Common Water Issues
If you own a home or building on Long Island, chances are you have encountered acidic, hard, and/or contaminated water. Whether you have well water or public water, Mermaid Water Solutions is ready to solve any of your water issues.
Foul Smell/Tasting Water
Does your water smell like rotten eggs? We can help! That odor is a result of a sulfur presence in your groundwater and is actually a very common occurrence. Have you noticed that the odor is only present when you first run the water?
It is because sulfur is known as a volatile substance, which means it wants to be a gas, rather than trapped as a liquid in water. So, when you open your faucet, the sulfur immediately escapes from the water in gaseous form, causing the offensive odor.
Undesirable Drinking Water
When it comes to the water we drink, it makes sense to be concerned with its purity. The purity of water is measured in terms of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), which accounts for the total amount of dissolved substances in the water.
This basically means everything in the water that isn’t water. The TDS of groundwater and bottled water varies significantly. For example, a mineral water such as Evian has a TDS of about 309ppm, whereas spring-drawn water like Deer Park has a TDS of 90ppm.
With Reverse Osmosis filtration, we can bring your water down below 15ppm. So stop wasting money and filling landfills with bottled water, and starting enjoying better-than-bottled™ water!
Contaminants
If you live in an agricultural or industrial area, there is a chance your ground water could contain some chemical contaminants. In many cases these contaminants cannot be detected by staining, taste, or odor.
Some impurities occur naturally but some common contaminants in agricultural areas are nitrates and/or Temik (aldicarb). Nitrates enter the aquifer as organic matter, such as leaves, is decomposed. Temik is a potato pesticide that is no longer used as its negative effects have been assessed, some areas near farms still contain trace amounts of Temik in the groundwater. MTBE is a gasoline additive which has been found in the groundwater in areas surrounding former fuel station sites.
These contaminants can only be detected through a laboratory test. If you suspect your water contains any contaminants you may want to contact our water testing division, Goldman Water Testing, to discuss your concerns.
Hard Water
According to the U.S. Geologic Survey, 85% of the United States has hard water, and much of Long Island is not in the remainder. Hard water is caused by excessive amounts of calcium and/or magnesium. Hard water, like acidic water, is not harmful to the body but it presents a slew of other problems.
The most common problem caused by hard water is hard water scale. In time the minerals in hard water will settle, forming a hard scale surface which will collect and eventually clog pipes, faucets, toilets, and other water fixtures. This scale frequently forms on the heating elements and heat transfer surfaces in hot water heaters, greatly reducing their efficiency. Laundering and cleaning are made difficult as a result of “soap curd,” which is a sticky film formed when soap is used in hard water. Fabrics also wear out and fade more quickly when washed in hard water, and the soap curd can leave cloudy blotches and spots on glassware.
Acidic Water
Most ground water on Long Island has a pH well below 7.0 (neutral). While acidic water is not harmful to the body, it is very corrosive to metals, including copper plumbing and fixtures. If you’ve ever seen green or blue staining on your sinks and bathtubs, this is due to the greenish color that copper turns when it is oxidized (ever seen the Statue of Liberty?)
This corrosion will eventually cause premature failure of plumbing systems, hot water heaters, and other water fixtures; all of which call for costly repairs.
Staining
Got stains? Pick a color, any color…
GREEN/BLUE stains on porcelain sinks and a similarly colored cast to the water itself is a result of the corrosion of your copper plumbing. This corrosion is caused by acidic water.
RED/BROWN stains on sinks, toilets, and clothes? These stains are due to iron, which enters our water supply naturally as it dissolves from the earth’s crust. Iron is not necessarily harmful to the body but the EPA does set a potable water standard level for iron. “Iron bacteria” form jelly-like growths that can clog pips and cause bad tastes and odors.
BLACK stains on fixtures and laundry are due to manganese. Manganese naturally dissolves from the earth’s crust and enters the water table. Manganese is found in conjunction with iron in most cases. The EPA sets a potable standard on manganese.
YELLOW staining on fabrics, fixtures, china, or a yellowish cast to the water is a result of tannins. Tannins are harmless organic compounds which are normally found in surface water supplies and shallow wells.
Common Water Issues​: