| Bacteria in your water
Bacteria are one-celled microscopic organisms; they occur just about everywhere, including our surface water. Ideally, municipal water supplies are disinfected to kill harmful bacteria, then periodically checked.
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| Bottled water vs. treated tap water
Bottled waters have become popular, as part of the trend toward all things 'natural.' But it may surprise you to learn that bottled water can legally be drawn not just from wells and springs, but also from ordinary tap water.
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| Hard water and your plumbing
Over time, the minerals present in hard water, such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, will leave a hard lime scale inside your plumbing. This happens gradually as the water evaporates, and is accelerated when water is heated.
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| Hard water vs. soft water
Soft water has a number of advantages over hard water, for both you and your plumbing. The main problem with hard water is that it leaves a residue of minerals behind.
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| Sodium content in water
Ion exchange water softeners, one of the most common types, work by exchanging hardness minerals for sodium. Plants can't tolerate sodium, but that problem is easily solved by drawing their water from an untreated, outdoor spigot.
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| What chemicals are in tap water?
Water treatment facilities use a number of chemicals to purify, condition, and otherwise treat the water supply. The exact chemicals used will vary, depending on what needs to be achieved: for example, whether they're trying to disinfect, oxidize or control corrosiveness.
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