We know that the water we drink contains a trace amount of essential minerals. Our body requires a certain amount of these minerals in order to function properly Therefore, it’s great if we can fulfill the body’s needs by our water intake. However, when we talk about the importance of these minerals, it’s also vital to know how their excess affects you. Accordingly, let’s discuss an iron overload in the water supply, problems it possesses, and telltale signs of excess iron.
How Much Iron Is Too Much?
Generally, the recommended limit is around 0.3mg/L. However, this limit doesn’t mean that iron greater than 0.3mg/L is detrimental to health. Instead, when iron concentration crosses the benchmark, the water’s taste and appearance become unpleasant.
Why Does Our Body Need Iron?
About 70% of our red blood cells consist of iron, and red blood cells actively circulate oxygen around the body. Thus, iron plays a critical role in oxygen circulation by acting as a carrier that carries oxygen to the target location.
Iron is responsible for the blood’s red color. Thus, an overall iron deficiency can lead to anemia, where one feels tired and their skin grows paler.
Where Does Iron Come From In Your Water Supply?
Iron is abundant in the earth’s crust and its rocks. Thus, when the ground you walk on contains an ample amount of iron, it’s no surprise that some iron makes its way into your drinking water.
What Are Some Issues With Having Excess Iron?
Dry And Itchy Skin: Iron doesn’t mix well with soap. Thus, some residual soap tends to cling to your skin when you bathe in iron-laden water, making it dry and itchy. In addition, taking too much iron can also damage your skin cells. Therefore, such a high intake of iron can lead to crackling and aging skin.
Discoloration And Staining: When iron exceeds the capacity of water needed to dissolve it, some iron particles start to build up near the bottom. This process is termed as sedimentation. Thus, due to sedimentation, you begin to notice an unappealing reddish-brown tinge in your water. Moreover, these iron sediments also tend to leave behind brownish streaks on their holding utensils and pipes.
Weird Taste: You can feel the presence of iron in your water through a particular metallic taste. This taste, color, and texture also propagates into the food you cook using the water. Therefore, you can expect a distasteful morning coffee.
Pipe Buildup: This one is related to the iron’s attribute of sedimenting. Eventually, the iron builds up enough inside pipes to block the water flow in it, causing you further plumbing issues.
How To Recognize An Iron Overload?
Excess iron in your water announces its presence boldly to the point where it is hard for you to miss. First, you can detect excess iron by the color change of your water. Secondly, the metallic taste of your water can also give away the excess concentration of iron present in your water supply.
Excess iron in your water doesn’t pose a serious health or structural hazard. However, it’s a nuisance that can get on your nerves. For that reason, you need to clear out extra iron from your water. Luckily, Clean Liquid System can help you with that. Call us at 713-253-0100 for more information!