Do you know that besides life, Earth is the only planet in the universe with water? Water is the most basic need of human beings. People can live without food for 8 to 21 days, but they can only live without water for 3 days. No wonder, it proves that what the poet W. H. Auden quoted was true: “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.“
Our senses are valuable to know if there is contamination in our water system. Our sense of sight can see if the water is clear to know that it’s clean. Our sense of smell will not sense any odour on clean water. Neither will our sense of taste savour a funny taste in clean water. But there are times when we might get confused. We ask ourselves: Is something wrong with my tap water?
Below are 7 signs that your tap water may not be safe to drink according to tap repairs Sydney experts.
Bleachy Smell
Most water companies use chlorine to kill germs and pathogens in the tap water supply. Low levels of chlorine in the water supply can result in water parasites that cause cramps, diarrhoea, and nausea. While high levels of chlorine can result in a bleachy smell in your tap water. They can cause asthma, respiratory issues, and skin irritations. If people drink them, they may be susceptible to kidney problems and increase the risk of stomach cancer.
Cloudiness
Ideally, tap water is safe to drink if it is clear. But there are times when the water running from our taps is bubbly or milky. It results in some kind of cloudiness in the water. Cloudiness in your tap water is not necessarily dangerous. But they can be a sign of pollutants present in the water. Bacteria, metals, or minerals may be a potential cause. Since it will be hard to determine what is causing the cloudiness, you may need to ask for tap repairs in Sydney to check your plumbing system and test the water.
Discolouration
Any discolouration on your tap water is never a good sign. Yellow water signals the presence of a harmful chemical known as chromium-6. It can cause allergies, dermatitis, gastroenteritis, and stomach cancer. Chromium-6 contamination can be a result of industrial pollution from leather, steel, and textile manufacturers. Another possible cause of yellow water is the build-up of copper, lead, and manganese among public water supplies. If it only appears while running cold water, your water supplier might just be clearing out the pipes. Blue and green water is a sign that there is a large presence of copper. Small doses of this mineral are not bad for humans. But a high level of copper in the body can cause anaemia, kidney failure, and liver damage. Brown or orange water can contain lead, manganese, and iron. It may also be due to rusting pipes. Tap repairs in Sydney ensure that you will never have a discoloured tap water supply.
Fishy Smell
A high concentration of barium in your tap water can result in a fishy smell. It’s an organic compound present in chlorine and ammonia. Barium can cause increased blood pressure, heart damage, kidney issues, liver damage, and muscle weakness. Another possible cause of fishy smell on your tap water is cadmium, a chemical in copper and lead. They can cause bone, kidney, and liver damage.
Metallic Taste
Rusty pipes released copper, iron, lead, manganese, and zinc in your tap water. This results in your tap water having a metallic taste. There is little danger to water with a metallic taste. But lead contamination can result in anaemia and brain damage.
Rotten Egg Smell
Tap water that smells like rotten eggs is a sign of hydrogen sulphide contamination. Hydrogen sulphide is a colourless gas that converts into sulphate when exposed to certain bacteria. Sulphate can cause dehydration or diarrhoea.
Slimy Water
Have you experienced washing your hands with soap and water with the water feeling slimy? Commonly, the reason may be your water supply is hard. Hard water is characterized by the presence of minerals like calcium and magnesium. The salt produced by these minerals makes the hard water slimy. Slimy water isn’t a sure-fire that something is wrong with your tap water. But they may also indicate the presence of aluminium, manganese, and lead which are metals harmful to our bodies. So, again, you may need to ask for tap repairs in Sydney to check your plumbing system and test the water.
