Let's talk about the water cycle first: when it rains, it gathers in water bodies such as lakes and aquifers. The types of rocks found in these bodies of water began to slowly enrich the water with dissolved minerals. The more minerals dissolved in the water, the "harder" the water. Texas has the hardest water in the United States (to a large extent), thanks to too much limestone, which is soft and easy to dissolve. It is mainly composed of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, which are the main compounds that "harden" water.

Now, it is clear that most of us do not directly collect water from these natural resources for consumption. We rely on our water suppliers to process and clean water, and then store and distribute it safely, with enough pressure to reach our taps when we need it. All in all: the water company ensures that drinking water is safe to drink. These suppliers need to produce and distribute a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) or water quality report every year, detailing the source of raw water, the types of pollutants in the water, and the results of water quality testing conducted throughout the year. Most local water suppliers meet or exceed all quality standards. The minerals that make the water "harden" will not be removed, because hard water does not pose a health threat. In fact, the National Research Council (National Academy of Sciences) states that hard drinking water usually helps provide the total calcium and magnesium needed in the human diet.

However, hard water can be annoying because it causes mineral buildup on plumbing fixtures and poor soap and/or detergent performance. In order to offset the impact of hard water, some homeowners choose to install water softeners, usually sodium chloride or potassium chloride instead of calcium and magnesium (and other positive ions). Homeowners who choose an "entry point" (whole house) water softener can also choose to install a reverse osmosis system to remove the sodium that the water softener adds to the tap water line for drinking or cooking. Because skin irritation is another potential side effect of hard water (causing it to become dry and itchy), water softeners can also be specifically added to water pipes that only serve certain areas of the home, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms (called "Point of use" water softener). Alternative salt-free treatment solutions, such as "water conditioners", have also become more and more popular in recent years to counter the effects of hard water.

Whether you choose to limit the impact of hard water on your home, we encourage you to choose tap water instead of bottled water. Unlike the annual reports provided to customers by public water systems, it is difficult to obtain information about the quality of bottled water. According to Consumer Reports, there is no single source to keep a list of quality reports from bottled water manufacturers. Besides:

• Bottled water is wasteful: Disposable plastic bottles are the third most common item in marine litter, accounting for 15% of marine litter (only 14% of plastic is recycled).

• Bottled water is expensive: Compared with tap water, the average cost of buying 20 ounces of bottled water is $10 per gallon, while most of our customers cost $0.0025 per gallon.

• Tap water and bottled water are generally equivalent in terms of safety...We think tap water is safer.

• Taste varies by source: minerals and other compounds determine the taste of water.

However, unlike bottled water, public water supply systems need to maintain the presence of disinfectants in all water found throughout the distribution system to protect them from pathogenic pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa that can grow in the water supply reservoir. Infringe. , In the wall of the water pipe and the water storage tank. For this reason, most public water supply systems in the United States use chlorine or chloramines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guarantees, “Although these chemicals may be harmful in high doses, when they are added to water, they will mix and spread, resulting in low levels of killing bacteria, but they are still safe to drink.”

The chlorine in drinking water can make the water smell like chemicals, but as long as the chlorine/chloramine content does not exceed 4 mg per liter, drinking water is considered safe. Customers who are concerned about the taste can simply fill the container with tap water and leave it in the refrigerator uncovered for 24 hours. For a faster solution, a water tank with a charcoal filter can effectively remove chlorine and particles such as sediment, volatile organic compounds, taste and odor.

Written by Stephanie Threinen, Public Information Liaison, Lakeway Municipal Public Utilities District. Earl Foster is the general manager of LMUD.