What is the real deal about water in this area? (Jacksonville: work, house)

[titaniummd]

What is the real deal (or issue) about drinking water in Jacksonville/Orange Park?

I get daily calls about testing water, especially from GE.
"Take me off of the list," I respond adamantly. "I am on the Do-not-call-registry. Do you hear me? Stop Call-ing-me, Please!"
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Am I drinking poison or something worse? Ha Ha. I mean this water tastes a lot better than the stuff they called drinking water in Chesapeake, VA or the District of Columbia. This is Evian compared to that stuff....

I drink 1-2 liters of filtered water from the refrigerator and about 1-2 bottles of crisp, smooth, tasting Dasani bottled water a day.

I hear that the water is 'hard' and all of this mumbo jumbo. Are they for real? Do I need a double osmosis filter and water softening unit or is someone pulling my leg here? Do we need to call the EPA?

[mawipafl]

Titaniummd, I feel your pain. We, too, get gallons of calls about how the FL water is second from the worst in the USA. I would like to know what water(s) the EPA tests to make this national list. That would make a huge difference - are they testing public water? aquifers? retention ponds (man-made as well as natural)?

I can only speak for my current residence (Clay County water/sewer), but our water here tastes fine, smells fine, does not leave mineral deposits. We have no whole-house filters.

I've found that pets can usually tell us when food/water are not so hot. In PA we were on well water, and after a storm the aquifer would get pretty turbulent. If I poured a bowl of water for the cats at that time, they'd turn their noses up at it. Here, the cats have not shown any aversion at all to their drinking water.

Personally, I think it's just the typical telemarketing ploy to try and use panic and fear to sell something.

[apvbguy]

Originally Posted by mawipafl

Titaniummd, I feel your pain. We, too, get gallons of calls about how the FL water is second from the worst in the USA. I would like to know what water(s) the EPA tests to make this national list. That would make a huge difference - are they testing public water? aquifers? retention ponds (man-made as well as natural)?

I can only speak for my current residence (Clay County water/sewer), but our water here tastes fine, smells fine, does not leave mineral deposits. We have no whole-house filters.

I've found that pets can usually tell us when food/water are not so hot. In PA we were on well water, and after a storm the aquifer would get pretty turbulent. If I poured a bowl of water for the cats at that time, they'd turn their noses up at it. Here, the cats have not shown any aversion at all to their drinking water.

Personally, I think it's just the typical telemarketing ploy to try and use panic and fear to sell something.

the water is "hard" here, does that mean it needs to be treated? that's up to you.
I don't like the taste of untreated water here and I do have the whole treatment systems.
YMMV

[Stonewall17]

Originally Posted by apvbguy

the water is "hard" here, does that mean it needs to be treated? that's up to you.
I don't like the taste of untreated water here and I do have the whole treatment systems.
YMMV

I drink only filtered water from the refrigerator. The hardness of the water I can live with. It's the smell that I find abhorrent when you first open a tap in the morning. I don't know if its because of excessive minerals, or what. For $15 the water authorities here in St. Johns County will test your water for bacteria but nothing else. If you want your water tested more comprehensively you have to invite one of the same water filtration system vendors who will do their own self-serving tests.

[titaniummd]

Originally Posted by Stonewall17

If you want your water tested more comprehensively you have to invite one of the same water filtration system vendors who will do their own self-serving tests.

I have heard once you get the vendors in (like roaches), you can't get them out of your house.

My friends have the whole shebang regarding all of that purification,softener jazz. I believe it ran $3k-$4k.

I have better things to spend $$$ on than that, unless it is a necessity.

[PinoyDoc]

Originally Posted by titaniummd

...I hear that the water is 'hard' and all of this mumbo jumbo. Are they for real? Do I need a double osmosis filter and water softening unit or is someone pulling my leg here? Do we need to call the EPA?....

"Hard" water just means it contains dissolved minerals, usually calcium-containing salts (lime), etc. It is safe to drink, but some people are bothered by the taste. Cheap pitchers with replaceable filters ("Brita" brand and others) remove these minerals and improve the taste of the water. The water, though, forms scum as it reacts with some soaps, making it harder to rinse off, and also leaves a residue in bathing areas (a squeegee works just fine for that). For that reason some people use expensive water softening units.

[apvbguy]

Originally Posted by PinoyDoc

"Hard" water just means it contains dissolved minerals, usually calcium-containing salts (lime), etc. It is safe to drink, but some people are bothered by the taste. Cheap pitchers with replaceable filters ("Brita" brand and others) remove these minerals and improve the taste of the water. The water, though, forms scum as it reacts with some soaps, making it harder to rinse off, and also leaves a residue in bathing areas (a squeegee works just fine for that). For that reason some people use expensive water softening units.

the water is hard, those minerals will in time clog your plumbing necessitating expensive repair bills, remember you can pay 'em now for the treatment system or play 'em later to replace the pipes.
the water is safe to drink but untreated tastes god awful, so either get the cheapo purifiers or get the whole treatment system installed.

Everyone has their own tastes, needs and size of pocketbook, but not doing anything to improve the water can be foolish

YMMV

[BlueWillowPlate]

I come from Colorado, where the water is very pure and very hard (and the smell took getting used to) but Colorado water ain't got nuthin' on the hardness of the water here on Amelia Island (north of Jax.)
It always tasted and smelled fine, but it is very, very hard.
We already had a Britta, and we also have a filter thingy inside our 'fridge; but I could tell we needed more than that.
The very first time I took a shower, my skin just freaked out.
We got the whole expensive water softener treatment shebang, pretty much just a one-time deal.

[titaniummd]

I live in Orange Park and I don't notice the shower residue phenomenon that has been previously described.

The water tastes good to me (I use a filter through the refrigerator). I have tried the water right out of the tap that has a clear color, no smell, the body is full, taste is that of subtle moss and hints of aged American milk chocolate and overcooked nuts with a dry finish.

[riveree]

Remember, the water here has sulpher in it - that's why it has the "smell" if it's not filtered . It's perfectly fine to drink, but the sulpher smell can be a turn off.

I'm on the other side if the river, so my water is through JEA, and it is fine. I check the reports they send once a year and Jax's drinking water quality seems to be in good shape each year, so no worries there.

I too use the filter from the fridge after it's been run through the water-softener (whole house system), so my drinking water is delicious - no complaints at all there.

My understanding was that all of Florida has SOFT water because of our high water table and the sulpher. I could be wrong, but I know we had hard water in NY and it was very different than the water here.

If you want your water tested, just call Clay Water - they'll probably test it for free for you.