Water is one of the most natural commodities we consume as a society.  Being privileged enough to live in high functioning communities, water is methodically pumped through metro and suburban areas and into each home and business within its boundaries.   There is an intricate system involved in treating and cleaning water before it hits your pipes.  While turning on the faucet is an extremely routine part of our daily lives, the process our water goes through getting to our home is probably a lot more complex than most of us realize.  However, the process is often forgotten due to the convenience we have become accustomed to.

There is a price that is paid to have such a precious resource at our fingertips.  Unfortunately maintaining a high quality of water means there are many additives and chemicals used to purity it for home use.  This in turn means we are left with chemical laden water ready to drink and use at our discretion.   Taking a look at the second part of how we get water will help us understand what comes in our water and why it contains the contaminants it does.

Water is one of the single-most important components of our bodies and the world we live in.  It takes up such a vast area of earth and is vitally important to live.  However, sadly, so many of us don't quite know how we even get our water.  We turn on our tap and out it pours.  This three part series will cover just how we get our water and why it's so important to keep water clean and safe at all levels of the hydrologic system and on its journey through our communities.

The first area we'll look at is our hydrologic cycle and the importance of water quality at this beginning level.

The term "bath night" in our house ranks right up there with "movie night" and "ice-cream-for-dessert-night".  Our kids love baths, as do most kids and babies.  But the bathroom can be a dangerous place for kids.  As a parent I try to make my house as safe and fun as possible for my kids and safety in the bathroom is at the top of my list.   Scalding accidents are one of the most hazardous accidents that can happen at home.  It is an easily preventable accident; however, it can be confusing to determine what temperature to set your home's water at.  This is based on several different health factors and what can be conflicting recommendations from experts and building codes.

First let's discuss why it's important to have your home's water hot.

Clean water is the center of livelihood in our society.  Without a plumbing system in your home, you would be left without more than just clean water.  Safe water entering your home provides you with the opportunity to cook fantastic meals, bathe, wash your clothing, cars and belongings, and take care of your children properly.  But what would happen if there was a problem with your incoming water that required you to be cut off from your city's water supply for a period of time?  It sounds like it could be one of the largest inconveniences of our modern society.  By taking care of the plumbing in your home, you can help ensure this problem won't happen to you and your family.

One of the problems we commonly see in residential homes that can create a large headache is a broken pressure regulator valve, or one that is not fully functioning as it should.  By learning how to check your pressure regulator at your main water source, you can prevent a large plumbing pitfall.