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unpleasant metallic taste while still being safe to drink. When iron combines with tea, coffee, and ~ ~ <br />alcoholic beverages, it produces an unappetizing inky, black appearance and a harsh, offensive taste. <br />Vegetables cooked in iron-contaminated water turn dark and look unappetizing. <br />,:_ <br />Iron bacteria (a harmless bacteria), occur in soil, groundwater, and some surface waters. Iron bacteria are <br />considred harmless to health, how- ever, they may give water an off taste or color, cause splotchy yellow <br />stains on laundry, and clog water systems. Iron bacteria usually appear as stringy, slimy, mucous-like <br />substances sus- pended in fresh water and may be colored brown, red, or white. They thrive on iron in the <br />sink or metal parts of the water system and are most easily seen on the inside surface of the toilet tank. <br />Testing <br />A water analysis should be done to determine the source of the iron and manganese. Iron and manganese <br />may be present in the water supply or be caused by corroding pipes (iron or steel). Iron from pipe <br />corrosion indicates low pH that may need to be corrected. <br />A water treatment equipment company or testing laboratory can test water for dissolved or oxidized iron <br />or manganese. Call the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service center in your county or the public <br />health office for names of laboratories that perform tests for colloidal or organic-complexed iron and <br />manganese. <br />Ask the testing laboratory how to collect a water sample for an iron and manganese test. Generally, you <br />should take the sample from the faucet closest to the pump. Allow the water to run for 5-10 minutes <br />before sampling to obtain fresh water that has not been exposed to air. Do not sample water that has <br />gone through a water heater or a water treatment unit such as a softener. If the water is clear when first <br />drawn, but red or black particles appear after the water settles, dissolved iron and manganese are present. <br />If the water has a red tint but no particles settle out after a time, colloidal iron is the cause. Reddish <br />brown or black brown slimy masses inside the toilet tank indicate iron or manganese bacteria. Laboratory <br />tests are recommended in all cases to determine iron and manganese concentrations. <br />Treatment <br />Iron and manganese treatment should be based on a chemical analysis of the water show- ing the type and <br />concentration present. There are five treatment methods for the removal of iron and manganese from <br />home water systems. <br />WATER SOFTENER (CATION EXCHANGE) <br />A water softener can remove small amounts of ferrous iron and manganese. Iron and manganese in <br />untreated water are flushed from the softener medium (ion exchange) by backwashing (forcing <br />sodium-rich water back through the unit). This process adds sodium to the resin medium, and iron and <br />manganese are carried away in waste water. <br />The amount of iron and manganese a softener can remove depends on the water properties, the types of <br />regeneration and backwash controls, and the ion exchange resin or zeolite used. You must maintain a <br />clean resin bed by frequent and thorough backwashing and regeneration. Manufacturer literature should <br />be carefully studied and system set-up and operation instructions followed. Caution: Water softeners treat <br />hard water by adding sodium to the water, a health concern for people on sodium-restricted diets. For <br />