City Water Treatment Is It Really Enough?

Nov 4

City water treatment facilities are an engineering marvel, and absolutely vital to the health and well-being of urban communities. The rivers, lakes, and groundwater that provide our water for drinking, hygiene, and more have varying degrees of contamination in the form of dirt or other natural impurities, bacteria, and parasites. Water must be treated to remove health threats before it is delivered to your home.

Like the other utilities that are delivered to your home, it might seem like city water should be ready to use without further treatment. But is that actually true?

Does Municipal Treatment Include a City Water Softener?

Municipal water treatment facilities are only required to assure that the water they distribute meets the EPA standards for health and safety for consumption. Since the minerals that are in hard water are safe to drink, there are usually no city water softener systems or requirements for the removal of the hard water elements that can have a damaging effect on your home, skin, and hair.

Minerals like calcium and magnesium carbonate could be compromising the quality of city water since hard water is found in over 85% of the United States.

Is City Water Filtration Necessary?

A common issue with city water is the addition of chlorine as a part of the municipal treatment process. Varying levels of chlorine are added to the water to keep it free from bacteria as it is delivered to individual homes. After the treated city water reaches those homes, the chlorine is no longer necessary. Since chlorine results in problems like objectionable tastes and odors in water, as well as having a drying effect on skin, many homeowners elect to install a city water filter in their home to reduce this chemical.

Another filtration system can also remove the PFOA chemicals and lead, which could be introduced into water after it leaves the facility that will not be affected by the protection that the chlorine additive brings. The best way to know whether or not you need a city water softener or filter is to have your water tested. An analysis of your city water supply can identify the problems that might be causing scum build up in the tub, dry skin, or water that tastes like the community pool.

WaterMax is Your City Water Softener and City Water Filter in One!

Growing numbers of city dwellers depend on the WaterMax Water Softener + Filter for whole-house softening and filtering. The WaterMax is user-friendly and provides fresh, softened and filtered water from every tap in your home.

Built-In Bypass - Get softened water when you need it, bypass the unit when you don't
Smart Touch Controller - Customized settings for specific water needs
Audible Salt Alerts - Alerts you when your softener needs more salt - no need to guess (this is an optional add-on feature)
Built-In Dirt & Sediment Filter - Save time and money with the built-in pre-filter
Whole home Chlorine Filter- Activated carbon media inside absorbs the chemical
Softening Resin - High capacity fine mesh resin reduces hardness minerals
Quiet Regeneration - Resin beads renew quickly and quietly with minimal water wasted
Power-Loss Protection - Saves your customized settings in case of power loss

Additional City Water Protection

If you do have concerns that your water source may be exposed to PFOA chemicals from industrial run off, or you are living in a city with an older plumbing infrastructure that includes lead pipes, it is important to shop for a water filter certified to reduce those exact chemicals.

At New Elements Water Softening, we proudly offer the ONE(R) cartridge filter with an option that is NSF certified to capture PFOA, lead, and cysts from your water. That way you know that whether you're filling a glass of water in your kitchen or in your bathroom, every sink is serving up filtered water you can trust.

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