As the seasons transition, so can the quality of the water in your home. Factors like rainfall, agricultural runoff, and temperature shifts can impact water sources, causing potential issues with the quality of your drinking water. Keep reading this article to unearth the signs of seasonal water changes, the common times to watch for these changes, and the steps your household can take to ensure year-round water quality with the help of Culligan Water filtration systems. 

How Can Seasonal Transitions Affect Water Quality

Just as the seasons change, so can the quality of your water. While you may be able to tell the seasons are changing through a drop in temperature or the leaves of the trees, it may not be as visible when it comes to the quality of your water. It’s important to note that in addition to seasons changing, factors like local topography, geology, soils, river systems, and proximity to the coast can all influence your local water resources as well. 

While there is nothing more accurate than a water test to determine what issues your water is facing, there are a few noticeable signs that may give hints as to what type of water problems or contaminants you may be facing. When autumn comes around and leaves begin to fall off of the trees, those leaves can decay and leave their mark in the groundwater. Tannins, caused by decaying organic matter, like leaves, can cause orange-colored stains very similar to those left from iron in the spring and fall months. Similarly, decaying organic matter can also result in black stains. Sometimes these black stains can also be a result of manganese. High manganese levels in your water can also be caused by runoff from landfills, compost, brush piles, or chemicals such as gasoline. Blue-green staining can be a sign of different issues present in your water source. This color can be caused by water that has a low pH, which can be spawned by several elements including excessive rainfall, pollutants, or organic decomposition. 

In addition to certain colored stains, your water can also take on an unpleasant odor as a sign of contamination with seasonal changes. A rotten egg, or sulfuric smell, can be caused by changes in the water table. Decay can cause a chemical reaction within the soil and rocks, releasing hydrogen sulfide gas into the water. 

The Effects of Rainfall and Temperature on Your Water Quality

The season and the rainfall amount can also greatly affect your water quality. Just as a disastrous flood can contaminate private drinking water sources, so can average rainfall throughout the year. Whether it’s one inch or five, rainfall itself can be acidic and seep into groundwater but it can also collect harmful chemicals and contaminants along the way that can end up in your drinking water. When rainfall makes contact with the ground and comes into contact with things like animal waste, agricultural chemicals, and sewage, those same gross pollutants can make their way to your water source. Animal waste and agricultural runoff can be especially common in rural areas across the Midwest. Not just rainfall can affect your water quality but the temperature of that rainfall can have its own effects too. 

Temperature can have a heavy influence on water chemistry and the quality of your drinking water. Groundwater with higher temperatures can dissolve more minerals from the surrounding rock, leading to hard water. Temperature can also influence a number of physical aspects of drinking water, including density and boiling. 

Ensure Year-round Quality Water with Culligan Water Filtration Systems 

Just as you can prepare your closet for seasonal changes, you can prepare your drinking water supply for quality changes too. With a water filtration system, you can ensure that contaminants and harmful chemicals are removed from your water, leaving you with quality drinking water with no disgusting taste or odor. 

In protecting your whole home from problem water, a whole home system can remove 99% of harmful contaminants from your home’s water, leaving purified water flowing through every faucet in your house. For just drinking water needs, a reverse osmosis system can be installed in your kitchen to provide a continuous supply of high-quality drinking water at your kitchen sink. 

If you’re unsure which system may best fit your needs, please contact Culligan Water of Kansas City today! With over 70 years of experience in water filtration, our professionals can work to ensure that no matter what season it may be, your water maintains its quality year-round.