Water in Palatine, IL

Palatine Water Needs Improvement

Map of Palatine water region

Learn How to Protect Your Family’s Health

Have you ever wondered about the quality of your water? Studies have shown that it can be full of contaminants that are harmful to your health. None of these numbers exceed federal guidelines established by the EPA, but in reality, any sort of water pollution can be dangerous.

Life is stressful enough as it is. There’s no need to add stress about water contamination to your list of worries. Instead, read on to learn more about:

  • Where Palatine water comes from
  • Which contaminants are in the drinking water
  • How you can ensure you stay healthy
  • How Angel Water can help keep you safe from polluted water
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Where Does Palatine Get Its Water?

During the nineteenth and much of the twentieth century, Palatine relied on well water for their supply. In 1986, Palatine and four other cities formed the Northwest Water Commission. Essentially, the commission created a pipeline from Evanston to bring Lake Michigan water to the four cities. The change from reliance on well water to Lake Michigan water happened in 1986. It’s important to note that there are still wells in Palatine in case of emergency. Yet, these wells are susceptible to water main breaks as the age of the structures increases.

Palatine water is treated with chlorine. Occasionally, this chlorine treatment can produce its own pollutants that are hazardous to your health. So, why do it? The plant treats the water with chlorine to get it clean; however, chlorine isn’t the same as a full filtration system. Couple that with the potential that chlorine creates its own toxins, and it’s easy to see why Palatine water isn’t fully contaminant-free.

Does Palatine Have Hard Water?

Unfortunately, contamination isn’t the only problem with Palatine water. Hard water is also an issue residents must deal with.

Palatine drinking water has a hardness level of 245 parts per million or 14 grains per gallon. These numbers are considered extremely high and can cause a host of headaches for people. Some problems that might arise are:

Water becomes hard due to a mineral buildup in the water supply. A water softener diminishes the buildup so that the water can remain fluid and clean. So, consider getting a water softener if you’re tired of having dirty dishes or brittle hair!

What’s in the Drinking Water in Palatine?

The Environmental Protection Agency tests the city’s water supplies to determine the number of contaminants in the collection. It should be known that the pollutants in Palatine water levels don’t exceed the EPA’s guidelines. Yet, these standards haven’t been updated in nearly twenty years, so it’s time to refresh things.

For this reason, it’s wiser to look at the Environmental Working Group’s studies. The agency sets stricter guidelines than the EPA. So, more harmful contaminants can be caught. Remember, any pollution level is dangerous, whether the EPA says so or not.

CONTAMINANT TOTAL
EWG RECOMMENDED
Chromium (hexavalent) 0.209ppb 0.02ppb
Haloacetic Acids (HAA9) 27.7ppb 0.06ppb
Trihalomethanes (TTHM) 33.0ppb 0.15ppb

Now, let’s take a closer look and what these contaminants are and why they might be harmful to your health.

Chromium (Hexavalent)

Chromium, also known as chromium-6, is a carcinogen created by industrial pollution. It’s one of the most common contaminants found in the Chicagoland area’s water supply.

Severe health problems like cancer, problems with the heart and lungs, respiratory disease, and dermatitis are linked to excessive chromium exposure. Sadly, it seems like the existence of chromium is here to stay in Palatine, IL, as the levels are high.

Haloacetic Acids

Haloacetic acids are a group of 9 disinfectants that arise when water is treated with chlorine or chloramine. The Northwest Water Commission treats its water with chlorine to get it clean. However, these acids prove there are negatives to treating water with such chemicals. So, why use it? Although there are health concerns, chlorine treatments are the most effective way to clean a water supply.

The EWG also reports totals for each acid. Three of the nine acids tested high than the EWG standards. These include:

  • Dibromoacetic Acid
  • Dibromochloromethane Acid
  • Dichloracetic Acid

These acids are specifically harmful to infants and pregnant women. Problems include developmental delays, physical impairments, and certain types of cancer.

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

Like Haloacetic acids, trihalomethanes are created throughout the disinfection process. The group includes four health-hazardous chemicals:

  • Bromodichloromethane
  • Bromoform
  • Chloroform
  • Dibromochloromethane

Excessive amounts of TTHMs in the water supply have been linked to various cancers, including liver and kidney and bladder cancer.

Other Contaminants Detected

The EWG also found other contaminants in Palatine water. These include:

  • Monobromoacetic acid
  • Strontium
  • Vanadium

Again, none of these other contaminants exceed the EPA’s or EWG’s guidelines, but it’s still vital to know of their existence. Multiple diseases and cancers have been linked to these toxins, and you can learn more on the EWG’s Palatine page.

How Can Palatine Residents Protect their Health?

Unfortunately, there isn’t one exact answer to protect you from the contaminants in Palatine water. However, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost! You can do a few things to ensure your water in Palatine is cleaner than before.

Step 1: Get Your Water Tested

Getting your water tested is crucial if you suspect something is wrong. Indicators that something is wrong with your water include discoloration and strange smells. If this is happening, call a reputable water company, like Angel Water, that can detect the issue and tell you about the next steps.

Step 2: Get an NSF/ANSI 58 Certified Reverse Osmosis System to Remove Contaminants

Unfortunately, we can’t tell you exactly what water filter you should get—that’ll depend on what contaminants are found during the testing process. Yet, it’s more likely than not that you’ll need a reverse osmosis system. These systems remove:

  • Chromium (Hexavalent)
  • Chromium (Total)
  • Germanium
  • Haloacetic Acids
  • Molybdenum
  • Total Trihalomethanes
  • And More!

An RO mechanism is effective for getting rid of typical contaminants found in the water supply. Some systems work too well and take out beneficial factors, like magnesium and calcium, that should stay in your H2O. Luckily, there are RO systems that add these healthy minerals back into the water.

You’ll want to make sure your RO system is NSF/ANSI 58 certified. NSF/ANSI 58 certified RO systems are held to stricter standards than conventional water filters.

Step 3: Think About Getting an NSF/ANSI 44 Certified Water Softener to Get Rid of Hard Water

So, what if hard water is the issue? If this is revealed after testing, then you’ll need a water softener. We recommend NSF/ANSI 44 certified systems to eliminate hard water. These mechanisms are particularly good at removing radium 226/228. It’s important to note that salt-free systems don’t soften water. They only make it so things don’t scale over in plumbing fixtures.

Step 4: Get Your Systems Installed by the Pros and Make Sure to Maintain Them

The final way people can make sure the drinking water in Palatine is safe is by having a system installed by a licensed professional. Please, don’t try to install one of these systems on your own. They’re very intricate, and it’s easy to get frustrated if you don’t know what you’re doing. Installation should be coupled with regular maintenance. Professionals should check out the mechanisms once a year to ensure they’re in working order.

Our Mission is to Provide Palatine with Clean Water

No one should be forced to drink unhealthy water. Yet, this article proves that the residents of Palatine do this all the time. We can’t accept this here at Angel Water! Our professionals can test your water, identify the problem, install RO systems, and put in water softeners—we’ve been doing it for over 50 years. We’ll also help you maintain the system, so it lasts well into the future. So, contact us and let us know what we can do! We won’t stop until we’re sure the drinking water in Palatine is safe and delicious!

Please call us today at (847) 382-7800

or fill out the form below to talk with an expert or schedule a free consultation!

Get A Free Water Test!

Would You Like to Know More About Water Quality in Palatine?

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.

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