Is It Time to Get Your Drinking Water Tested?
by Vicki Harvey
Most city-supplied water is relatively safe, but this doesn't mean you should simply trust the water you get from your kitchen faucet. There are many things that could go wrong between the water filters used by your city and your home's plumbing, and you can't always tell if water is unsafe or impure simply by its taste. Note when homeowners should get their drinking water tested, even if you don't notice anything "funny tasting" about your home's water.
Great-looking lawns
If the lawns in your neighborhood or even one lawn in particular is always lush and green and seems to be free of all weeds, or you notice weeds pop up and then they seem to be removed quickly, this can mean your neighbors are using very strong chemicals on their lawn. Weed killers, grass feed, and fertilizers can sometimes make their way into the ground and seep into your home's plumbing pipes through small cracks and crevices. In turn, the water that makes its way to your taps can be very unsafe for drinking. Having your water tested is vitally important if you know your neighbors use strong lawn care products, and especially if you use the same products yourself!
Septic tank smells
If you or your neighbors have septic tanks, note that you should never be able to smell anything from those tanks. Septic tanks and the pipes connected to them should be completely sealed so that you don't smell sewage or anything else unpleasant. If you do notice any type of smell from your septic tank or even from one on a neighbor's property, don't assume that it's normal and to be expected; that tank or its pipes are probably damaged and leaking. Contaminants may then have made their way from the tank to your water supply.
Older pipes
Older lead or brass pipes can mean lead and other metal in your drinking water, and pipes of any material can start to get leaky after many years, allowing contaminants to seep into your drinking water. If you haven't had your home's plumbing inspected in some time and especially if you have an older home, have the water tested to ensure it's safe. Impure water might also alert you to the need to have the plumbing repaired or upgraded, as leaks can cause damage to the home's building materials behind the walls and allow for very dangerous mold growth in the home.
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About Me
It's always tricky dealing with the swings of the weather when you are a farmer. You can suffer if there is too much rain, not enough rain or even rain at the wrong time of the year. It can make it really challenging to have enough feed for livestock or to be able to harvest a crop later in the year if you are a crop farmer. Often there are some relatively simple things you can do to manage these issues, including buying supplemental feeds or running drainage ditches. This blog is about managing all of the events that can happen over a long winter as a farmer or farm manager.