| The Most Common Water Problems |
| Problem |
Symptom | Cause |
Typical Solutions |
| Hardness |
White scale on pipes and fixtures. Difficult to make soapsuds |
Dissolved calcium and magnesium |
Water Softener/Ion Exchange |
| Corrosion |
Green stains on fixtures. Shortened life for plumbing, water heaters, etc. |
Low pH usually caused by excessive carbonic acid |
Acid Neutralization Siliphos/Corrosion Inhibitor |
| Iron |
Red/brown stains in sinks, tubs, dishwasher, etc. |
Dissolved (ferrous) or precipitated (ferric) iron |
Ion Exchange Oxidation/Filtration |
| Hydrogen Sulfide |
Rotten egg smell. Silver tarnishes easily |
Dissolved hydrogen sulfide gas, usually caused by sulfide reducing bacteria |
Oxidation/Carbon Adsorption Aeration |
| Turbidity |
Water has cloudy appearance. Faucet screens may clog frequently |
Suspended particles of sand, clay, silt, etc. |
Sediment Filtration Reverse Osmosis |
| Tastes & Odor |
Fishy, musty, or oily smell and taste |
Volatile organic substances, usually, but not always, harmless |
Sediment Filtration Activated Carbon |
| Chemical Contaminant |
Impossible to detect without appropriate laboratory tests |
Arsenic, benzene, nitrates, THMs, TCE, PCB, heavy metals, etc. |
Activated Carbon Reverse Osmosis Distillation |
