Displaying items by tag: scam water treatment systems

Little River, seen here at Elkmont in the Great Smokies, is the main source of drinking, agricultural and commercial water for rapidly growing Blount County. It is a pristine river for much of its stretch, but even this water source needs filtration before consumption. Be careful when selecting a filtration system for your home.  Thomas Fraser/Hellbender Press

Looking for a home water-filtration system? Don’t get reamed by unscrupulous companies; and yes, even sexist behavior

LOUISVILLE — Earlier this summer, a small part of Louisville was placed under a boil notice by South Blount County Utility District after a water test came back positive for coliform and E-Coli. Both are microorganisms that cause disease in humans, and can lead to deadly consequences if ingested long-term.

Recently, it seems like more and more water contaminants have been found throughout East Tennessee and parts of Northwest Georgia. Georgia, for instance, has water issues so severe than Erin Brockovich (environmentalist legend) has advocated for home owners in the area.

Brockovich is in a legal battle against several manufacturers because they concealed information regarding PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contaminating local water supplies.  PFAS pose serious health concerns for those drinking water that contains them. As a result of such revelations, health care providers in affected areas advise Americans to have their home’s water quality tested, while vendors of home filtration systems and gadgets urge them to pursue water treatment and filtration.

Editor’s note: The U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 requires all public water systems to regularly test their water quality, to alert the public if unsafe concentrations of contaminants are detected, and to annually publish a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The CCR must list test results in detail to help people make informed choices about the water they drink. If you are a customer of a water utility, consult your CCR every year. If you live in a home that is no older than 50 years, have no doubts that its plumbing was installed by qualified professionals, have no inhabitant with health-related chemical sensitivities and never notice any odd flavor in your drinking water, you may find private water testing unwarranted.

I did marketing for a water filter supplier and would like to supply Tennesseans and others with some do’s and don’ts when navigating the water-treatment world. Please note, these are my opinions and are simply here to help you in your quest for clean water. 

Have your water tested

It is vital to have your water tested for contaminants. Lead, chlorine, PFA levels and hardness are all issues you have to monitor. I implore you to test your home’s water every 3-4 years to be aware of any changes that may occur. If you are looking to buy a new home, have your water tested as part of your home inspection.

Lots of water-filtration suppliers offer free testing. Some you can trust; others you can’t. The majority of suppliers want to hear from you, and they want to sell you a filter. Some may even resort to scare tactics to seal the deal. If you can, start your testing through your utility district or a home inspector specifically trained in water filtration.