Assessing and Protecting Water Quality in the Home and Community

We may take for granted the clean water that pours from our household faucets, but clean water isn’t always a reality for people, even in some U.S. communities. USA Today and The New York Times report that excessive lead levels have occurred in more than 2,000 water systems since 2012 (Figure 1). In Mississippi, elevated lead levels were detected in the Jackson area in July 2015.

The two major sources of contamination of home water supplies are aging water infrastructure (delivery pipes) and pollution of source drinking water. Poor water quality can negatively affect human and ecological health. Numerous natural and human-induced factors can affect water quality. Natural factors include geology, climate, vegetation, wildlife, and wildfires, and human-induced factors include point source pollution, nonpoint source pollution, and structural changes such as stream modifications.

Policies that Protect Water Resources

Appropriate water quality standards are determined based on the intended use of that water; drinking water standards are different from standards for water used to support aquatic life, for recreational use, or for irrigation. For example, water that contains suspended sediment particles may not be suitable for human consumption, but it would be perfectly fine for watering the lawn. Abundant water supplies may be of no use for agriculture production if the water is salty. Early detection of poor water quality and proactively guarding water resources are important actions to take to ensure that clean water is maintained in our homes and communities.

Currently, there are two major acts and a range of rules and regulations in place to help keep our waters safe. The Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 “establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the U.S. and regulating quality standards for surface waters”. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 was established to protect the quality of drinking water in the U.S. It “focuses on all the water actually or potentially designated for drinking use, whether from above (surface water) or underground (groundwater) sources”.

The state of Mississippi is required under the CWA to establish, review, and update the state’s water quality standards. The current standards were adopted by the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality in 2016. The CWA also gives authority to the state to designate uses for its surface waters. Degradation of designated waters is allowable under very limited circumstances, and anti-degradation policies protect water quality throughout the state.

Mississippi has established general conditions, which are minimum conditions applicable to all waters, and specific water quality criteria for different water use categories. These categories include: public water supply, shellfish harvesting, recreation, fish and wildlife, and ephemeral (temporary) waters. In the following sections, we will provide basic ways of identifying poor water quality and protecting clean water in your home and community.

Identifying Poor Water Quality at Home

Most Mississippians receive their water from one of two sources—public water works or private water wells. Many public water works use groundwater, in a similar way that private wells work. Private water wells are used often in Mississippi. In fact, 29 percent of people in our state’s most populated areas rely on a private well for their drinking water. A few public water works rely on nearby surface waters, such as the Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson, to supply drinking water to their customers.

Whether your water comes from a public or private source, there are some basic indicators that your water is safe for consumption (Table 1). You should also note that, if your water comes from a public source, it will be treated and tested following federal and state regulations. Public water systems must notify the public of any violations of water quality standards, so it is not common to have a problem with water delivered from a public supply.

Table 1. Water quality concerns, common signs, causes, and recommended tests.

Adapted from Testing for Water Quality, Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia, Circular 858-2 and Water Quality Series: Drinking Water Testing, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, AgCE-878.

Concerns	Common Signs	Causes	Recommended Tests
Appearance	Reddish-brown or yellowish	Dissolved organic matter or iron	Iron and tannin
Appearance	Frothy or foamy	Detergents	Detergents or total anionic surfactants
Appearance	Cloudy	Suspended sediments	Turbidity and total suspended solids
Appearance	Slimy, brown precipitate	Dissolved iron with iron bacteria	pH, iron, and bacteria
Appearance	Black flakes or particles	Dissolved manganese	pH and manganese
Stains on bathroom fixtures or clothing	Red or brown	Dissolved iron	pH and iron
Stains on bathroom fixtures or clothing	Yellow	Dissolved iron, hydrogen sulfide, hard water	pH, hardness, iron, and hydrogen sulfide
Stains on bathroom fixtures or clothing	Black	Dissolved manganese, hydrogen sulfides	pH, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide
Stains on bathroom fixtures or clothing	Green or blue	Corrosive water, dissolved copper	pH, hardness, alkalinity, saturation index, and copper
Abnormal odor or taste	Bitter	Dissolved nitrate or sulfate	Nitrate and sulfate
Abnormal odor or taste	Rotten egg	Hydrogen sulfide	Hydrogen sulfide
Abnormal odor or taste	Soapy	Detergents, surfactants	Detergents and total anionic surfactants
Abnormal odor or taste	Metallic	Dissolved metals like iron, manganese, zinc, copper, lead	pH, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, and lead
Abnormal odor or taste	Salty	Excessive soluble salts	Total dissolved solids, chloride, sodium, and electrical conductivity
Abnormal odor or taste	Septic, musty, earthy	Decaying organic matter in the drain; pollution of well water from surface drainage; bacteria in the drain and/or well	Bacteria and pH
Abnormal odor or taste	Gasoline, kerosene, oil	Contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons, oil, and grease	Petroleum hydrocarbons, oil, and grease
Abnormal odor or taste	Fruity	Fuel spill, leaking underground fuel storage tank, road runoff, ponding near well	Volatile organic compounds
Other	Corrosion of plumbing materials	Corrosive water	pH, hardness, alkalinity, saturation index, lead, copper, iron, manganese, sulfate, chloride, and electrical conductivity
Other	White deposits on bathroom fixtures and pots; soap scum	Hard water	pH, hardness, alkalinity, sulfate, and electrical conductivity (or total dissolved solids)
Other	Tarnished silverware	Hydrogen sulfide gas	pH and hydrogen sulfide
Other	Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., stomachache, nausea, diarrhea)	Bacterial contamination, presence of excess nitrate, sulfate, and manganese	Bacteria, nitrate, sulfate, manganese, and detergents
Other	Discoloration and/or mottling of children’s teeth	Excessive fluoride	Fluoride

Appearance

Perhaps the most obvious indicator of poor water quality is how it looks. If water from the faucet appears cloudy or foamy, has particles floating in it, or has a reddish-brown or yellow color, it is best to assume the water is not safe for drinking until further tests are conducted. Commonly, reddish-brown or yellowish water is associated with iron and tannins from iron pipes or dissolved organic matter (tree leaves that have decomposed into microscopic particles) entering your home water system. Sometimes sediment can get into your water from a broken water line, in which case a boil water notice will be in place.

Sometimes poor water quality becomes apparent on bathroom fixtures or clothes. Staining or deposits that are red or brown, yellow, black, and green or blue can indicate numerous problems, from hard water (dissolved carbonate) to dissolved metals or algae. Most of the minerals found in drinking water are at safe, sometimes beneficial, levels for human health. However, frequent, high concentrations of these minerals can have harmful effects. For example, “low levels of [lead] exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells [in children]”.

Odor and Taste

If your water smells or tastes bad or unusual, you should use caution before drinking or cooking with it. Sometimes odors come from sink drains and not necessarily the water. Pour water from the faucet into a glass and move away from the sink to determine if the water is the source of the smell.

Common odor problems are from water treatment, bacterial growth, or organic matter decay. Often these smells or tastes aren’t a problem, such as a bleach taste from a chlorination shock to prevent bacterial contamination of the water system. Actually, typical levels of chlorine in drinking water from public water works range from 0.2 to 5.0 ppm, while the optimal range for a chlorine residual is specific to the public water system, typically falling between 0.1 to 1.0 ppm. The U.S. EPA maximum contaminant level goal for chlorine is 4 ppm. Exposure to air for a few minutes will help dissipate the chlorine and the odor.

Fuel-like odors are a more serious problem and can result from leaking fuel tanks, discharge from industry or landfills, or oil and hydrocarbons from road and parking lot run-off. These types of odors or tastes should be reported to the county health department, as there is increased risk of health problems from inhaling or consuming fuel/gas.

Resources and Support

You may not always be able to recognize poor water quality from appearance, odor, or taste. Some contaminants are not noticeable but can still affect human health. For this reason, everyone should contact the managing board of their local public water system for information regarding their water quality. You can find contact information or reports by searching with the keywords “EPA Consumer Confidence Reports” or find your local CCR on the EPA website.

If you are one of many Mississippians who use a private well, you should test for nitrates and bacteria at least once a year. Contact the testing laboratory you plan to use, and ask about sampling, handling, and shipping procedures (if necessary) to ensure that your test results are accurate. It is a good idea to have your water tested in multiple seasons throughout the year.

Your physician may also request a water quality test if the health of family members, pets, or livestock changes. For more information about private well testing, please see Mississippi State University Extension Publication 1872 Protecting Your Private Well.

Protecting Water Quality at Home

You can protect your water at home by monitoring its condition using the basic methods outlined above. Have bacteriological and basic water chemistry tests conducted annually for private wells, or view the annual reports from the local public water system (Table 2). You should also monitor for sources of contamination on your property (e.g., chemical or fertilizer spills), especially if you have a private well. It is good to check for burst pipes (stemming from aging infrastructure), which can lead to loss of water pressure, water damage to buildings and appliances, and sewage or chemical leaks.

Table 2a. Minimum water testing recommendations for private wells.

Adapted from Testing for Water Quality, Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia, Circular 858-2 and Water Quality Series: Drinking Water Testing, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, AgCE-878.

Testing Objective	Type of Test	Testing Frequency
Well maintenance	Bacteria	Annual
Well maintenance	Nitrates (total nitrate and nitrate + nitrite)	Annual
Well maintenance	Turbidity and color	Annual
Well maintenance	Comprehensive water chemistry: basic water chemistry (see below) plus alkalinity, soluble salts (or total dissolved solids), nitrate, chloride, fluoride, and sulfate	Initially and then every 3 years
Well maintenance	Basic water chemistry: pH, hardness, aluminum calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc	Annually after initial comprehensive water chemistry

 

Table 2b. Additional water testing recommendations for private wells.

Adapted from Testing for Water Quality, Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia, Circular 858-2 and Water Quality Series: Drinking Water Testing, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, AgCE-878.

Testing Objective	Type of Test	Testing Frequency
Verification of potential contamination	Lead and copper	At least once and then yearly follow-up for: 1) houses with plumbing that predates the 1987 plumbing codes with copper piping with lead solders 2) very old houses in which there are lead pipes 3) houses with brass and/or chrome fixtures (brass contains 3–8% lead; chrome fixtures contain lead)
Verification of potential contamination	Arsenic	At least once and then a yearly follow-up
Verification of potential contamination	Uranium	At least once and then a yearly follow-up
Verification of potential contamination	Volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, and other organics	Not required on a regular interval; recommended only when contamination is suspected.

If you do notice potential contamination on your property, contact the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Their spill response teams can help minimize the impacts to water, the environment, and human health. If you notice degrading or damaged infrastructure, have it replaced as soon as possible, then follow through with water quality testing to ensure safe drinking water. Personnel at the Mississippi State Department of Health can help you with water quality problems in your home or public buildings. See Table 3 for select EPA standards governing drinking water quality.

Table 3a. U.S. EPA drinking water standards for select primary contaminants.

Adapted from Testing for Water Quality, Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia, Circular 858-2 and Water Quality Series: Drinking Water Testing, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, AgCE-878.

Contaminant	Maximum Concentration Limit
Arsenic	10 ppb
Lead	15 ppb
Total coliform	0 MPN/100 mL
E. coli	0 MPN/100 mL

Table 3b. U.S. EPA drinking water standards for select secondary contaminants.

Adapted from Testing for Water Quality, Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia, Circular 858-2 and Water Quality Series: Drinking Water Testing, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, AgCE-878.

Contaminant	Maximum Concentration Limit
Aluminum	0.2 ppm
Iron	0.3 ppm
Manganese	0.05 ppm
Sulfate	250 ppm

Protecting Water Quality in Your Community

Recognizing poor water quality in lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds is important for our recreational uses of these water bodies, for the wildlife that depend on them, and for aquatic plants and animals that live in them. Protecting water quality in these aquatic systems is just as important as protecting water quality at home. Mississippi’s recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, birding, and boating, are very important to the state’s economy.

The basic principles of monitoring water quality in your community and in your home are similar. However, the appearance and odor of outdoor water resources is more variable because of temperature fluctuations, rain, and biological factors. Appearance and odor of community water resources become a concern when they are abnormal for extended periods of time. Sustained chemical or sewage-like odors are indicators that community water resources should be tested for contaminants. Unmanaged water quality problems can lead to health issues for wildlife and people.

What You Can Do

Citizens can help protect water quality by monitoring the appearance and odor of community water sources. One of the best and simplest ways to be more involved is to become aware of water bodies near you; online mapping services can be helpful in identifying these.

Get to know local ordinances and state laws that protect your local surface waters from harmful pollution. Become a part of the public water quality discussion. Contact the managing board of your local public water system or the mayor’s office to learn about measures to protect local water sources. Be sure to attend public meetings regarding water concerns, issues, proposals, protections, and ordinances.

You might also want to start, support, or join a local Adopt-A-Stream program, Waterkeeper Alliance group, Water Watch group, or EarthEcho Water Challenge program. Through these groups, you can conduct basic water chemical and bacteriological monitoring efforts and contribute to scientific databases. In addition, you can become a member of nonprofit organizations geared toward protecting environmental and/or drinking water, such as American Rivers, Ducks Unlimited, 1 Mississippi, Mississippi Wildlife Federation, or the Nature Conservancy.

The following is a selected list of governmental and nongovernmental organizations with water quality monitoring and protection endeavors:

• Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Surface Water Quality Assessments
• MDEQ Water Quality Standards
• Mississippi State Department of Health Bureau of Public Water Supply
• American Rivers Southeast Region
• Ducks Unlimited Mississippi Chapter
• The Nature Conservancy Mississippi Division
• Mississippi Wildlife Federation Adopt-A-Stream Mississippi
• 1 Mississippi River Citizen Program
• Waterkeeper Alliance (no Mississippi chapters)
• Global Water Watch (no Mississippi chapters)
• EarthEcho International Water Challenge Program

If we all take an active role in protecting our water resources today, we can help preserve these resources for future generations.

References

Baker, B. H. (2016). Don’t overlook the value of outdoor recreation. Starkville Daily News.

Barrett, J. (2015). Mississippi private well populations. Mississippi State University Extension Service: Publication 2775.

Barrett, J. (2015). Protecting your private well. Mississippi State University Extension Service: Publication 1872.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Water-related diseases and contaminants in public water systems.

Kelly, J., & Nichols, M. (2016). How USA TODAY ID’d water with high lead levels.

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. (2016). Water quality standards. Note: There are multiple links on this web page to water quality information in Mississippi.

Saha, U., Sonon, L., Mowrer, J., & Kissel, D. (2012). Your household water quality: Odors in your water. Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia Circular 1016.

Saha, U., Sonon, L., Turner, P., Mowrer, J., & Kissel, D. (2013). Testing for water quality. Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia Circular 858-2. Note: Original manuscript written by Atiles, J., & Vendrell, P.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2016). Basic information about lead in drinking water.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2017a). Summary of the Clean Water Act.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2017b). Summary of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2017c). National primary drinking water regulations.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2015). Water quality.

Wines, M., & Schwartz, J. (2016). Unsafe lead levels in tap water not limited to Flint.

Young, A., & Nichols, M. (2016). Beyond Flint: Excessive lead levels found in almost 2,000 water systems across all 50 states.

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Publication 3242 (POD-09-24)

By Beth Baker, PhD, Associate Extension Professor, Caleb Aldridge, former Research Associate, and Austin Omer, PhD, former Extension Associate, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture.