Water in California

You’ve probably heard the old saying “you are what you eat.” It seems logical – eat fattening foods, you get fat. Eat healthy foods, you get healthy … simple enough. Here’s another saying that’s true … “you are what you drink.” Drink clean, safe water and you get or stay healthy. Drink contaminated water, and you get … well, contaminated!

Water contamination has long been a serious concern, especially when it affects our drinking water. Many people associate poor quality drinking water with third world nations, and not the United States. Since the Flint, MI water crisis, however, Americans are beginning to see that some of our own water supplies are not as clean and safe as we thought they were. Lead in drinking water, for example, continues to make headlines and be a cause of concern throughout the country.

How does lead get into your drinking water?

With today’s water treatment technology and the knowledge of the danger of lead poisoning, how exactly do we get lead in our drinking water in the first place?  Don’t local governments test municipal water supplies, treat water for public consumption, and do their best to provide water that is safe to drink?

Yes, they do. It’s not enough to prevent lead contamination, however. Sometimes contaminants enter the water after it’s already been treated. If you had the best water in the world, it would become dirty and contaminated if you put it in a muddy bucket. The same thing happens with our water supply.

When water is transported from water treatment plants or individual wells, it passes through pipes. Today’s standard is for those pipes to be made of copper or PVC, but that wasn’t always so. Pipes used to be made from lead, and some copper pipes are even connected with lead solder. As these pipes corrode over time, lead leaches into the water that is then transported to our homes, schools, workplaces, etc. Lead pipes and connectors have gradually been replaced but some do still remain.

How do you know if lead is in your water?

Lead, like some other water contaminants, can be especially dangerous because it cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled. You might have a new house or an old house with new plumbing, and think you’re completely safe from lead contamination. This is not the case, however, if the pipes leading to the house have lead in them.

Communities with municipal water are required to periodically test their water for contaminants and release the test results to the public. This is a great start. The only way to know for sure that your water is safe, however, is to have the water coming from your own tap tested. We make it easy for you – contact us and get a free water test today so you can know for sure that you’re drinking safe water.

Dangers of lead poisoning from water contamination

You might be wondering why lead in water is such a problem. After all, hard water contains metals that aren’t always hazardous to your health, so what’s the big deal? The problem is that lead poisoning has been shown to lead to serious health issues, especially for pregnant women and children, but also for adults. Some common side effects of lead poisoning include:

• Brain damage
• Developmental delays
• Behavior problems
• Kidney disease
• High blood pressure
• And more …

Best way to remove lead from water

There’s no reason for you or your loved ones to suffer from lead poisoning due to contaminated water. If your water test reveals the presence of lead, the easiest way to remove it is through a reverse osmosis (RO) system. Distillation and carbon filtration are other acceptable methods to remove lead, but RO systems have become the most widely used due to their effectiveness, low energy and production cost, and ease of maintenance.

An RO system purifies water by pushing it through a series of filters. These filters allow water to pass through but contaminants, such as lead, are left behind. You’re left with clean water that is safe to drink and tastes great.

So, before you pour that next glass of water, contact us for a water test and RO system. Then, you can sit back, relax, and drink to your heart’s content!

“Drink more water … drink more water.” It’s a common message in the media these days, especially since drinking water has been proven to have many health benefits. Furthermore, as our society becomes busier and we all try to fit more into each day, we tend to look for convenient ways to get more water – hence, the popularity of bottled water. What many people don’t know, however, is that hidden contaminants in the water they drink could actually be sabotaging their health instead of improving it.

Disadvantages of bottled water

While it is true that bottled water is convenient, easily accessible, and portable, some would argue that its disadvantages far outweigh its advantages. Here are just a few of the reasons why bottled water may not be your best choice when trying to manage or increase your water intake:

• Costs more money – It is far cheaper to get safe, great-tasting water from a water filter at your tap than buying bottled water.
• Higher energy cost – Greater energy is required to manufacture plastic bottles, fill them, and then transport the finished product than is required to filter water at the tap and fill a reusable glass or stainless steel bottle.
• Environmental concerns – Even though most bottled water is housed in bottles that are recyclable, studies have shown that less than half of them actually do get recycled. That means more garbage in landfills and anywhere else they get left behind.
• Subject to less scrutiny – Municipal water sources are required to undergo water testing at regular intervals and publish the test results for community members to see … not so with bottled water. Even though it looks clear and sparkling, there may be hidden contaminants in bottled water that could actually be dangerous to your health.
• Plastic problems – The plastic bottle itself can contain various chemicals, byproducts, and impurities that can make their way into the water it holds. That means when you down a bottle of water, you could be getting more than you bargained for.

Filtered water – the bottled water alternative

Fortunately, there is still a way to get great tasting water that’s convenient and safe to drink – introducing the home water filter. There’s no need to lug cases of bottled water from the store to your car, from the car into the house, and then into the fridge.

Instead, install a water filter, such as a reverse osmosis (RO) system, right under your kitchen sink and enjoy fresh, clean drinking water straight from the tap all day long. When you need to take it to go, just fill a glass or stainless steel reusable bottle.

Water filter ownership and maintenance

Rayne makes having a home water filtration system easy. You can either purchase your system, adding to the equity of your home, or you can lease it and let Rayne handle any maintenance and repairs needed. Either way, you set yourself up for a healthier alternative to bottled water.

Give us a call today and start enjoying clean, fresh water from the tap that you can depend on every single day. You win, the environment wins – everyone wins!

Who wants the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? We all do! Sometimes we get confused, however, when we read or hear of different opinions, “new” facts, and the latest trends. It happens all the time in the water treatment industry, and we’d like to clear up a few misconceptions. Here are some of the most common water softener myths and their corresponding truths:

Myth #1: It’s unsafe to drink soft water

There have been many research studies conducted on this topic alone. The general consensus – softened water can contain a trace amount of salt, but usually not enough to be of any health concern. The exception to this would be someone with very strict salt consumption guidelines – if this is you, consult your doctor to find out the best solution for your personal situation. For the general public, however, drinking soft water does not pose any threats to your health.

Myth #2: Water softeners aren’t worth the expense of operating them

On the contrary … water softeners actually save you money.

Yes, they do cost something to operate – electricity, salt supplies, and required maintenance – but the benefits certainly outweigh the expense. For example, the number of soaps, detergents, and cleaners needed in your household can be reduced by up to 75% simply by using a home water softener!

Myth #3: Water can be softened without salt

The truth on this one can be a little tricky. Yes, water can be treated without using salt. Contaminants can be removed and magnetic or electronic devices can sometimes treat water in such a way that it prevents scale buildup in plumbing and water fixtures. Without salt, however, hard water is not truly softened and you won’t get the same soft water feel that you’re looking for.

Myth #4: It’s hard to get clean with soft water

Actually, you get cleaner with soft water, when compared to using hard water.

The negative effects of hard water are many and can include soap and mineral buildup on skin and hair, leaving your skin dry and itchy, and your hair limp and brittle.

Myth #5: Water softeners and water purifiers are the same

No … they’re not.

Water softeners do just what their name implies – soften water. This occurs by removing excess minerals from the water, typically calcium and magnesium, through a process known as ion exchange. They are often used to treat all water entering a home so that the negative effects of hard water won’t take their toll on appliances, fixtures, and even people.

In contrast, water purifiers, or reverse osmosis systems, are typically used to treat drinking water by filtering out contaminants and making for great tasting water that is also safe to drink.

If this isn’t enough to clear up any questions you have about water softeners, have no fear … our qualified technicians are perfectly up to the job! Just give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you with all of your water treatment needs – big or small.

Salt is salt, right? When it comes to water softener salt, that statement isn’t exactly true. There are several different salt varieties, some of which are better for your water softener than others. Let’s take a look at the 3 most common types and the pros and cons of each.

Types of water softener salt

1. Rock Salt – Typically mined underground, rock salt is salt in its rawest form. It is the result of many (like hundreds or thousands) years of accumulating salt deposits. It also contains traces of other minerals, so it is not 100% pure. For this reason, it is often cheaper than other types of salt.

While rock salt can be used in water softeners, it is not highly recommended. This is primarily because the other minerals included with it are not always water-soluble. This means they are left behind in your water softener’s brine tank and can build up over time. If rock salt is used in your home water treatment system, the tank will need to be cleaned on a regular basis to enable your system to continue to function properly.

2. Solar Salt – Also known as sea salt, this product is the result of the evaporation of seawater. Salt crystals are typically harvested and then sold as pellets when their intended use is for water softeners. Solar salt has fewer impurities and dissolves faster than rock salt. It can, however, still lead to build up over time, even though it is purer.

3. Evaporated Salt – This third type of salt commonly used in water softeners is the purest and most water-soluble. It is created by dissolving salty deposits in the water, and then removing all of the moisture from the brine. It is very effective in the treatment of hard water, and is the healthiest option for your home water softening system.

What happens when the wrong type of water softener salt is used?

Any of the three salt options above can be used for water softening. Using rock or solar salt, however, leads to a higher likelihood of the creation of a salt bridge versus using evaporated salt. A salt bridge is a buildup of salt crystals at the top of the tank and can interfere with your water softener’s functioning. It can be caused by several factors, including using salt with higher impurity levels.

Water softener maintenance

Regardless of what type of salt you choose to use in your home water softener, regular water softener maintenance is important for protecting your investment and extending its usable life. There are also maintenance-free water softening options available, such as our Portable Exchange Tank Service. Give us a call today and we’ll be happy to set you up with the best water softening system for your home, or help you maintain your existing system.

Water is an essential part of human existence, there’s no doubt about that. From personal care activities like showering and doing laundry, to watering our lawns and washing cars, water plays a big role in our daily lives. With the human body being composed of approximately 60% water, it also affects our health. The question arises, then, does it matter what type of water we drink? Is hard water harmful to drink?

What is hard water and where is it?

According to some statistics, close to 85% of the U.S. has hard water. This is water containing high amounts of calcium and magnesium, measured in milligrams of calcium carbonate per liter. Any water with a value of 61 mg/L or greater is considered hard, with classifications including various degrees of hardness. Looking at a water hardness map of the U.S., you will see that the highest levels occur in southwestern states like Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, and Southern California, although hard water is prevalent throughout the entire Midwest as well.

Effects of hard water

Homeowners living with it know that there are several negative effects of hard water. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Dry and itchy skin
• Soap scum buildup on sinks and other fixtures
• Water stains on silverware and dishes
• Clogged plumbing in water-using appliances
• Dull laundry
• And more…

Can drinking hard water have negative health effects?

If hard water can affect so many areas of the home, it’s natural to wonder if drinking it is harmful to our health. After all, if the “extra” minerals in hard water build up in the plumbing and on household fixtures, do they do the same inside our bodies?

Many research studies have been done, and continue to be done, on this very subject. So far, the general consensus of current research is that drinking hard water is not harmful to our health. This may be because the human body actually needs minerals like calcium and magnesium, and uses them to support bodily functions, unlike the plumbing in our homes which has no use for them so they just build up over time.

Some research has shown that instead of being detrimental to our health, drinking hard water may actually be helpful. Not all, but some, of these studies showed a positive correlation between drinking hard water and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The results are by no means conclusive, however, and further research must be done to validate these results.

Water testing and treatment

Although drinking hard water may not be harmful to the human body, it is clear that it has detrimental effects within a home, as mentioned above. If you suspect that you have hard water, your first step should be to get your household water tested. At Pacific Coast Water Systems of Fullerton, we even offer a free water test with no obligations attached. This makes it easy for you to know exactly what’s in your water and whether any impurities in it could be causing negative effects in your home.

If a water test confirms the presence of hard water, you then have multiple water treatment options to choose from, including:

• Water softeners
• Whole house water systems
• Drinking water systems
• Drinking water filters
• De-ionized water systems
• Portable exchange tank service

What’s the best way to find out the difference between all of these options? Contact us and we will be happy to help you make the choice that makes the most sense for you and your family. Great water is just a phone call away!

Filtered drinking water is becoming more common in households around the country thanks to the increased media coverage on what happens to people, towns and communities when drinking water sources are contaminated and public health becomes at-risk. When you invest in a home drinking water system, you create a peace of mind in your household in knowing that you and your family will be able to drink pure, high-quality and safe drinking water without risking your health.

We’re lucky – we enjoy great drinking water

It’s true – the United States has some of the best drinking water in the world. But, we still have many areas where drinking water is contaminated, and those contaminants are causing harm to human health. We rely on water for just about everything – drinking, bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. But, a lot of tap water could host unwanted additives –  pesticides, prescription drugs, chlorine, arsenic, and other contaminants.

Drinking water dangers and risks

Unfortunately, you could be at risk. When you assume that your home’s drinking water is totally safe and pure, you could actually be consuming harmful contaminants which could cause serious health issues. These might include neurological disorders, gastrointestinal illness, and problems in both male and female reproductive systems. Infants, children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk. If you or someone you love falls under one of those categories, you’ll want to think a bit more about how your home’s drinking water could harm them.

The safe drinking water solution

In order to remove some of the most common contaminants (and the rest, too) such as arsenic, aluminum, chlorine, fluoride and lead, a water filter is your best bet. According to a recent article on the topic, “by removing contaminants in your water, you reduce your exposure to many toxins that can negatively impact your health.” Filtered drinking water will be free of contaminants, may reduce the risk of certain cancers, tastes and smells better, and removes harmful bacteria as well. With our reverse osmosis , you’ll produce plenty of pure drinking water each day, worry less about what is in your water, and more about how to get your family to drink more water. You can check out our products for filtered drinking water here.

As the heat continues to rise, there’s really no place to be like a pool, lake, beach or the water, splashing around to cool off. Sometimes, we overlook who is confident in their swimming abilities, especially when it comes to children. For others, it can be a very frightening thought when it comes to children swimming.  We usually talk about tips for quality drinking water or drinking water systems for your home. This time around, however, we want to talk about water safety in a different aspect.

Swimming Safety Tips

Here are some IMPORTANT things to remember when it comes to keeping babies and children safe when around water:

• Active supervision is the best tip of all; your undivided attention should be given to children in and around open bodies of water. An adult should always be in arms reach of a toddler or baby, no multitasking. Take turns watching the water with other adults if necessary, never walk away for any reason or any amount of time.
• Start slow with babies; babies can be introduced to water around 6 months of age, but this should happen slowly and with a trained adult. Use waterproof or swimming diapers and change them frequently.
• Educate kids about swimming safety; enroll kids in swimming lessons when ready. Make sure kids swim in designated areas only. Teach kids that open water swimming is different than in a pool. Even older kids should always swim with a partner and be sure to teach them to only swim when adults are present.
• Don’t rely on swimming aids; pool toys are fun but they should never be used in place of an S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (PFD).
• Learn CPR; if you have a pool or take children swimming often, it is safer and you’ll have more peace of mind.
• Take extra steps around the pool; set rules like no running and be sure to have gates and fences. Empty refillable or portable pools without covers no matter how shallow, and install window or door alarms.
• Check the drains; educate kids about the dangers of drains, and always check for cracks or loose covers.
• Instill confidence in swimmers; even for inexperienced swimmers, proper positive reinforcement is important. But don’t overdo it – kids still need to be cautious!

Stay safer this summer by following these and more tips for swimming and water safety with your kids.

These days, we are all pretty familiar with the topic of drinking water contamination. We know that there are potential contaminants that could be dangerous for our health. We know we deserve better. Finally, the EPA agrees. In addition to what they already do, the EPA has declared a plan to regulate a set of harmful chemicals found in the drinking water of millions of Americans. There are still many contaminants that go unregulated, but could be causing us all harm when consumed in large quantities – and who knows if we are?!

What water contaminant regulation is the EPA planning?

According to an article in U.S. News & World Report, the EPA announced that they would “address contamination from widely used chemicals found in everything from food packaging to nonstick cookware, paint, carpeting, dental floss and firefighting foam, which have been linked to a range of potential health impacts including liver damage, developmental delays and cancer.” Whoa… these chemicals could be in all of that stuff? Yes.

What does this have to do with our drinking water?

Well, the contamination of the chemicals found in the things mentioned above means that these chemicals can end up in our water. The agency has the goal of limiting “two types of common per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS: a pair of chemicals known as PFOA and PFOS.” Although they are no longer being produced, they’re STILL found in some drinking water supplies! Wherever these chemicals were produced or utilized, it could be in the water.

What will be done?

According to the EPA, they plan to “expand monitoring efforts and issue groundwater cleanup recommendations for sites contaminated by PFOA and PFOs.” This is the main priority of the plan.

What can be done to protect drinking water now?

Are you concerned? It’s normal to worry about what’s in your tap water. If you don’t currently have a drinking water system installed, adding one to your home could be a good move. Until these efforts are actually put in place and ALL harmful contaminants are regulated, treated, or removed, you can make your own drinking water safer for you and your loved ones.

Drinking water contaminants are dangerous to human health. Although many of our communities treat our water, there is still the potential for contamination via other means after the water has been processed by these facilities. Furthermore, if you have a private well, you’re on your own for testing and treating your water. Check out some of our water filters and take part in the national efforts for making our drinking water safer, purer and better for everyone!

Action from above is good… but action from the people affected is great.

Lead in drinking water has made the news much more frequently and it hasn’t been for good reasons. Lead can have some devastating effects on the water and in the community. The one positive that comes out of all of these stories, however, is increased public awareness and the desire to protect your household’s drinking water from lead contamination.

How does lead get into our drinking water?

Lead is a very pervasive environmental contaminant. It can enter drinking water sources when lead water pipes corrode. According to the EPA, the most common problem for lead contamination is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures with lead solder. This is where significant amounts of lead can enter into the water, especially from the hot water. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder, thus making them more at risk of lead in drinking water.

Changes started for the better decades ago.

According to the CDC, beginning in the 1970s, lead contamination in air, tap water, food, dust, and soil began to be “substantially reduced, resulting in significantly reduced blood lead levels (BLLs) in children throughout the United States.” However, children are still being exposed to lead even today. Many of these children live in housing built before the 1978 ban on lead-based residential paint. Public awareness of these dangers is increasing and this means that demands for change are too.

Are there safe limits we can consume?

This question, of course, is a tricky one. Most people don’t want lead in drinking water at all – which is why a home drinking water system or water filter is recommended. However, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) has reduced the maximum allowable lead content – that is considered “lead-free” – to be a weighted average of 0.25 percent calculated across the wetted surfaces of pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing fittings, and fixtures and 0.2 percent for solder and flux.

So what adverse health effects are we talking about?

Here’s the most important part of this article. These adverse effects regarding lead exposure in both children and adults are well documented and no safe blood/lead level has been identified.

Since lead can be ingested from multiple sources like lead paint and dust as well as through contaminated drinking water via old corroded lead pipes, it is dangerous. The severity of the health effects depends on the concentration of the lead, the total amount of lead consumed and the length of time of the lead exposure.

Young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. With kids, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells. Low levels of exposure also have been linked to behavior and learning problems and anemia to name a few.

What can we do to protect our drinking water?

Our reverse osmosis drinking water systems will reduce lead levels in your drinking water. They will also improve water quality by removing other harmful contaminants as well. By protecting your drinking water point of use (faucets), you can rest assured that your drinking water is safe for your family and guests. Investing in your own protection, as experts and officials continue to brainstorm ways to fund and improve our community drinking water systems, will be worth every penny!

With California battling some of the worst wildfires right now, it is important to be aware of the many aspects of everyday life that they will affect. Right now, we are concerned about the loss that so many residents are facing; loss of homes, loss of land and even loss of life. And while they are seemingly common here in California, their impact is lasting and we want everyone to know how the future of drinking water will or could be affected.

The Importance of Forests on our Drinking Water

In California, for example, a lot of our water is sourced from forest lands. According to one report, approximately 80 percent of all freshwater in the United States, is from forested land. Along with this, more than 3,400 public drinking water systems are located in watersheds containing national forest lands. During a wildfire, many of these watersheds and water sources can be burned down or eliminated, flooded or changed. More than 12 million acres of land, including important forested water-supply watersheds, have burned in the southwestern U.S. in the past 30 years.

The Effects on Drinking Water

There are various ways that our drinking water will be affected by a wildfire. The short-term effects include things like ash settling on lakes and reservoirs where we get water for drinking water supplies. Furthermore, burn areas are more prone to erosion which will increase the amount of sediment accumulating in water resources. Not to mention the water used to fight the fires; if fire retardant gets into surface water that is used for drinking water, it may cause temporary increases in nitrate/nitrite levels and/or water cloudiness. These potential impacts are considerable – they change the quantity and quality of our water sources. Now, we have less water to treat and more contaminants to treat whether we’re using the water for domestic, agricultural, industrial, safety or ecological reasons.

Long term effects include things like increased water contamination and the need for more treatment of our tap water (which also requires more money), post-wildfire precipitation affecting water sources, changes in watersheds and local ecology and more.

How Will Drinking Water Stay Safe?

Local municipalities and officials are always attempting to find ways to keep drinking water safe during and after wildfires. Nature can be unpredictable, though, so sometimes we need to take matters into our own hands until there is an actual plan. Water treatment plants will do their best to reduce contaminants, but a home drinking water system or home water filter may also be a good investment to reduce the impact of wildfires on your home’s tap water. We offer a number of products that can protect the quality of your drinking water and keep your family safe from all of the impacts that wildfires have on your water – we wish we could help keep everyone safe in general! We are sending thoughts and prayers to those affected by the raging wildfires as the last burns are slowly and finally being put out.

Learn more about our drinking water systems