OVERVIEW AND TREATMENT OPTIONS:

Sediment or turbidity is the presence of suspended material such as silt, clay, and/or fine particles of organic material and inorganic materials.  Turbidities in excess of 5 units are detectable in water and the aesthetics are usually not favorable.  Cloudy and/or gritty water are symptoms of silt, sediment, or even plankton.  Though this water supply is not unsafe for consumption, it is generally unpalatable and not good drinking water.  Sediment from a private well can get into the homes plumbing.  This often provides a cloudy appearance to the water, plugged faucets, screens and aerators, floating particles in your water, and damage to your appliances such as your dishwasher or washing machine.

SOURCES

Sand, clay, silt, and sediment in your water are generally introduced when wells are located in sandy or silty conditions and are usually associated with shallow or surface water wells.  This water creates a gritty texture to the water and is unpleasant in appearance.   Turbid water can be caused by soil erosion, storm water run-off, waste discharge, eroding stream banks, and algae growth.  Turbidity is generally associated with cloudy or hazy looking water, but it’s individual particles are generally invisible to the naked eye.

HEALTH CONCERNS

Sediment and silt and generally do not pose any health concerns that would be related to your drinking water.  It will cause more problems in the plumbing with sediment build-up, with household appliances due to grit in the machinery, and most people don’t prefer sand, sediment, or grit in their drinking water.

TREATMENT

Water filters are the most common and still the most preferred approach for this type of contaminant.  SEDIMENT FILTERS are measured in microns (µm) ranging from 50 µm – less than 0.2 µm and come in a variety of choices.  Replacement filters can come string wound, pleated, or even spun polypropylene.    The smaller the micron the tighter wound the filter and the more constrictive the unit will be .  Choose an inline filter system that works best in your home or businesses water system.