What To Do About Iron in Drinking Water

It is quite common to find iron in drinking water. Iron is one of the most common elements in the earth's crust and through rainwater seeping into the ground it easily mixes with this water and gets into wells and other sources of drinking water. The amount of iron that is found in drinking water is rarely more than 10 milligrams per liter. However, as little as 3 mg per liter is enough to turn the water to a reddish brown color. When iron is present in water it is either soluble ferrous iron or insoluble ferric iron. Ferrous iron is colorless in the water because it has dissolved, but ferric iron will not dissolve in water and when it is exposed to air it discolours the water.

Most people worry about the effects of iron in drinking water, especially whether or not it will have any effect on their health. Iron is not a health hazard, but rather it is essential for good health because it helps oxygen to travel throughout the bloodstream of the body. In fact, we get about 5% of the dietary requirement of iron through our drinking water. There are ill effects of having iron in water. One of the most noticeable effects is the color that it turns white clothes in the washing machine. The clothes sometimes come out dirtier than they were before they went in with large stains that look like tea was spilled all over them. Iron often leaves a taste in the water and makes tea, coffee and other beverages appear to be black. Vegetables cooked in this water may also appear dark and may have an unappealing taste.

When iron combines with bacteria, there could be a problem. The bacteria use the iron and leave a sludge behind that sometimes clogs the pipes. It is most noticeable on the inside of the toilet tank. The best way to find out how much iron you have in your water is to get the water quality tested. If there seems to be a lot or if you are having problems because of it, maybe you should look into getting a filtration treatment system for you home.