Microbiological Contamination

• The most important consideration in any water supply is whether or not it is safe or potable.
• Contaminated water can result in sickness or worse
• Bacteria, Viruses and Cysts

Hardness

• Scale deposits in pipes, and water heaters
• Excessive energy use
• Premature failure of appliances and water heaters
• Poor or graying laundry results
• High soap and chemical usage, dry skin

Iron

• At levels above 0.3 mg/L, iron stains laundry and plumbing fixtures and causes undesirable taste.  The precipitation of excess iron causes a reddish brown color in the water.  It may also promote the growth of iron bacteria, leaving a slimy coating in piping.  The presence of iron bacteria can also cause a 'rotten egg' odor in the water and a sheen on the surface of the water.  The aesthetic objective is set at a maximum of 0.3 mg/L.

Manganese

• Manganese can cause staining to plumbing and laundry and undesirable tastes in beverages.  Also, it may lead to the accumulation of bacterial growth in the piping.  The aesthetic objective is set at a maximum of 0.05 mg/L.

PH

•  Natural waters usually have pH values in the range of 4 to 9 and most are slightly basic (i.e. greater than 7) because of the presence of bicarbonates and carbonates.  Corrosion effects may become significant at a pH below 6.5 and scaling may become a problem at a pH above 8.5.  For this reason an acceptable range for drinking water pH is from 6.5 to 8.5.