Potomac Rriver

Northern Virginia and Washington DC are in the population is growing rapidly and as more people in the region, an issue that will require more and more often - what is the quality of my drinking water?

Individuals and families are naturally concerned with their health and drinking water is an important element in maintaining good health.

Unfortunately, the quality of water in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC is very poor and is getting worse. ContaminantsBacteria, minerals and chemicals in tap water are masked with high doses of chlorine and tap water, in addition to being unhealthy, tastes and smells terrible.

Regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not eliminate contamination, but merely sets maximum levels for contaminants that enter the human body and cause long term damage.

Well water is also contaminated, but there are no federal or state agency that regulates the well water.

What's the storyWith tap water?

Tap water is usually pumped into municipal water from nearby rivers, and then processed in accordance with the EPA guidelines. The processing is done is usually by a water treatment plant with heavy amounts of chlorine to avoid the remaining bacteria to kill the process to catch. It is important to note that the EPA guidelines are just that - it allows minimum amounts of contamination, can eventually create dangerous for adults and children.

InNorthern Virginia and Washington DC is pumped drinking water mainly from the Potomac River, and at least one waste treatment facility.

Impurities be present in this source water include:

Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or from urbanStorm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or agriculture.

Contaminants including pesticides and herbicides, which come from a variety of sources, such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential can.

In addition, organic contaminants, chemical contaminants can, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which contain by-products of industrial processes and petroleum, and it can also lead tofrom gas stations, urban storm water runoff and septic systems.

Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or the result of oil and gas production and mining activities at the local tap water.

What is the source of water in Northern Virginia and Washington DC?

The water in the Potomac River, Anacostia River and Rock Creek flows into the district from outside jurisdictions. For example, begins on the Potomac River in WestVirginia, while starting the Anacostia River in Maryland. The quality of water in Northern Virginia and the District is therefore affected by the activities throughout the catchment.

Stormwater runoff from commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural sites to contribute, point source pollutants from sewage and industrial discharges, combined sewer overflows, and from as far away as West Virginia and Pennsylvania, all contribute to the quality of water in the district and the North --Virginia.

What About combined sewer overflows (CSO's)

CSO's are common when natural events such as floods overcome the capacity

pumped from waste treatment plants and raw sewage back into the water source such as the Potomac River.

During periods of significant rainfall, the capacity of a combined sewer may be exceeded. When this happens, are designed so that the regulators the surplus, which is a mixture of stormwater and sanitary waste, it istaken directly to the Anacostia River, Rock Creek, the Potomac River, or tributary waters. This surplus is called Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO).

Release of this surplus is necessary to prevent flooding in real estate, Keller, shops and streets, but she adds, bacteria and pollutants as a potential threat to the water pipe.

As part of the CSO's tap water comes from sewage can adversely affect the quality of our waters in aNumber of ways:

CSO's contain material that carries a high bacteria levels in the receiving waters. Organic materials in CSO's can contribute to low dissolved oxygen levels that kill fish is a potential for contributing stress or fish, especially during the summer months, and (debris in CSO's as plastic bottles, Styrofoam cups as "floatable" known ) can contribute to poor aesthetics.

How safe is good for drinking water?

Well water, a popularAlternative to water, particularly in Northern Virginia is subject to the same tap groundwater pollutants, chemical and organic waste discharge than tap water, but not by a federal or state agency governed in any way.

In addition to emitting foul smells of sulfur and sediments from the Northern Virginia Water and water contains large amounts of iron in the rock in some areas, particularly the Piedmont and Blue Ridge that are in the iron "staining." Sulfides in the groundwater isalso found in parts of the Valley and Ridge, where there is coal or natural gas, produces a repulsive odor.

Groundwater, which can be a source of well water is contaminated by human activities. Bacteria from septic systems and nitrate from both septic systems and fertilizer applications are among the most common contaminants. Since water is not subject to the regulation, the potability and suitability for drinking water, one is private and the responsibility of the homeowner, and manyprivate wells are contaminated.

The treatment of drinking water from the well

The State of Virginia strongly recommends the treatment of well water with chlorine to kill bacteria in water and in an effort to the offensive smell and taste of chlorine, chlorination to overcome en. Here too, this process is not controlled by any state or federal authority.

Two general types of water treatment is disinfection and conditioning. To ensure delivery free of harmful bacteria,Water to be disinfected.

Questionable taste, odor and matter are then removed by conditioning.

Well Water Disinfection Methods

Drinking water is most commonly used for coliform bacteria, which live in the intestines of warm-blooded animals tested. Coliform bacteria in a well are usually the result of a faulty septic system or contaminated surface water into the well or water delivery system.

Materials and tools are used, often in wellscontaminated with bacteria live in soil and these can be introduced into the water system, in which the wells, the installation of components of the pipeline system, or maintenance of a portion of the water supply. The State of Virginia strongly recommends that the water system be disinfected following construction and after all repairs.

Chlorination is used to disinfect private supplies, because it destroys bacteria within a reasonable time and gives contact remainingProtection. However, normal levels of chlorination are not always effective in destroying Giardia cysts that cause severe gastrointestinal diseases. Super high degree of chlorination, boiling and filtering are the only effective methods to destroy or remove these cysts.

High concentrations can be criticized for chlorine taste and odor, and even low concentrations of chlorine to react with some organic compounds to produce strong, unpleasant taste and odor.

To eliminate thisRemove offensive taste and excessive amounts of chlorine, the water is then dechlorinated. To reduce carbon filters are the most commonly used devices to dechlorinate water to remove objectionable chlorine taste, and corrosion of pipelines.

How safe is tap and well water for drinking?

The municipalities, which also owns and even claim that the EPA and tap well water in Northern Virginia and Washington DC completely safe to drink, but one has to ask himself.Consider the source of tap water in view of the waste water treatment, ask yourself, starting heavy chlorine additive and waste into the Potomac River and one. Also consider that even water for most tap water contaminants, but is subject to unregulated as well.

Drinking Bottled Water is an alternative to Tap or Well?

Yes and no, depending on the type and quality of mineral water. Purified water will be by many experts as the best.

ThePopularity of mineral water have soared, as the Americans seek a healthy lifestyle and better tasting water. But not all bottled water is healthier than tap water, or even alternative.

Up to 25% of all bottled water in the market is just tap water in plastic bottles and bottled water that is not cleaned often contains minerals and other impurities that may harm your health repackaged. These impurities are not only unhealthy and affect the taste of water, but limitShelf life for an emergency supply of drinking water.

Purified water, however, with a distillation and oxygenation process that provides drinking water of the safest and best tasting alternative to tap water and contaminated well in Northern Virginia and Washington DC

Distillation removes pure water from the impurities and oxygen generates a fresh taste, light water.

Pure water is essential for the creation of a healthy lifestyle and health for you and yourFamily.

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