Chapter 2
The New Jersey EPHT program, working in close partnership with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), has summarized data on water quality for over 600 community water systems in New Jersey, as well as on water quality for numerous private wells. Although the particles are not dissolved in the water, they may be consumed by people drinking the water. Even though it is unlikely that your water supply contains lead (unless you have lead pipes), testing for it is a good idea. For example, samples collected prior to mining, gas well drilling, or other land use disturbances meant to document existing drinking water quality should be collected by a disinterested third party. They multiply when elevated levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), warm temperatures, and calm water combine to create the perfect environment for rapid growth. If you've contacted your water company about your tap water and you're not happy with their response, contact the Drinking Water Inspectorate. The most common drinking water emergency is contamination by disease-causing germs.
Without knowing what to look for, the cost of testing drinking water on a hit or miss basis can be very high. Your blood moves the oxygen and needs water, water helps you heal from injuries and in cleansing and detoxification. For technical and economic reasons, analytical procedures for the detection of harmful organisms are impractical for routine water quality surveillance. CCRs also give the water system an opportunity to communicate the value of water and water delivery services. Philadelphia's drinking water sources are the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, and our pledge to our customers extends to the stewardship of our region's water resources. The marine life is the first to suffer from water pollution as they depend on the nutrients in the water to survive.
Although the pros and cons of disinfection with chlorine have been extensively debated, it remains the most widely used chemical for disinfection of water in the U.S. Chlorine is primarily used as a disinfectant, but also serves as an oxidizing agent for taste and odor control, prevention of algal growths, maintaining clear filter media, removal or ion and manganese, destruction of hydrogen sulfide and improving coagulation.
Our programs and projects are divided into four departments: community development, laboratory and research, ceramic water filters, and media studio. After a new water well is completed or when the quality of a water supply is suspect (because of turbid water, unusual colour, taste or smell), water samples should be collected and analyzed chemically and bacterially. A few chemicals, however, do present human health risks, especially for children and when contaminated water is consumed over time. I learned very early on that there are many things in water that should not be in water.
If you dislike the taste or smell of chlorine in your water, make the water more palatable by exposing it to the air for a few hours or by pouring it several times from one clean container to another. Should a water quality concern exist affecting health, consult a local public health inspector or doctor for more information on how it may have affected you if the water was consumed. It spreads quickly through water and can easily contaminate it. This includes private drinking water systems like wells. The price depends on how many contaminants you want to test for: It can range from $30 for a simple mercury screen, to $500 for a 94-contaminant screen. Regardless of your water source, you can have your water tested for specific contaminants of concern.
