Common problems?

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Hardness stains

Hard water is water containing high levels of calcium and magnesium. It’s the most common water problem in North America.

Hard water requires the use of more soap and cleaning products.

Studies have shown that you use up to eight times more soap with hard water than with soft water, and what’s more, not everything that’s washed is as clean. The hardness minerals cling to the soap particles, sticking to everything and leaving behind soap scum and rings in the bathtub. Ask your Mr. Culligan how a water softener will save you time scrubbing your bathroom fixtures and fittings.

By reducing your use of soap and detergents, you’ll not only save time and money, you’ll also be thinking about the environment. Most detergents are petroleum-based. Imagine a planet without the $6 billion worth of laundry detergents we send down the drain every year!

Hard water leaves stains on your dishes, glassware and other household surfaces.

If your dishwasher leaves stains, it’s not your detergent, it’s your water. The hardness minerals stick to the lenses for all to see. Don’t change your detergent, change your water! Ask your Mr. Culligan how a water softener can help you reduce your use of dishwasher detergent, while eliminating stains on your glassware.

Hard water means higher electricity and gas bills.

Over time, the heating elements in your water heater become coated with minerals from your hard water. In many cases, these can form a thick layer of mineral sludge at the bottom of your water heater. This sludge covers the heating element, reducing its efficiency. This sludge can also cause the heating element to fail, necessitating a costly repair.

Hard water reduces the useful life of your appliances.

Hardness minerals foul everything they touch. In dishwashers, they cover the heating element, clogging the washing mechanism and shortening the appliance’s lifespan. They cause similar problems in spas, washing machines and even coffee makers. Eliminate hardness minerals and extend the useful life of your appliances by using a Culligan Water Softener!

High iron levels

Nobody likes rusty water!
Iron dissolved in your water can leave red or brown deposits on anything in contact with the water. Excessive iron levels are the second most common problem today, after hard water. If you see red precipitates in still water, such as in your toilet, or if you see red stains on your appliances and clothes, your water contains iron. Culligan can filter it out for you.

Problems linked to high iron levels:

Red or brownish stains on appliances and clothing.
Yellow or orange water.
A metallic-tasting water.

Clean water has only one color: clear.

Iron-related problems come in different forms, which may require different modes of treatment to remove it. Your Mr. Culligan can recommend the right Culligan iron removal system for your household needs. Contact us to find out which solution is right for you, or request your free water analysis!

Tasteless water

Water has no odor. It’s the contaminants it contains that emit one, representing a common problem with water quality. Before water enters your home and reaches you, it can accumulate contaminants from the well, miles of underground water pipes, or even directly from the water source itself.

Many municipalities add chlorine to their water to remedy the problems caused by these contaminants. Bad-tasting, foul-smelling water has many causes, and sometimes requires more than one solution. Your Mr. Culligan has the equipment and expertise you need to enjoy quality water throughout your home.

Common water odor problems can all be corrected with a Culligan Water Filter!

The rotten egg smell may be caused by sulfur in the soil near your well.
A musty or earthy smell may be caused by dissolved minerals.
The smell of chlorine, which is unbearable for some people, can be caused by products added to water by municipalities.
Detergent odors and foaming water can be caused by seepage from your septic system into your well.
Chemical odors and tastes can be caused by high iron levels or by chemical compounds that leach into your water source, such as industrial chemicals or pesticides.

Common water odor problems can all be corrected with a Culligan Water Filter!

The rotten egg smell may be caused by sulfur in the soil near your well.
A musty or earthy smell may be caused by dissolved minerals.
The smell of chlorine, which is unbearable for some people, can be caused by products added to water by municipalities.
Detergent odors and foaming water can be caused by seepage from your septic system into your well.
Chemical odors and tastes can be caused by high iron levels or by chemical compounds that leach into your water source, such as industrial chemicals or pesticides.

There are several ways to get rid of smelly water. A Whole House Filtration System from Culligan delivers filtered water to every faucet in your home or office. This system filters water at the point where it enters your home, and can have positive effects throughout your home: improving your skin and hair, the condition of your plumbing, the useful life of your appliances, and the appearance of everything you wash and wear.

Does your water taste bad?

Water that tastes bitter, salty, acrid or metallic may be a sign that its total dissolved solids (TDS) are too high, normally chloride, sulfate and bicarbonate. Clues that may indicate a SDT problem include:

Bad-tasting water
Misty ice cubes
Scaling and stains on wet surfaces
Mineral build-up on your faucet outlets
A laxative effect, caused by high sulphate levels

You can eliminate high TSD by using a Culligan Drinking Water System, designed to reduce the high concentrations of dissolved solids found in your drinking water.

A reverse osmosis system removes particulate matter smaller than one micron, and a Culligan® Charcoal Filter can eliminate the unbearable taste and odor of chlorine.Contact your Mr. Culligan today to inquire about the best solution for your needs.

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Acid stains

Do your devices in contact with water have blue-green stains?
High copper levels in your water, a common problem related to water quality, usually occur when copper or brass piping begins to corrode. The blue-green stains are actually residues of copper. As acid flows through the piping, it dissolves copper from the pipes and can potentially create needle-sized holes in the piping.

Signs of high-copper water problems:

Water with a metallic taste
Blue-green spots on your appliances
Changes in hair color tones – especially blond hair
Corrosion of aluminum surfaces

A reverse osmosis system removes particulate matter smaller than one micron, and a Culligan® Neutralizing Filter can help remove copper from your water. Contact your Mr. Culligan today for an in-home water analysis and more information on the Culligan® Water System that’s right for you.

Bacteria

Municipal water

Although in most regions drinking water is of excellent quality and regularly tested, it can sometimes be contaminated with bacteria, viruses or germs. In most cases, this is not due to the quality of the water introduced into the system by water suppliers, but to contamination of the pipes. The formation of biofilms encourages the proliferation of germs and bacteria. A distinction must be made between pathogenic germs that can survive in water and germs that live and multiply in water, either as individual cells or grouped together in biofilms.

Well water

The quality of my well water and my responsibilities…

When it comes from a surface or tubular well (commonly called an ‘artesian well’) and is intended for human consumption, the water must be of good quality and comply with the standards set forth in the Regulation on Drinking Water Quality (Q-2, r.40). Indeed, under Article 3 of this regulation, the owner must provide potable water to his family and visitors, after conducting a drinking water analysis.

Although it may appear clear and limpid and have no particular odor or taste, the water collected may contain elements that can have undesirable effects on health, such as pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, viruses or protozoa) and nitrate-nitrite.

Groundwater, which is generally of better quality than surface water (lake, river, stream) thanks to the filtering capacity of the soil, can be vulnerable to contamination, and precautions must be taken to ensure a good quality water supply at all times.

A contamination event can occur sporadically, and only an artesian well water evaluation can reveal it. Therefore, the Ministry recommends that you have your water analyzed.

Source: https://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/eau/potable/depliant/index.htm#:~:text=La%20d%C3%A9tection%20de%20bact%C3%A9ries%20ent%C3%A9rocoques,indication%20d’une%20contamination%20f%C3%A9cale.

What are indicator bacteria?

Indicator bacteria are the bacteria that signal contamination in drinking water during bacteriological water analysis. The health effects of drinking water containing indicator bacteria can range from no symptoms to severe illness, such as gastrointestinal disorders, with symptoms appearing hours, days, or weeks after consumption. Gastrointestinal symptoms may include all or some of the following: nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, muscle pain, headaches, and mild fever. In rare cases, consuming contaminated water can lead to serious illness or death. Anyone can become ill from drinking contaminated water, but children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of experiencing harmful effects.

What are total coliforms and E. coli bacteria?

Total coliforms and Escherichia coli (E. coli) are indicator bacteria, also known as target bacteria. Other bacteria that may be present in drinking water are called non-target bacteria. The sanitary quality of well water is measured by the quantity of target bacteria present in drinking water samples.

Water containing total coliforms may be unfit for consumption
- Total coliforms are a group of bacteria commonly found in animal waste, wastewater, soil and vegetation. They are also found in the digestive tracts of animals and humans. Total coliforms are unlikely to cause disease, but their presence could indicate contamination of the water supply by more harmful microorganisms, or bacterial revivification.
Water containing E. coli bacteria is unfit for consumption
- coli is one of a group of coliform bacteria found in the intestines of animals and humans. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, the presence of E. coli in well water indicates fecal contamination. This means there could be harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites in your well water.

Source : https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/f/2019/fact-sheet-drinking-water-quality.pdf?la=fr

What are indicator bacteria?

Indicator bacteria are the bacteria that signal contamination of drinking water during analysis. The health effects of drinking water containing indicator bacteria range from an absence of symptoms to serious illness, such as a gastrointestinal disorder, with symptoms appearing hours, days or weeks after consumption. Gastrointestinal symptoms may include all or some of the following: nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, muscle pain, headache and low-grade fever. In rare cases, drinking contaminated water can lead to serious illness or death. Anyone can get sick from drinking contaminated water, but children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk.

What are total coliforms and E. coli bacteria?

Water containing total coliforms may be unfit for consumption
- Total coliforms are a group of bacteria commonly found in animal waste, wastewater, soil and vegetation. They are also found in the digestive tracts of animals and humans. Total coliforms are unlikely to cause disease, but their presence could indicate contamination of the water supply by more harmful microorganisms, or bacterial revivification.
Water containing E. coli bacteria is unfit for consumption
- coli is one of a group of coliform bacteria found in the intestines of animals and humans. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, the presence of E. coli in well water indicates fecal contamination. This means there could be harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites in your well water.

Source : https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/f/2019/fact-sheet-drinking-water-quality.pdf?la=fr

Cloudy water

Cloudy/ turbid water

If you open the tap to see cloudy water filling your glass, a common problem with water quality, you might wonder if it’s safe to drink. There’s a lot to learn about cloudy water, but the good news is that there are easy ways to address this particular issue.

What makes water cloudy?

Turbidity is a measure of the relative clarity of a liquid. To find out the true turbidity of your tap water, you’d need to shine a light on it and measure how much that light scatters as it passes through the material in your water. The more scattered the light, the higher the turbidity.

Why is your water cloudy?

Fortunately, there’s an easier way: just look at your tap water. High turbidity generally translates into cloudy, milky water that you can see without needing to shine a light.

This is often caused by one of three things:

Ventilation

If you look closely at your water and see that its cloudy appearance is actually due to tiny bubbles, your problem is probably related to aeration. This cloudy tap water is also known as “white water”.

All water contains dissolved oxygen, the “O” in “H2O”. However, in some cases, this air can revert to its gaseous state and cause turbidity in your drinking water. This can happen more often with warm or hot water; that’s because cold water has a greater capacity to hold air, which means it can absorb and hold more oxygen and therefore doesn’t need to release the excess in the form of bubbles.

The good news is that these tiny air bubbles are nothing to worry about. They are safe to drink and will dissipate from the bottom of your glass to the top, leaving your water clearer.

Hard water

If turbidity doesn’t disappear after the water has had time to stabilize, you could have hard water, one of the most common water problems for both well and tap water users.

Hard water is caused by high levels of calcium and magnesium. When these minerals are heated by your water heater, they can cause limescale to build up in pipes and plumbing fixtures. This buildup can cause a cloudy appearance that doesn’t dissipate the way small, trapped air bubbles do.

Hard water is also accompanied by other signs, such as brittle hair, dry skin, limescale on soaps, blotchy dishes and much more.

Sediment

Turbidity can also be caused by high levels of silt or clay in your water. This happens when your water supply crosses the supply network, whether from a municipal source or your own well. Along the way, water can pick up sediment from its surroundings, and if this sediment doesn’t dissolve completely, the result could be cloudy water. Depending on the level of contamination, you may also notice particles floating in your drinking water.

Is cloudy water safe?

A glass of cloudy water may not seem refreshing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a danger to your health. Water safety depends on many factors; however, when turbidity is your main problem, there are a few specific things to consider:

Aeration: If your cloudy water is really caused by excess air, there’s no need to worry. This water is safe to drink.

Hard water: Although drinking water is safe even when hardness levels are high, it can still be irritating to your skin and hair, not to mention your home’s plumbing.

Sediment: Sediments that cause turbidity are not necessarily harmful, but they can promote the growth of pathogens. There is also a correlation between turbidity reduction and the elimination of single-celled organisms such as pathogenic microbes.

Since some causes of cloudy water are harmless, while others present at least a possible risk, it’s not advisable to make assumptions about them. It’s best to have a professional water test performed to help identify the cause of turbidity in your tap water.

Repairing cloudy water

Once you’ve had your water tested and can confidently identify the cause of your cloudy water, it’s time to take action. Depending on the underlying problem, there are two main solutions to choose from.

Whole-house filtration
If sediment is causing the unpleasant appearance of your water, you may need a whole-house filtration system. These systems are installed at the entrance to your home, so they can filter all the water you use for cleaning, bathing and drinking. This helps reduce the presence of sediment, leading to clearer water.

Water softening
If your water test tells you that hard water is actually the problem, a water softener is the best option for your home. These systems reduce the calcium and magnesium that cause hard water, leaving your water soft. Many systems even allow you to change the settings and control the hardness level of your water yourself.

Contact your Mr. Culligan today for an in-home water analysis and more information on the Culligan® Water System that’s right for you.