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Why do I Have Pink Staining in my Bathroom

Customers have asked us why there is a pink ring in their toilet bowl and what can they do to get rid of it. Often they are concerned that something must be in the water. However, the pink ring that develops at the water line in the toilet, around drains, in the tub/shower area, and in bathroom drinking cups is actually caused by an airborne bacteria known as Serratia Marcescens. The airborne bacteria thrives in moist environments, which is why it is commonly found in some bathrooms.

Serratia Marcescens cannot survive in chlorinated tap water, but when water sits for a period of time, the chlorine is dissipated into the atmosphere. There are several things you can do to prevent the pink stains from developing. Drying wet surfaces after use will prevent the bacteria from growing. For toilet bowls, you can add a little bleach to the water in the bowl. We do not recommend bleach tablets in the tank because they tend to speed up the deterioration of most flappers.

To remove the slimy pink stain, you can use regular household bleach and a soft bristle cleaning brush to gently scrub the affected area. An old toothbrush or nail brush works great. For more stubborn stains, you can use plumber’s grit cloth and lightly rub the stain. Rubbing too aggressively with grit cloth will scratch the porcelain surface, so please exercise caution. To remove the stain from shower curtains and liners, wash them in hot water with a little bleach. For patterned shower curtains, use a color-safe bleach.

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How To Clean Your Aerator

SUPPLIES NEEDED
2 Channel Lock type wrenches
Mop, or long handled brush, or broom

Controlling the quality of your household water is dependent on the aerator being
cleaned regularly. Left undone will shorten the life of your water softener my fouling of the resin.
The frequency of cleaning depends on how quickly the sulfur builds up on the inside
walls (slippery sides inside the aerator). Generally, the aerator should be cleaned every 30 – 60 days.
1. Unplug the house pump cord from the wall outlet.
2. Disconnect the power supply to the aerator, (usually the 110 volt cord plugged (piggy back)
into the back of another cord which is the float switch. If unsure, pull all the plugs, or shut the circuit breaker off).
3. Remove the bottom drain plug of the aerator, with (2) two wrenches. One to hold the drain
pipe, and one to hold the drain cap as not to break off the drain.
4. Optional: Remove the top lid of the aerator, and pour in approximately ½ gallon of household bleach
(unscented laundry bleach). The important part is to remove any growth from inside.
5. Scrub the sides of the aerator, spray heads, and bottom of the aerator.
6. After all the water has drained out, turn the power supply back on. Put the lid back on , and
let the spray rinse the sides for 30 seconds.
7. Replace the bottom drain plug. HAND TIGHTEN OR ½ a TURN WITH TWO
WRENCHES. The water will shut off when the aerator is full again.
8. Plug the house pump back into the outlet.

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How To Check My Pressure Tank

Most Pressure Tanks made today have a rubber bladder that is filled with water from the Well Pump. It can eventually rupture over time or from improper air pressure settings. When the Bladder ruptures, water from the well will start to steal a little bit of air from the tank with every pump cycle eventually filling the tank full of water. If you push the tank from the top slightly sideways to gauge the weight of the tank, you should be able to see if it feels full or nearly empty (which is how it should feel if it’s still working properly).

Another way to check your tank is to push the little stem within the air valve which is usually on the top or near the top of the tank. It will look just like the valve on your car’s tire. By pushing the stem in, you should be letting a little air out. If water comes out instead of air, your tank is definitely bad.

If neither of the above methods work for you, turn off your pump and open a faucet somewhere to let all the water pressure out of your plumbing system. Take a tire gauge and check the air pressure in the tank. It should be two pounds less than the turn on pressure of your pump. If it is not at this pressure but you do have some pressure left, chances are the bladder is still good and you can add the proper amount of air and continue using the tank. If you have no pressure left, there is a good chance the bladder has failed, but not necessarily. Try adding air into the tank to the correct pressure you are looking for. At this time any water left in the tank should blow out, if not tank is bad. If the water does blow out and air blows out after it, tank is bad.
PC66

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Water News

newsA study of raw well water at 50 homes in Golden Gate Estates found elevated levels of sodium at 70 percent of the homes, the Collier County Health Department announced Friday.

The levels ranged from 33 parts per million to 380 parts per million, according to test results. The state Department of Environmental Protection’s maximum contaminant level for sodium is 160 parts per million. The study also found elevated levels of chloride.

Sodium, a naturally occurring metal, and chloride, an inorganic ion, combine to create table salt. Limiting the amount of sodium in drinking water is designed to help people who are on a salt-restricted diet. There is generally no health threat from elevated levels of chloride, according to the health department.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recommended that people on a no-salt diet drink water with less than 20 parts per million of sodium, according to the health department.

The DEP has established a drinking water standard for chloride of 250 parts per million. The Golden Gate Estates samples contained chloride ranging from 60 parts per million to 900 parts per million, according to test results.

Environmental Health and Engineering Director Ken Rech said in a statement released Friday that raw water often has sodium in it as it is found naturally in soils in Southwest Florida.

For most people, the higher levels of sodium are not a health risk, but people with high blood pressure or kidney problems might want to consult their physician if they drink well water on a regular basis, Rech said in the statement.

Treating water with a reverse osmosis system or using bottled water may limit the health concern, the statement said.

The health department study was prompted by a concern from a Garland Road resident that his water was killing his plants, health department spokeswoman Dep Millsap said. She said the study samples water at homes north of Interstate 75, south of White Boulevard and east of Collier Boulevard, within a 1-mile radius of the Garland Road location.