It’s easy to take water quality for granted. Like air quality, it seems so fundamental that we often don’t think about it unless we notice a problem. However, it’s important to ensure that your water is safe to drink. While the water in Las Vegas meets safety standards at both the state and federal levels, there are certainly steps you can take to improve it.
At Pure Plumbing & Air, we can partner with you in testing your home’s tap water and work with you to improve its quality. Read on for more information on how to test your water and make it healthier and tastier to drink.
Water Quality Standards
Thanks to the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency sets and oversees federal standards for water safety. Each state must meet or exceed these standards. The Las Vegas Valley Water District is the organization that ensures that your tap water is safe locally, and it tests for more contaminants more frequently than required.
Despite these standards, you still may be concerned about the safety of your water and want to have it tested. Your water is tested at the treatment facility, but something can go wrong after that. Contaminants can get into the water supply before it lands in your glass, including from the pipes in your home. In addition, if you are not part of the municipal water system but have well water, you need to get it tested regularly to ensure that it is up to safety standards.
Water Testing
While there are do-it-yourself testing kits, they can be less accurate, more limited in what they detect and subject to misinterpretation. In addition, when you do it yourself, you might still not know how to best address any problems the test has identified.
Pure Plumbing & Air can test your water and explain the results so that they’re useful to you. We can also make recommendations about how to improve your water. Testing is not just about water safety. It’s a first step that will help you better understand the composition of the water coming out of your taps. With this information, you can take the next steps to make sure that your water is of the highest quality.
For example, Las Vegas has very hard water. While this doesn’t make the water unsafe to drink, it can affect the taste. It can also make it hard to get a lather going and tends to create more soap scum.
Here are some of the other things that might be affecting the safety of your water or its quality that water testing can identify:
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Lead and other heavy metals
- Chlorine
- Pesticides
- Arsenic
- Nitrates
- Volatile organic compounds
- pH level
Improving Your Water Quality
Testing may indicate that your water has high levels of certain pollutants. However, even when your water is safe to drink, if it is high in certain minerals, it can dry out your skin and hair and cause your appliances to work less efficiently. Safe water with high mineral content may still have an unpleasant taste and appear cloudy. Depending on what is in your water, one or more of the solutions below can improve the safety and overall quality of your water.
Reverse Osmosis System
A reverse osmosis system can filter out many impurities. It can be attached under a kitchen sink. There are also remote models that can be placed in the basement or another location. Reverse osmosis systems offer multiple stages of filtration. Different layers remove sediment first, then organic compounds and finally other contaminants. Only water passes through the final layer. At Pure Plumbing & Air, we install four-stage and six-stage reverse osmosis systems.
Water Softener and Water Filtration
If your primary concern is hard water, then a water softener may be the right solution for you. There are cleaners, detergents and rinse aids for your dishwasher that can mitigate the effects of hard water to some extent, but this can be piecemeal. It also doesn’t address how hard water affects your hair and skin.
A whole-house water softener removes the calcium and magnesium that cause hard water. There are additional benefits as well. Since your appliances will operate more efficiently without the scale buildup from hard water, your bills may go down. In addition, your water pressure may improve.
If you’re more concerned about contaminants, you might want to choose a whole-house water filtration system. These systems add an extra layer of protection to your water before you use it for drinking or cooking.
Another option is to install both a water softener and a water filtration system. The two systems can work together to optimize the water quality in your home. Together, these systems can help ensure that you have clear, pure water that tastes great and doesn’t harm your appliances, clothes, or skin.
Replace Old Plumbing
Old plumbing can present a variety of issues when it comes to water safety. First of all, if your pipes are damaged or disintegrating, it’s easy for contaminants to get into your water supply. Damaged pipes mean you’re probably having other plumbing problems as well, so you may have no choice but to get sections of your pipes replaced.
However, if your house was built in the 1980s or earlier, you may want to consider replacement even if your pipes are in good condition. Older homes might have lead pipes or fixtures. This contaminant can be especially dangerous for children or pregnant women.
Water Heater Maintenance
Over time, sediment can build up in your water heater and affect both water pressure and quality throughout your home. A plumber can drain your storage tank and perform other maintenance, such as replacing any parts that are rusting. In addition, bacteria in the tank can make your water smell bad. While you don’t have to worry about storage with a tankless water heater, minerals can also build up as water passes through it. These models need regular maintenance as well.
The Right Solution for You
There are many factors involved in improving your water quality. This is one reason it’s helpful to work with a team of professionals like us who can advise you based on your particular situation. Other things to consider when you are looking at various approaches to water quality are your budget, your priorities and the maintenance needs involved in different solutions.
Las Vegas Water Quality Specialists
At Pure Plumbing & Air, we have several experienced technicians who can conduct water testing and work with you on solutions, including installing reverse osmosis systems, water filtration systems and water softeners. In addition, we provide water quality services for industrial uses. We also offer an array of other services that can improve your water quality, including water heater maintenance and general plumbing services.
We’re an award-winning company with an A+ BBB rating, and we are committed to excellence. When you have concerns about your water quality in Las Vegas and are looking for solutions, contact Pure Plumbing & Air.
