Water problems, explained
What you're seeing, smelling, or worried about, what causes it, where it shows up in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and how it's fixed.
Hard waterScale, spots, and soap that won't lather.PFASFederal, PA, NJ, and DE limits, and what removes them.LeadService lines, old plumbing, and how to check.Chlorine & chloramineDisinfectant taste and smell, and what removes it.Iron & manganeseOrange and black stains, metallic taste.Sulfur (rotten egg) smellRotten-egg odor from wells or water heaters.Acidic & corrosive waterBlue-green stains and pinhole leaks. Common in Chester County wells.NitrateFarm and septic runoff. Test wells every year.Radon & radioactivityRadon in PA wells; gross alpha in South Jersey.ArsenicCommon in Hunterdon, Mercer, and Somerset wells.Bacteria & coliformPositive well tests, shock chlorination, UV.Sediment & cloudy waterSand, grit, and cloudy water.