What you should know about water and its problems
Regardless of its source –town supply, tanks, dams, bores or rivers – water can have problems, most of which are explained below.
Parasites
When creatures such as possums, rats and birds leave faecal droppings on your roof, the rain washes them into your tank and contamination of your drinking water easily occurs. Giardia and cryptosporidium are parasites commonly found in the intestines of these creatures and being parasites, they need a host to feed on. When you drink the water, you become that host. Diarrhoea and chronic lack of energy can be symptoms of parasitic infestation.
Protection against this possibility is very simple and inexpensive and it will give you the peace of mind that whatever drops on your roof, the health of your family will not be threatened at any time.
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Bacteria
Bacteria can be present even if water looks, smells and tastes okay. Bacteria are present anywhere that organic matter is breaking down. This means that the leaves and any little animals that might be de-composing in your gutters are all sources of bacterial contamination. This will usually be the cause of any bad taste and odour in your water. Not all filters deal with bacterial contamination, which means it is important to ensure you have the correct filter when using un-sterilised water. Standard carbon filters, for example, will initially take out bacteria. However, the way they do this causes the filter to act as a breeding ground for the bacteria it collects, which eventually results in your water being more contaminated after a very short time.
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Sediment
Sediment ranges from visible particles to particles that can't be seen with the naked eye. These particles act as vehicles for the other contaminants (parasites and bacteria) and are usually (but not always) the cause of colouration in your water.
Sediment filtration is always the starting point for any good filtration system. If the sediment is removed from your water, you won't be drinking it nor will it clog up your higher-grade filters. This means that your water is healthier and your higher grade filters last substantially longer.
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Water Hardness
Do you experience difficulty getting soap to lather? Is water flow to your home reduced or does your hot water system seem inefficient? If the answer is yes then you could be experiencing hard water which results from water coming into contact with certain minerals on its journey to your taps. Because water acts like a magnet, as it flows over or through the ground, it draws and absorbs the minerals in the earth.
The minerals absorbed will vary with the location, but the most common ones to cause water hardness are calcium and magnesium oxides. Water hardness causes other problems including white deposits on shower screens or on cars after washing.
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