Ever wondered what is in your water? Or how clean it is?

In a previous article, we went over the details about the importance of hydration and how much water each one of us should be drinking. Although quantity is important, if the quality is no good you might be doing yourself a bad favor. Now it’s time to go over quality!

So let’s get to it!

Basic tests:

Test one: Let’s put your nose to work.

Smells can give you a very thorough indication of your water quality.
Run your faucet for at least a minute. Then, fill up a cup of water while dipping your nose close while pouring.
You can experience one or more of the following:

Smell of bleach – This is very likely. It comes from the chlorine or chloramine that your local treatment plant adds in order to make the water safe from harmful bacteria. This scent might be stronger or weaker at certain times of the day, depending on when the water is treated.
Smell of bad or rotten eggs – This scent of sulfur most likely indicates the growth of bacteria. Fill a glass of tap water and take it far into another room. Wait a 1-2 minutes and then take another sniff. If the scent is no longer present it means the bacteria is developing inside your drain and should be taken care of. But if you still notice that strong rotten egg smell (with both hot and cold water), that might indicate a bacterial issue.
“Dirty” or “Earthy” smell – This is commonly the result of the decomposing process of organic matter. Again, following the previous test, check if the scent is coming from inside your drain or the water itself.

Test two: Let’s check the taste.

Generally, people that consume tap water on a daily basis, no matter how bad it might be in the beginning, usually get used to the taste over time. In other cases – almost obvious, if your water tastes awful, please spit it out!
Again, you might expect on or more of the following:

Metallic taste – most times this can be associated with either low pH levels, or excess minerals in your water supply (potentially due to rusty pipes).
Taste of bleach – most likely to be caused by an excess of chlorine or chloramine.
Salty taste – usually shows the presence of chloride ions or sulfates, which could be caused by industrial waste or irrigation drainage.

Test three: Checking for particles, cloudiness.

Holding a glass of water up to the light, look for floating particles or general cloudiness.
Brown, orange, or red particles can be caused by rust in your pipes or fixtures.
Black particles can come from the hoses that your water runs through (the chlorine/chloramine tends to deteriorate these hoses over time).

White or tan particles (or general cloudiness) can be an indication of excess calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate in your water.

Bonus tip: Check the ice cubes in your freezer. Are they clear? If not, that may be a sign of hard particles in the water.

Tests for water “gurus”:

Test four: Let’s put our eyes to the test and examine the water color.

This should be a piece of cake for you.
As the first test, begin examining the color of your water by first running the water for a few minutes. (This will clear any build up from standing water in your system). Hold a glass of water up to the light.
Brown, murky, or otherwise discolored water can be caused by a few factors: a new water source for your area, upstream pollution, or rusty pipes.

Test five: Rusty pipes? Corrosion and/or build-up?

If your pipes have a great deal of corrosion or mineral build-up, that is a clear sign that excess rust or other minerals have been getting into your water. This is one of the most common issues in Las Vegas due to the very hard and mineral rich water we experience.

There are a few ways you look for corrosion or build-up around your house:

If your pipes are above ground, look for any areas that leak or have blue and/or white sediment.
In case your pipes are harder to get to, look inside your toilet bowl for rust, or around the base of your toilet for blue stains.
If you are having any plumbing work done, ask to see inside a cut portion of your pipe. Look for blue, white, or rust-colored build-up.

Bonus tip: If your house or community is surrounded by a brick wall fence, keep a look out for large white spots on the bricks. Usually this is an indication of swollen pipes and is a clear sign of a corrosion or build-up problem.

Last but not least you can double check with the local water district for their detailed water test results! Every local water municipality is required to test water quality, and to publish the results publicly making them available each year. The fastest and easiest way to obtain this information would usually be online compiled in the form of a “Water Quality Report”.

If you have experienced any of the above issues, please call us at (702)521-6409 or fill out the form below for a FREE thorough water test.

We offer flexible timing suited to your schedule and will test your water for pH and chlorine levels, hardness, TDS, purity and even show you a few shortcuts on how to make your everyday life easier.

The information provided in these articles is for educational purposes only. It should not be taken as medical advice. The information provided is based upon personal experience as well as interpretation of research. We are neither doctors nor physicians.
The advice and tips given in these articles are meant for healthy adults only. You should always consult a qualified doctor or physician before attempting to apply the information.
The articles are for an informational purpose only and both the author and Ameritek Water do not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities or damages, real or perceived, resulting from the use of this information.