The EPA recommended maximum allowable level for iron in water as a secondary contaminant is .3 parts per million and for manganese is .05 parts per million.  Notably, small amounts of these minerals can create very impactful, even devastating affects on your home's water quality. Additionally, they can interfere with many cleaning tasks, from doing the laundry to washing dishes to taking a shower. Also, washing your hair may leave it feeling sticky and dull or even discolor it.  Dishes and glasses get spotted and a film may build up on shower doors, bathtubs, sinks and faucets. Clothing can look dingy and feel rough and scratchy. Furthermore, Iron can also cause a residue to build-up in pipes that can lower water pressure.  Iron can show up in two forms, particulate or dissolved (in solution).  Depending on which, a different water filtration approach will work.

High Efficiency Water Softener

OTHER AFFECTS

Iron (see photo below) can build-up inside your water using appliances. Additionally, some other affects include corrosion and scaling inside pipes and major staining throughout the home's showers, bathtubs, and sinks. Concurrently, for those using their water for outside lawn irrigation, iron and manganese can cause major staining of outside walkways, house siding and anyplace the water touches. See the link at .https://h2ocare.com/lawn-irrigation/

Dissolved Iron Staining

WATER SOFTENER & SEDIMENT FILTRATION FOR REMOVAL

Fortunately, water softening is effective in removing dissolved forms of iron & manganese and hardness minerals. Additionally, utilizing a cartridge filter with proper micron rating will be effective in removing particulate forms. Selecting the appropriate micron rating and style of filter can be determined by a water treatment professional based on water test results and other symptoms.  Notably, water softeners vary, including up-flow versus down-flow which can make a big difference, particularly if there are elevated levels of iron or manganese in the water.

Iron Clogging

For more on iron in water, the causes and the solutions, see https://h2ocare.cohttps://h2ocare.com/iron-in-water-removal-

H2O Care is an established, full service, regional water filtration and testing organization originally formed in 1989. Offices are in Lakeville, Middleton & Stow, MA with service to  Eastern MA, Northern RI & Southern NH & ME..  See our published articles in Water Technology Magazines about New England water quality issues at www.h2ocare.com.  Email us at service@h2ocare.com or call us at 800-539-1100.