Improving Your Home’s Water Quality (NAPSA)—Nowis a great time for home improvement. Whether it’s large-scale projects or small repairs, improving your home’s water quality can be incorporated into your plans simply and affordably. There are a number of do-ityourself installed water filtration systems. To determine which is right for you, consider your experience with your home’s water. Does it have a crisp taste? How do your dishes look? Do you notice a film or residue on your shower walls? Are there rust stains on your laundry? How does your food taste when water is an ingredient? Does your water have an odor or cloudy appearance? If you just want to improve your water’s taste and appearance, there are a variety of basic filtration products available for $40 or less, including pitchers and faucet-mount systems that reduce basic contaminants and may also reduce lead. If, however you’re trying to make your water quality as good as it can be, you need to learn what’s in your water. Water contaminants are fre- quently in the news due to their widespread occurrences, as well as their negative health effects. For example, MtBE (Methytertiary-butyl ether), the fuel additive used to reduce emissions from motor vehicles, is among the most recent contaminants to be reported in many states. While @ these reports often scare consumers, the chance of the contam- inant affecting you and your family is slim since water quality varies quite a lot by geography. Instead, you may need to be more concerned with copper or sediment accumulating in your pipes. Lindane and Atrazine may be present in your water if the source is a private well near farm fields. Because everyone’s wateris different, the first step in selecting a filtration product is to have a professional water analysis conducted. Culligan dealers offer this service free of charge. Your water test will generate a report indicating contaminant levels present in your water and noting which need to be reduced. You can now shop for the product best suited to improving your water. Reverse osmosis systems reduce a large variety of contaminants and are considered “top of the line.” Undersink models such as Culligan’s SY-2300 Undersink Drinking Water Filtration System are able to take on many stubborn contaminants and are often economically priced. Available for under $99, it reduces a wide variety of contaminants, including MtBE. To find a nearby Culligan dealer or to get more information on Culligan’s wide range of waterfiltration products, visit www.culligan.com or call 1-800-CULLIGAN.
