Common Water Problems and Their Solutions
The state of Minnesota has come a long way in protecting its water resources and providing clean and safe water for its residents. Gone are the days when raw sewage flowed into and polluted the Minnesota rivers.
Despite the efforts, Minnesota still faces major water issues. Groundwater, drunk by three out of four Minnesotans, is increasingly getting polluted by nitrates, while human activities like agriculture are negatively changing the water patterns. If a solution isn’t provided soon, the water quality in Minnesota will deteriorate further.
As a Minnesotan, it is only wise to understand the common water problems in our state and their relevant solutions. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Hard Water
What is hard water?
The U.S. Geological Survey defines hard water as water rich in highly dissolved minerals, calcium, and magnesium. In layman’s language, hard water makes your hand slimy when you use it to wash and leaves your glass cloudy after drinking.
Did you know that almost all the water produced in Minnesota contains one of the hard water minerals? Unfortunately, the majority of homeowners are not aware of the expensive effects of this type of water.
From clogging your skin pores, forming scums on your shower walls, clinging to your hair, spotting silverware and glass, significantly reducing the lifespan of water appliances, to making cleaning extremely difficult, hard water can be highly disastrous when not treated.
Solution: Kinetico Water Softeners
With 85% of U.S. households (report by the U.S. Geological Survey) depending on hard water for consumption, managing it is critical. The best solution for your hard water problems is investing in Kinetico Water softeners. Our range of water softeners is designed to meet your water needs regardless of your consumption levels. Get one today and eliminate all the stress of handling water hardness in your home.
2. Contaminated Groundwater
Close to half a million Minnesotans draw their drinking water from underground water. Contaminated groundwater contains viruses, micro-organisms, and high levels of nitrates, a toxic pollutant linked to cancer and is highly dangerous to infants.
As a chemical fertilizer that is highly mobile in water, nitrate is dissolved into the soil when it rains or after irrigation and moves down into the groundwater. It then finds its way into the water supplies of many Minnesotan homeowners using springs or wells. Drinking this nitrate-filled water leaves negative impacts on human and animal health.
Solution: Kinetico Drinking Water Systems
To filter out nitrates and other chemicals from groundwater, use Kinetico’s range of drinking water systems. Whether you have a private well or draw your water from a public one, these water systems will filter out chemicals that may pose a great risk to your health.
3. Surface Water
Surface water refers to any water body above the ground, such as lakes, reservoirs, streams, and wetlands. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 1.4 million Minnesotans derive their drinking water from surface waters.
On the downside, most of Minnesota’s lakes are increasingly becoming contaminated with phosphorus, while some contain chloride stemming from road salt in the urban areas and closed roads. Sometimes chlorine is added to surface water in water treatment plants to kill potential microorganisms that may be present. This can often change the taste and smell of your water over time but can be removed with Kinetico Water Filters.
Solution: Whole House Filters
Struggling with the smell and taste of your water? Is the chlorine drying your skin or hair? Or can you see sediment in your drinking water?
Kinetico’s whole house filters will solve all your chlorine problems and clean your surface water. With the high chlorine levels from the city water, the Carbon Backwashing Filter can help you eliminate its smell and improve its taste. Minneapolis, Minnesota sometimes uses chloramine in place of chlorine to disinfect surface water before releasing it to the public. If this is the case, the Chloramine Reduction System will come in handy. Try any of our whole home water filters to improve your water’s quality today.
4. Well Water
Minnesota largely depends on well water for drinking. 1 in every 5 well users in Minnesota drinks water with high arsenic concentrations, actually more than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standard.
Arsenic is a harmful water contaminant that increases the risk of diabetes, cancer, skin problems, and heart issues when drunk for long. Other harmful contaminants usually present in well water are lead, iron, coliform bacteria, nitrate, hydrogen sulfide, and manganese. Both natural sources and human activities can also lead to well water contamination, causing short and long-term health effects on you and your family.
Solution: Iron, Rust & Odor Filters
With well water, you have to carefully filter any impurities and contaminants before consumption. Whether you want to filter out manganese, lead, or remove rust and bad odors, Kinetico’s line of iron, rust & odor filters will come through. If you also wish to eliminate any iron, or sediment caused by your city or well water, purchase our Macrolite® Backwashing Filter. As a 2-in-1 filter, your water supply will not only last longer but serve you more efficiently.
5. Municipal/City Water
One in every eight Minnesotans uses tap water that contains nitrate levels considered by the state to surpass the contaminating levels. A 2020 survey by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that 472,983 Minnesotans who received city water from 727 public water systems were served with water containing at least 3 mg/L of nitrate.
Drinking water derived from public water systems released as tap water to the public contains high levels of nitrates that may be hazardous to your health. Other contaminants are bacteria and viruses that normally make their way into the tap water supply. Consuming water with these bacteria and viruses may cause infections.
Solution: Kinetico’s Nitrate Reduction
To lower the nitrate levels of the state’s municipal/city water, invest in our Nitrate Reduction system. This water filter will significantly reduce the nitrate levels in your tap water and ensure you intake just the required amount of nitrate for the normal functioning of your body.
Need Solutions to the Common Water Issues in Minnesota?
Scaling, bad odors from your well-water, or feeling the taste and smell of chlorine in your drinking water may discourage you from consuming water in Minnesota. Luckily, these common water issues can be quickly solved with Kinetico home water systems. Whether you are searching for a bad odor filter, water softener, or a dechlorinator, we have it all. Contact us today to schedule a free water test and find out which of our highly effective water filters is right for you.
