Source Water and It's Effects on Pool and Spa Maintenance

The quality of water you fill your spa or swimming pool with is a very important aspect of your water maintenance.It’s safe to say that this is a topic that gets very little attention. Furthermore, after reading a very informative article in the September 2020 issue of AQUA Magazine, we found this information and wanted to pass it on.

Source Water – What Is That?

Source water (water used to fill your pool/spa) can contain many different compounds and impurities that affect the amount and type of enzymes and chlorine needed to produce quality water.

Correspondingly, it’s critical that you TEST your source water for contaminants and decide which treatment will be best for your water.

Source water used in pools and spas can come from several starting points; the two most common being municipal water and well water.

Municipal Water

This is water that’s been cleaned and treated in a treatment facility. Once it’s treated, it’s piped into houses or other end-use facilities.

Furthermore, the type and age of the water can lead to the addition of contaminants such as copper or lead.

Because the United States' Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulations on potable water leaving treatment facilities, municipal water usually doesn’t contain high concentrations of impurities.

However heavy metals, phosphates, and nitrates could potentially create issues. Problems could also arise from water with extremes or wide swings in pH, total alkalinity and total hardness or total dissolved solids.

Likewise, organic and inorganic compounds including chloramines and tannins may also be present and can lead to water quality issues.

Well Water

The EPA doesn’t regulate private wells nor does it provide recommended criteria or standards for individual wells.

However, they do offer information regarding the importance of testing private wells and guidance on technologies to treat or remove any listed drinking water contaminants.

Therefore, private well owners are responsible for the safety of their own water.

Additionally, well water is used in many remote areas of the country as a potable water source where access to municipal water is difficult, undesired or impossible.

Well water quality can also vary drastically in different geographical locations.

Some main issues with using well water in pools and spas are the high concentrations of heavy metals such as iron and copper, tannins and iron bacteria. These can cause staining and heavy sanitizer consumption.

Not to mention, well water can also be contaminated by nearby septic tanks and water runoff.

Turbo Ion Exchange Pre-Filter

With this said, consider using a Pre-Filter to reduce metals and other contaminants BEFORE they reach your hot tub.

Most can be removed by using a Turbo Ion Exchange Pre-Filter.

It’s especially important if you're using well water simply because of the extra metals and build up inherent in well water.

Interested in learning more about spa filters? Click HERE for an interesting and educational blog post.

Additional Issues?

Have you had water issues that you can't quite put your thumb on? Moreover, problems can arise from source water with extremes or wide swings in pH, total alkalinity, and total hardness. **Click HERE for a blog post about testing your pool and spa water and **Three Way Testing Strips can be purchased from our online store HERE

Notably, there can also be organic and inorganic compounds, including chloramines and tannins present that lead to water quality issues in your spa.

We might add, that this is also one of the really neat things about using Waters Choice enzymes!

It's the closest thing you'll find to a stand-along product that'll do the heavy work in your water so you won't have too.

Have Your Water Tested

It’s also important to note that there are water testing facilities as well as pool and spa companies that are happy to provide water testing for you.

Do you have additional questions? Please feel free to call us at Waters Choice.

We aren’t a water testing facility but we can help answer questions as well as refer you to our favorite and TRUSTED pool and spa companies.

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