St. Joseph Louisiana Water Quality
Poor Water Quality of St. Joseph Louisiana
You might not know, but the water quality of many communities in North America is poor. It’s true that the local government has worked hard to improve the quality of water. But still, the tap water is not safe enough to drink. Water contamination has become a major issue in cities nationwide, and sadly, the solutions are too expensive for small communities.
The tap water quality in St. Joseph, Louisiana, is poor for many years. You might be surprised to know that the town has been under several boil notices since 2012. A few years back, people complained that tap water smells like metal. The water also had a chocolaty brown color, preventing many residents from drinking it. In fact, in 2016, some authorities issued an emergency order that people should not drink, cook, or bathe with tap water. This is because professionals identified lead in the water, which was changing its color and odor. You may already know that consuming excessive lead can cause brain damage in children. Therefore, this was a concerning matter for the community people.
To solve this problem, the government decided to change the town’s 90-years-old system. They installed modern-day technology, two filter, two water wells, PVC pipes, new electronics, iron reduction equipment, and a refurbished water tower. This way, people started getting clean and fresh water than before. But still, people believe that there are some contaminants in the water. For this, they use filtration machines because of the benefits of filtered water and to get clean and safe water.
Other Elements that Contaminate St. Joseph’s Water
After some more research, experts found that lead was not the only problem. The primary reason for brown-colored water was a high concentration of iron in it. While iron is not considered a potential risk for human health by the Environmental Protection Agency, it can affect the odor of water.
Iron is an essential nutrient to live a healthy life. But you need to consume it in a considerable amount. The average amount of iron should be around 200 to 260 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Besides that, in 2013, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals suggested that the tap water of this region contains around 9.74 milligrams of iron per liter. You might not know, but it is three times more than the recommended amount of 0.3 mg/l. Apart from this, people also believe that the tap water of St. Joseph contains other contaminants that can lead to poor health.
What Are the Effects of Poor Water Quality?
Water pollution can lead to death. In fact, in 2015, 1.8 million people died because of poor water quality. Even if you don’t die, contaminants, heavy metals, and impurities in the water can cause many health problems. Every year, around 1 billion people get sick because of unsafe water. Low-income communities are more at risk because they can’t afford costly water filter systems.
Unsafe water can lead to health problems like typhoid, giardia, and cholera. Besides that, having lead in water in greater quantities can cause weakness, brain and kidney damage, and anemia. It can also cause death in children and pregnant women. On the other hand, too much iron can lead to heart problems, liver diseases, and diabetes. The water of St. Joseph is much cleaner, but still, you can develop these problems.
What Safety Measures Can You Take?
The best thing you can do to avoid using contaminated water is to install a whole-house water filter. Filtration systems like whole-house reverse osmosis systems are best to get clean and fresh water.
These filtration systems use methods that trap contaminants, impurities, heavy metals, and other elements in the water. This way, you can use your tap water for drinking, bathing, or cooking.
Here are some reasons why you need to install a whole-house water filter.
Provides Safe Drinking Water
Unfiltered water, even if it comes from the best water plants in your area, has contaminants, including lead. When you install a whole-house water filter, more than 2,100 toxins will be removed from your water.
Provides Clean Water to Entire House
As the name suggests, whole-house water delivers water to the entire house. You will get filtered water in the kitchen, bathroom, and other faucets in your house. This way, no matter what tap you use, you don’t have to worry about its quality.
Prevents Skin Conditions
Depending on your skin’s sensitivity, you might feel irritation because of heavy metals and impurities in water. If you don’t find any solution, it might lead to severe problems. However, after installing a filter system, you don’t need to compromise on water quality.
Offers Affordable Solution
Most people don’t install any filter system because of their high price tag. But now you can find several companies that can offer you a cost-effective system. Hence, you can get premium-quality filters at lower prices.
In a nutshell, the water quality in St. Joseph is still not very safe because it has some quantity of iron and lead. Plus, it also has some other contaminants. This makes it important for you to install a whole-house water filter to get clean, safe, and pure water for different purposes and live a healthy life.