Water Test Needed for City Water?

[Swingking03]

I recently moved and need to start the planning for a water and softener and potentially filtration. Searching the forum, it seems most comments related to water tests are for well setups. My very basic question...is a comprehensive water test also recommended for city water? I know Reach4 provided great links last month for where tests can be done.

 

[ditttohead]

http://watercheck.myshopify.com?aff=5



NTL Labs is great and their tests are easy to read. For a municipal water supply this is not done very often but some people have legitimate concerns and a municipal water test is fine. Up to you, if you don't mind spending a little money it may be worth it for your own piece of mind.

We have seen a couple people bust their municipality with this type of test...

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

My very basic question...is a comprehensive water test also recommended for city water?

Saint Petersburg, FL? http://www.stpete.org/water/drinking_water/docs/WaterQualityReport-2017.pdf is a start.

Are you mainly interested in drinking water quality, washing quality, or what? Looking to remove chloromines?

 

[ditttohead]

Many of these tests wont do much for tannins and many water supplies in Florida have enough tannins to cause what is otherwise good water to turn a yellow to beige color, sometime like a weak tea. This may be unpleasant to look at but it is typically not unsafe.

 

[Swingking03]

Saint Petersburg, FL? http://www.stpete.org/water/drinking_water/docs/WaterQualityReport-2017.pdf is a start.

Are you mainly interested in drinking water quality, washing quality, or what? Looking to remove chloromines?

Yes, St. Pete, FL. My initial goal was to address hardness. I go back and forth daily whether I want to address drinking quality. I's rather do it right and all at once, so I guess the answer is yes, drinking quality as well.

Is it acceptable to use the city's water quality report to determine needs. What about using it for system calibration?

And yes, I am concerned about excessive chloramines in the water. I don't know why...but I am.

Thanks.

 

[ditttohead]

Excessive chloramine is a legitimate concern.

As to "calibrating" your unit, if you are going to DIY, then you will need a proper hardness test kit.

As to the chloramine, a good quality and properly sized catalytic carbon tank (not a filter) is recommended, a properly sized softener for higher efficiency to soften the house water, and a high quality RO (not a pile of junk from the lowest cost online source who gets them from overseas for $48...) for your drinking needs and you have a good catchall system. Using the city report is fine, no real need to test if you have these components.

 

[Swingking03]

Thanks so much! If I can save on a water test, that would be great. What are the main concerns with chloramine?

Any recommended products would be greatly helpful.

Household info:
2.5 bath
4 people (2 kids, 5&3)
Last 6-month average usage has been 4,200 gallons
Last 6-month peak usage was 4,700

 

[Reach4]

What are the main concerns with chloramine?

There are different opinions. Try a search engine search for chloramine health effects. Millions of people drink water with chloromine with no apparent effects. But who knows. Maybe those who seem alarmist could turn out to be right.

An RO filter unit can remove significant chloromines. Search chloramine "reverse osmosis"

Feed the RO unit with softened water.