Known Contaminants:
Did you know that most of the residents in Deer Park, IL, receive their drinking water from a private well system? These systems are not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Because of this there isn’t public data on drinking water in Deer Park.
Coliform bacteria are often found in the digestive tracts of animals and humans. They can also be found in animal and human waste.
The presence of coliform in drinking water indicates that disease-carrying pathogens could be present as well. These pathogens carry health risks, such as diarrhea, nausea, headaches, and fatigue.
Iron bacteria are living organisms that develop in soil, surface water and groundwater when iron or manganese combine with oxygen. As a result, deposits of bacterial cells form a “rust” or a slimy substance.
Iron bacteria often shows itself in different shades. These bacteria can be orange, brown, or red. If you notice that your toilet bowl is suddenly stained orange, it’s an indicator of iron bacteria.
While iron bacteria aren’t harmful, they do create harmful conditions. For example, as we’ll discuss next, sulfur bacteria can grow out of iron bacteria. And those results can be harmful.
Furthermore, iron bacteria are often the culprit in clogging and weakening your pipes. It sticks to the insides of pipes and corrodes them. This can end up costing you a lot of money in repairs and replacements!
Sulfur bacteria develop through decay and chemical reactions with soil and rocks. Much like iron bacteria, sulfur bacteria often show up as slimy deposits on your plumbing. Sulfur bacteria can also damage your plumbing, pipes, and fixtures by corroding away at them.
Furthermore, sulfur bacteria can develop into hydrogen sulfide gas. This gas can potentially be harmful to your health. In fact, it can lead to:
You can spot sulfur bacteria because it leaves a black stain on your plumbing fixtures. Another way to tell that it is sulfur bacteria is by the smell. Sulfur bacteria create a rotten egg smell in your drinking water!
Calcium is one of the most common elements on earth. It is a mineral substance that dissolves in water and can cause hard water.
Hard water does not have any significant health risks. However, the damage that it causes can be fairly serious.
Here’s what happens when you have hard water:
All these issues could result in a lot of costly rewashing, cleaning products and plumbing repairs.
Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive element found in most drinking water. Hydraulic fracking and other similar activities has been known to elevate radium levels.
High enough levels of radium can have serious health consequences. They include bladder cancer and liver, kidney, and intestinal tumors. It can also cause problems during pregnancy, including:
The most common way for lead to enter drinking water is through lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures. It can also come from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, mining, and manufacturing.
Lead is a substance with harsh health concerns. If children are overly exposed to lead, it can lead to:
Lead can also cause health problems during pregnancy, such as premature birth. Furthermore, it can lead to cardiovascular effects, decreased kidney function and reproductive problems.
As we said above, well water is not subject to regular testing by the EPA. For this reason, regular water testing is crucial for Deer Park residents. Annual testing shows what is in your water so you can take steps toward making it healthier and cleaner!
Annual testing can also reveal any significant changes in the past year. Using this information, you can take steps to adjust your water filtration strategy and fix issues.
For example, say that one year you don’t have iron bacteria. But the next year, you do. You can look and see if your pipes are damaged from the iron bacteria. It can end up saving you a lot of money, headaches and hassles in the long run!
What’s the best way to stop toxins from ever getting near your water glass? Use one of our NSF-certified water filters! Our water filtration systems trap the harmful bacteria and contaminants before the water ever comes out of your faucet.
Cleaner and healthier drinking water in Deer Park, IL, is possible! If you want to know more about what’s in your water, try out the Water Wizard. It’s our free online water assessment tool.
…or give us a call at (847) 382-7800!
If you want to understand the quality of the water your family depends on everyday, contact us today. One of our representatives is standing by to help you schedule your free water test. We’ll send one of our local water expert to test the water at your tap and explain common problems and solutions for your specific water composition so that you can rest easy, knowing that your family is drinking the healthiest water possible.
