There’s no debating the fact that water is essential to our bodies. To remain in good health, adult men must drink 10 glasses of water per day and adult women must drink eight, according to the NSW Department of Health. No other fluid can be safely substituted for water, which means to keep your body properly hydrated, you’ll need to be reaching for a bottle or turning on the tap.
Having great-tasting, clean drinking water at home can help save you the cost of purchasing bottled water and protect the environment from plastic waste, but unfortunately many households have poor-tasting water or worse, water that is contaminated by impurities.
Invisible contaminants
Often, impurities and contaminants in the water supply do not produce noticeable changes in the taste or appearance of water, meaning that unknowingly, many Australians drink contaminated water day in and day out. While these contaminants typically do not cause physical symptoms immediately, a build-up of toxins in the body can increase your risk of developing health problems later in life.
Investigating your water
To know for sure if your water is safe for you and your family to drink, you’ll need to do a bit of investigating. A great place to start is with the Consumer Confidence Reports that water companies are required to provide the public. You can find the latest reports for Sydney Water here (link: https://www.sydneywater.com.au/WaterQuality/QuarterlyDrinkingWaterQualityReport/). If your water comes from a different authority, you can visit their website or contact them by phone to receive a report.
The water company report will detail findings of contaminants in the general water supply, which can give you some idea of what might be lurking in your water. In addition to contaminants in the general water supply, impurities can enter the water in your own home. This makes testing your water important for those concerned about its quality.
Many home test kits are available for purchase. Make sure you select one that tests for copper, lead, bacteria, parasites, minerals and volatile organic chemicals.
Finding solutions
If you discover that your water contains contaminants, there are steps that you can take to improve its safety.
In homes where there is copper or lead in drinking water, corroded pipes are likely to blame. Here at Sydney Emergency Plumbing, we can determine whether or not your pipes have become corroded and replace them if necessary. Get in touch with us to learn more.
For other types of contaminants like parasites, bacteria and minerals, a water filtration system can likely improve the safety of your drinking water. Sydney Emergency Plumbing has extensive experience installing water filter systems in residences and can help you determine what type of system is best for you. Contact us today for more information.
