For homeowners in and around Las Vegas, water is a crucially important resource that must be maintained at all times. This is why Las Vegas plumbing services are so important to ensuring that the city and all of its buildings keep running. Of course, water quality is another matter which is impacted by a number of factors, both environmental and ‘manmade’. After all, even the best plumbing system cannot overcome poor water quality.
Factors in Determining Water Quality
The quality of water in any given area depends on a number of factors and can change quite drastically from place to place, even in a small area. While there is not much that can be done about natural, environmental factors, many of the most severe causes of water quality degradation are man-made in nature.
1) Soil Erosion
Soil erosion and washout are natural processes that impact the quality of water temporarily, especially during periods of intense storms or flooding. The way in which this whips up sediment and causes soil to be washed into rivers, lakes, and reservoirs causes the water quality to drop quite severely over a short period of time. The severity of the quality drop depends on the type of soil and whether it contains harmful minerals or chemicals.
2) pH Levels
The natural pH of the soil and water in an area has an impact on the quality of water for bathing, watering crops, and, of course, drinking. The ideal pH is 8.5 to 9.5 however, if the water in an area is more acidic or alkaline than this, it will be classed as poor quality or even dangerous, depending on the precise levels.
3) Population Growth
Population centers like Las Vegas can affect water quality for a number of reasons. Urban areas mean more people and more people means a lot more human waste. While cities are designed to carry this away safely and process it, there may be leaks in the system. While this is highly rare, these leaks can impact the water quality quite seriously when they occur.
4) Runoff
Runoff, like erosion, is a naturally occurring process that happens during heavy rainfall, storms, or flooding. In fact, runoff could be considered the lesser form of erosion as it generally does not carry large amounts of soil with it. However, runoff water gathers dirt, debris, chemicals, and pollution from the surfaces that it crosses. In urban centers like Las Vegas, this includes trash, spilt fuel, and other urban contaminants.
5) Grey Water and Pollution
Greywater is the term used to refer to water drained from homes and commercial premises which is contaminated beyond safe levels, but which does not contain fecal matter. Greywater generally contains polluting substances like household cleaning products, shampoo, body washes, detergents, and things of this nature.
6) Rotting Organic Material
The presence of rotting organic material in waterways, reservoirs, or pipe systems will have a very serious effect on the quality of the water in the area. This rotting material can mean falling wood or discarded clothing as well as more unpleasant things like animal carcasses.
Drinking tap water in Las Vegas is not usually advisable unless you have filters in place, but it pays to know what factors can impact the quality of the water in your home. The best way to ensure that your home has access to clean and safe water is to install a water filtration system.
Our team of experts will consult with you to find the best system for your home at a competitive and reasonable price. To learn more about a home water filtration system, give us a call at (702) 766-9436 or contact us here.