The recent wet weather has affected more than the trees and flowers. States all over the country are experiencing new and added compounds in the water impacted by runoff from these rain events. For example:
- Bacteria: lives in soil/vegetation and in the gastrointestinal tract of wild and farm-raised animals.
- Nitrates: fertilizers, manure, septic systems and natural decomposition of organic matter posing the highest health risks to pregnant women and infants less than six months of age. Read more about Nitrates and Nitrites.
- Pesticides (herbicides): Garden and lawn irrigation that runs down streets through gutters into the storm drains and directly into creeks, rivers and oceans.
- PFOA & PFOS: used in production facilities or industries and found in commercial household products including waxes, paints, cleaning products and fire-fighting foams (commonly used at airports and military bases where trainings occur).
- Cadmium: runoff from waste batteries and paints can cause kidney damage.
- Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products, Metabolites: flushing of unused or expired products from sewage overflows and agricultural runoff.
Because rivers, lakes and oceans are not sterile bodies of water, they can be contaminated by outside sources. When we have an aggressive rainy season, the runoff carries unusual wastes and other pollutants like lawn and farm chemicals, street debris, sewage overflows and boating wastes into water sources.
Whether you have municipal or well water, if you have never had your water tested NOW IS THE TIME. If you have a water treatment system in your home, we recommend contacting your water quality specialist to find out if there are certain contaminants in your area that should be tested for or treated with added filters or other water treatment solutions like Reverse Osmosis. Remember, city water does not filter out everything!
Your health is the priority but be sure to consider the effects of these unfamiliar contaminants on your home’s appliances as well. Without proper filtration in place, the life expectancy on your washing machine, dishwasher or water heater may be shortened.
Contact North Carolina Water for your FREE water test and consultation.