Clean tap water?

[Eater Sundae]

Regarding water softness...

 

As I understand it, main water sources for around here were historically fairly acidic, being run off from moorland. Although this is soft and doesn’t fur up kettles or cause scum on cups of tea, the acidity attacks the water pipes, particularly old lead ones, to the detriment of both the pipes and the people drinking the water.

 

As a result, it is now more normal to supply water which is now marginally alkaline. This is not related to the different sources of water as it is to the preferred make up of water into the distribution system.

 

In reality, it is quite common to adjust the pH of water at many stages in the water treatment process. For example, Zebra Mussels occur in rivers in some areas (which have calcium in the water, needed for the mussel shells). If water is abstracted from these rivers for supply purposes, it is possible that eggs or very young mussels are drawn into the pipework where they lodge and grow, with a steady supply of food as fresh water is drawn in past them. If left to grow, they will soon block the pipes.  They can be stopped and inhibited by the addition of acid at an early stage in the process. This provides an environment where shells cannot harden through lack of calcium, and the mussels fail. Later on in the process, Lime is added to neutralise the acid, and form salts which settle out before the water goes into supply.

 

It should be understood that water treatment is usually a fairly chemically intense process, often with acids, alkaline and chlorine based chemicals to make it safe to drink.

 

When it finally enters distribution there are a fair number of salts in the water, but due to its original source, not the added chemicals. The chemical make up varies area to area, but the chemical analysis is readily available for each and every area - just ask your supplier.

 

So it’s no surprise that when surfaces are left to dry, and the clean water water evaporates off,  that a film remains.

 

It doesn’t bother me at all that I take in these chemicals when I drink water, though, as these chemicals are at worst harmless, and at best a source of essential minerals.

 

Very happy to drink tap water, especially in preference to expensive “mineral” water.

[Happ]

8 hours ago, Annie Bynnol said:

Severn Trent does supply and clean water to very small areas on the very southern extremities of the City.

The majority of our water comes from the Yorkshire Derwent near York and is mixed with other sources.

Neither supply area is regarded as particularly soft or hard.

 

See the link above. Severn Trent themselves lost the water they supply as “moderately hard” to an S12 postcode. What do you know that the company who supply it don’t?