Everyday we turn on our taps and expect clean drinking water to flow. People don’t usually spend a lot of time thinking about the quality of their water, they automatically assume it’s safe to consume. Likewise, many people don’t consider how the cleanliness and integrity of water pipelines can impact their health. Here are some contaminants you might find in drinking water if water mains and pipes aren’t well-maintained and inspected.
Bacteria and Viruses that Can Cause Illnesses
The growth of bacteria and microorganisms is a major threat to water supplies. It can be a real concern in older pipelines. Internal lime scale buildup and corroded pipes can harbor bacteria, viruses, and other dangerous microorganisms which can make humans very sick. Additionally, structural damage or corrosion to a pipeline can expose the water inside of it to the outside environment and result in contamination.
Toxic Chemicals in the Water Table
It may not just be the conditions inside of a water pipeline that can impact the quality of your drinking water. If a pipeline that carries hazardous chemicals, oil, or gas should fail, it can have calamitous effects if it leeches into the ground water that supplies a community with water. The water table can be contaminated for decades depending on the nature of the spill in terms of the material that was leaked and the size of the spill.
Sewage and Waste Water Mingling with Your Drinking Water
Your sewage and waste water pipes ensure the sanitation of soil and water when they are functioning properly. If one of these pipelines should fail because of the encroachment of tree roots, soil erosion and shifting, corrosion, or excessive inundation into the sewage system; it can deposit fecal matter and other human waste into bodies of water. This can make our source of drinking water polluted and undrinkable for days, weeks or years.
Every municipality has corrosion and imperfections in their water pipelines. Detect this corrosion and rectify any flaws that exist, before the pipeline fails, by consulting PICA Corp. for a pipeline inspection. Contact us by phone:(780) 469-4463 or by sending us an e-mail: [email protected] and ensure you’re providing safe drinking water to the people who trust your pipelines.
