So you’d like to know how to clean tap water? You need to get your plumber to test the water first and then look at the best filtration options. Having clean tap water is essential to great health. Turning on the tap water faucet and having dark tinted water come out can be quite irksome.
Understanding first the causes of why water gets like this is important, in order to treat it and make it usable.
This question was asked by a long-time reader of ours, so we thought it was time to investigate. Read on…
Either for drinking or washing, no one wants to have to use polluted water. Sediment is often the most common cause of why water will appear dark or stained which renders it unusable.
Sediment – What is it and Where Does it Come From?
Sediment usually conjures up images of dust, dirt, or faint rust that deposits itself on the bottom of a glass. However, sediment can encompass a lot more than just that, as other compounds can make their way into tap water.
Besides dirt or sand, rust and hard water minerals can be present in water and deposit as sediment or color the water.
Typically this kind of contamination is usually referred to as turbidity. Well water ( not as common these days) is most at risk of showing signs of turbidity but tap water can also contain certain ferric iron contaminants that fall under the same description.
Initially, a good indication of turbidity will be the cloudiness of your water. The danger of this is that that turbidity can hide further issues, such as bacteria.
Sediment & bacteria can make their way into water from various sources, either faulty old pipes or as a result of high rainfall that seeps into water supplies. Have a think about how old the pipes are in the home where you live? I know mine is really old! So how do you clean tap water?
Thankfully there are solutions to clean water contaminated by sediment and they can be easily implemented in the home. Some solutions can be fairly simple to implement as a temporary cleaning method, while others will have a more complex process.
Removing Sediment From Drinking Water
Depending on the water quality in the area, different kinds of sediment contamination can be cleaned with different types of techniques or devices.
Even if sedimentation is not obviously seen, deposits can still signal this contamination.
Remember even clean drinking water can be full of sediment and or bacteria and if in doubt, don’t drink the water. It is always best to call a licensed plumber and ask them how to clean tap water, as this is their speciality.
Flushing To Clean Tap Water
The first thing to do when first coming into contact with sedimentation that can be seen in dark water is to try to flush it out. To do this, it would be advised to remove the aerators from the faucets first so that they won’t come into contact with the contamination anymore.
Let cold water run for 10-20 minutes or until the water starts to become clear. Tap water usually does not stay tinted for very long, as municipalities do a good enough job of cleaning it.
There is however the issue of pipes that are not in the best condition and this can seriously affect water quality, no matter how much the water has already been treated.
Water Softeners To Clean Tap Water
Hard water is an issue of silent deposit accumulation over time that affects pipes and water-using devices in the home.
Not as evident as brown-colored sediment, hard water is still an annoyance to deal with. Water softeners are most often used to get rid of pesky contaminants that form into limescale deposits from hard water and are even known to filter sediment particles that may come with them.
Water softeners can be a very good option, but now as efficient and effective as…
Water Filtration To Clean Tap Water
More severe cases of sedimentation require more powerful tools to clean water with.
Sediment is not the same everywhere and implementing any filtration system must come after a thorough scrutiny of the water source to determine its current contaminants.
This will offer up the method by which to clean the water, in the form of one of the many filtration systems on the market.
So get your water tested to see what is actually going on and then it’s time to look into a filtration system.
The prevailing method of filtration in many households and in many filtration systems is the mechanical sediment filter.
Various forms of mechanical filters abound, from the cylindrical sediment-specific filter to mesh filtration and cartridge-based systems. One or more of any of these types of mediums are in place in any given filtration system, that offers a wide range of cleaning methods. It’s usually advisable to use a whole house sediment filter to protect appliances as well.
Ultra-filtration membrane systems are some of the most effective sediment filters, measuring this efficiency in the high count of microns they can filter.
By far, the most praised device is a reverse osmosis filter. It’s equipped with multiple layers of filtration that can encompass physical sediment removal, water softening, and activated charcoal absorption. This ability to link more mediums of filtration amps up the high-quality water reverse osmosis can produce, sediment removal included.
Water Filtration Help
Flushing the water to get rid of sedimentation and implementing filtration systems are all well and good, but there can be extreme cases where help may be required.
Faulty plumbing is an issue that will put pressure even on the best filtration system. Even water filters need maintenance and taking care of the plumbing is a step to take so that filters can work properly for as long as possible.
Old pipes that constantly give off rust sediment may just need to be changed. It may not be possible to renew the entire city plumbing infrastructure, but it is possible to assure the home plumbing.
Taking on the help of a professional plumber is advisable in this case so that everything can be properly taken care of. Call your local recommended plumber and ask their advice on your current situation as each home, city, and state will have totally different water & contaminants.
How To Clean Tap Water – Conclusion
Sediment in water is not something new and these days there are many advanced options to deal with it. As a starting point, we suggest contacting your local plumber to get an analysis of your water & suggest options to make sure it is clean.
I hope you have a better idea of how to clean tap water. Remember, if in doubt, don’t drink the water and call your plumber!
