Whether your water comes from a public system or private well, it’s probably deemed safe for drinking, bathing and cooking. However, there are many sources of pollution that may alter the taste and smell of your water—and impact your health, as well. A quality water filter can help ensure the taste and clarity of your water—while preventing contact with dangerous contaminants and mineral pollutants like iron and sulfur.

Sources of Groundwater Contamination

• Pesticides and fertilizers: Seeping into rural water systems, common agricultural chemicals like nitrites and herbicides can taint groundwater sources with disease-causing pollutants.
• Landfills: As residents and commercial entities dispose of hazardous waste and mounds of garbage, rainfall carries soluble contaminants into groundwater systems below the dumping areas. Septic tank leaks may also endanger private and public water supplies.
• Microorganisms: In areas of high flooding and overwhelming wildlife populations, bacteria, fungi and parasites can cause groundwater pollution.
• Radon: A color and odor-free gas, radon is produced through the breakdown of uranium deposits. While small amounts of radon are present in many water sources, high levels may lead to increased cancer risks.
• Sulfur: Formed by the decay of plants and other organic materials, sulfur is not a known health hazard. It does, however, cause water to take on an unpleasant, “rotten” odor and taste. A water filter can prevent this undesirable effect.
• Iron: Leached into groundwater from rock formations and high-mineral soil, iron can also impact the taste of your water supply. While it doesn’t generally cause health problems, iron builds up on faucets, fixtures and tubs—leading to unsightly deposits that are hard to remove. When you invest in a water filter, water tastes better and kitchen/bathroom fixtures are easier to clean and maintain.

If your primary water source is a private well, it’s especially important to invest in a water filter and regularly test water for contaminants. And while public water systems have fairly diligent testing schedules, the potential for water contamination still exists. If you’re concerned about protecting your family from water pollutants and maintaining your water’s quality taste and smell, consider installing a proven water filter. A reputable filtration system can improve water quality, remove sulfur and iron, and prevent the chemical spread that may adversely affect your health and well-being.

A significant portion of America, especially in rural areas still use a well to get their drinking water.  While this is a safe method for getting drinking water (and, often the only available method) – the homeowner should be aware of potential issues.  It also is a good idea to have your local Culligan Man come and test your water if you notice any of these following issues:

• Rotten Egg Odor
• Detergent Odor or foaming water
• Gasoline or oil smell
• methane/musty smell
• Chlorine Smell

Many people complain of a sulphur smell in their well water. There’s something decidedly unpleasant about water that smells like rotten eggs.

We’ve covered some of the ways to determine the source of your smelly water – now, we’re listing some of the common causes of sulfur smelling water:

• Decay of organic matter or chemical reactions with sulfur-containing minerals in soil and rock.
• Sulfate-reducing bacteria which convert naturally occurring sulfate and other sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide gas.
• Water heaters can produce hydrogen sulfide gas by:
  • Providing a warm environment for sulfate-reducing bacteria to live.
  • The anode, which is usually magnesium, supplies electrons that sustain the reaction of sulfate to hydrogen sulfide gas.

Everyone knows that water is essential to health – and having fresh, clean water in your home is of vital importance. However, most people that aren’t satisfied with their tap water have limited options.  You may not want a whole home water system, so you’re left with purchasing expensive bottled water that’s bad for the environment, or spending tons of money on off the shelf replacement filters.

Another option is to have your local Culligan Man deliver bottled water right to your door! It’s cost, time, and environmentally effective!

Posts Related to Bottle Water

A common complaint about local tap or well water is that it occasionally has a sulphur (or, rotten egg) smell.  This is caused by Hydrogen Sulfide gas (H2S) that occurs naturally, and gives water its trademark “rotten egg” smell and taste.

Is Sulphur Smelling Water Dangerous?
Most of the time, no.  A sulphur smell in your water likely doesn’t relate to the sanitary level of your water.  However, it IS possible that exposure to sewage or other pollution, and you should have your local Culligan Dealer test your water.

Here are a couple general tips to go by when identifying the source of your sulphur smelling water:

• If the smell is only from the hot water faucet the problem is likely to be in the water heater.

• If the smell is in both the hot and cold faucets, but only from the water treated by a water softener and not in the untreated water the problem is likely to be sulfur bacteria in the water softener.

• If the smell is strong when the water in both the hot and cold faucets is first turned on, and it diminishes or goes away after the water has run, or if the smell varies through time the problems is likely to be sulfur bacteria in the well or distribution system.

• If the smell is strong  when the water in both the hot and cold faucets is first turned on and is more or less constant and persists with use the problem is likely to be hydrogen sulfide gas in the groundwater.

An easy solution to this is to set up a whole home water treatment system – such as the reverse osmosis water softening equipment provided by Culligan dealers in your area.

Culligan’s corporate office recently launched a press release covering their new product – the world’s only certified whole-house arsenic filtration system.

Here are some excerpts from the release:

To address consumer concerns about arsenic in their water, Culligan, the leader in home water treatment solutions for more than 70 years, just introduced the only certified Whole-House Arsenic Reduction Filter on the market. The entire system has been tested and certified by the Water Quality Association (WQA) against NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for the reduction of total arsenic (pentavalent and trivalent). Homeowners can be assured that the new Culligan solution is backed by third-party certification experts who uphold independent testing standards to validate which devices are successful at reducing arsenic and other contaminants. Whythird party certification is important to consumers is the entire system passed laboratory tests (including arsenic reduction performance), material review, structural integrity, and literature compliance.

As you can see – this is another step forward by your local Culligan man to improve the quality of your drinking water. If you’d like to learn more, please contact one of the Culligan dealers in your area.  Here’s links to a few areas of interest:

Iowa City Home Water Softener
Binghamton Home Water Softener
Winnipeg Home Water Softener