly sized sediment filtration set up. See more information about iron in water, see the article at the following link: Iron Article in Water Technology Magazine.  Hydrogen Sulfide is evidenced typically by a rotten egg smell in your water, however this may also be caused by high Manganese levels in the water as well.  A water filtration specifically for this problem is effective in correcting this.  For more information on Manganese in water, see the link at: Manganese in Water Article in Water Technology.

TEST PRIVATE WELLS FOR ARSENIC & RADON

Arsenic and radon in well water are not uncommon in this region.  Therefore, it is a judicious approach to make sure you have your well tested for these potential contaminants as they are known, serious health threats and should be removed from your water supply if detected above certain levels. The EPA action level for radon in water is at 4,000 Pico curries per liter.  This does not mean that levels below this are recommended, however, this is the level that had been set for definite action as of this writing. States have varying recommended action levels, therefore which levels you feel are safe for your home will have to be made individually for your own well.

If testing results for Radon exceed the current Massachusetts guideline of 10,000 pCi/L (Pico curries per liter) in water, the radon must be removed from the water and it is recommended testing the air for Radon as well.  It should be noted that New Hampshire requires action if radon is only at 2,000 pCi/L.  Maine and Rhode Island actionable levels are at 4,000 pCi/L. For more information on radon see the link at Radon in Water Article.

The maximum allowable level of Arsenic in drinking water per the EPA is .01 mg/L (miligrams per liter) or 10 parts per billion. For more information on this see the link at Arsenic in Water Article.

Removing radon from water requires a system in which the water is agitated in a sealed chamber then vented to the outside, sending the radon gas to ambient air.  Removing Arsenic from water requires running the water through tanks containing a specific media that is arsenic specific.  Other technologies and systems are used to remove other contaminants.  Any water filtration system designed should start with a water test before an informed recommendation can be made.

H2O Care is an established, Massachusetts based water filtration and testing firm, formed in 1989 with offices in Hudson & Middleton, MA.  Articles published by the Company can be seen in Water Technology Magazines at http://h2ocare.com/pub. Contact us at [email protected] or 978-777-8330.