We had to install an iron filter when we built our house due to high levels of Iron and Manganese. I guess there are no 'legal limits' but our levels were like 5x what is considered normal. When the filter broke down we had to live with the water the way it is-golden in color (looks like urine), smells like rust, discolors fabrics/metal/glass/plastic and is unpleasant overall. When I got pregnant I read online that high levels of Manganese in pregnant women and young children can be harmful so I drank bottled water. Now our child is 3 and her blood test came back a bit high for iron and we were told to watch her iron level. I cannot drink our tap water because it gives me very uncomfortable side effects; when I switched back to bottled water I was fine. It has also caused problems with the pets in the past.
Until I can save enough money to get the filter fixed I am worried what long term health effects it will have on our daughter. She loves water and I've had to limit her intake of our tap water. The doctor would not run a blood test to check for Manganese and I don't know if this is a common problem or not.
Has anyone had an experience like this?
I was able to find a little information about Manganese. It may be linked to learning delays and hyperactivity. The test for Manganese levels is done with a hair sample, not blood.
My parents well water is just as bad and they get bottled water for cooking and drinking for laundry I would suggest you purchase some iron out to add to your wash.
Hi
I too have very high iron concentration in my well water. I unfortunately can not afford the filter for the house so I have installed a filter on one of our sinks so we can have water to drink. I also use it for cooking or use bottled water. Until you can get the filter fixed I would install one of the sink filters. There are different kinds but they are pretty much all the same. They screw right onto the faucet and can be turned on or off. They are fairly in expensive and the filters are replaceable. Hope this helps!
Hi J.,
The main things that kids need from water, is hydration, and fluoride for their teeth. Water from a well doesn't have fluoride, ok, but when it has any type of malady, it shouldn't be drank at all by either adults or kids. Water should not have any color in it, yellow or otherwise, and it shouldn't smell, except for maybe chlorine in over processed city water. It may be possible to install the filter on your sink, as another mom suggested, but you have to make sure that the one you buy is actually capable of blocking the Iron and Manganese. I think it would be best to both drink and cook from gallon water. Either buy gallons at the store, or buy yourself a little water dispenser, and a 5 gallon water bottle which you can refil at a water dispenser for less than buying 1 gallon at a time.
Good Luck!
M.
if your well water is that bad I would buy bottled for all drinking and cooking. Just my opinion.
I have the same problem, except our filter system is working. Even though it is working, is still smells and tastes like a rusty pipe!! -- yuck!! Even though i cook and clean with it, I only drink bottled water (costco brand spring water to be exact). I have only given my children the same bottled water -- I used it for their formula and to dilute their juice cups. My advice is to stick with the bottled water. For the sake of your clothes, try iron-out in your wash loads and try to get the filter fixed soon. L. C.
Stop giving your child tap water, we have lead in our water, we found out after we were living here 6 mos(wasn't disclosed to us by landlord). I have always given my daughter Nursery Water or Spring water. I cook ALL her food in that water(she is 18 mos). Her lead level is 1, which is norm. I guess the hard part for you now is to wait for the Manganese test. I wish your daughter the best, she should continue to drink water, you are lucky she likes it so much!
Dear Mom: you say about your daughter: She loves water and I've had to limit her intake of our tap water. And you say about yourself: when I switched back to bottled water I was fine. Are you saying that YOU drink bottled water, but you allow your daughter to drink both bottled water AND the tap water? Maybe it's me, but I can't understand how you could give your daughter ANY of the tap water, while you yourself just drink bottled water. Anyway, solution: buy bottled water for your daughter too and, as the other mothers said, cook with bottled water also. Good luck.
Hello,
I don't have the same problem but I also have well water and found out at my sons first dental visit (at age 3)that I should have been giving him floride drops since birth b/c wells and most bottled water don't contain floride. So if your not supplementing floride look into it your pediatician or dentist can prescribe drops or tablets.
