Learn More About Mentor, OH Water
Kinetico Water Systems has been providing water treatment solutions for people in Mentor, OH, for over 30 years. Residents of Mentor get their water sourced from the Lake Erie Water Basin, which is then treated and distributed municipally. The water supply in the city is treated with chemical disinfectants to meet state and federal minimum regulations for contaminants. After it is treated, the water must travel through the water distribution system before it reaches your home for household use.
Why Does Your Water Quality Matter?
When most people think about water quality, they only consider the water they drink and cook with. The fact is that most of the water we use is not consumed, but used for tasks like cleaning dishes, washing clothes and bathing. If your water is not of good quality, you could be harming your water pipes, shortening the lifespan of water-using appliances, and even drying out your hair and skin. To learn more about the quality of your water, schedule a water test.
A local Kinetico water specialist will come to your home to test the water at the source. Once they have the water test results they will explain water treatment solutions to you and how they can improve your life.
Common Water Problems In Mentor, OH
These water problems are common to Mentor, OH water, but they may not affect your home or business.
Water in Mentor, OH comes from the municipal water supplier, The Lake Erie And Painsville Water Division, and private well water systems. Even though city water is treated before distribution, your water can still have some level of contaminants. It can also still cause water problems in your home. To learn more about Mentor's city water, you can review the Consumer Confidence Report from Aqua Ohio - Mentor. In Mentor, we most commonly see water problems like hard water, elevated levels of lead in water, and discolored water. If you have these or other water problems, schedule a water test to learn how you can treat your water problems.
Hard Water
When water travels through the ground, it picks up minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals dissolve in water and make water hard. Hard water can cause problems for both you and your home. If your water is even slightly hard your water-using appliances can be damaged by scale buildup shortening their lifespan. Hard water also stains sinks and showers and leaves hard water spots on dishes and silverware. It can also affect you. Your skin can dry out when you bathe and wash your hands. Your hair can become dull and brittle, causing it to tangle and become more difficult to manage.
Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon. If your water measures at one grain per gallon of hardness, it is hard. Water 10 grains per gallon or more is considered very hard.
Water Hardness Table
| Grains per Gallon (gpg) | Milligrams per Liter (mg/L) | Water Classification (Water Quality Association) |
| <1.0 | <17.1 | Soft |
| 1 - 3.5 | 17.1 - 60 | Slightly Hard |
| 3.5 - 7.0 | 60 - 120 | Moderately Hard |
| 7.0-10.5 | 120 - 180 | Hard |
| 10.5 + | 180 + | Very Hard |
If you suspect that your water is hard, the best solution for you and other homes in Mentor may be a Kinetico Premier Series Water Softener. A water softener replaces the hardness ions in hard water with softer sodium ions. You will see and feel the benefits of soft water for you and your home. Learn more about how water softeners work and the benefits of soft water.
Find Out If Your Water Is Considered Hard!
Lead Contamination
In Mentor, Ohio, like many older cities, lead pipes remain a concern for public drinking water due to the age of the infrastructure. Lead service lines, which were commonly used before the 1950s, can corrode over time, especially when water chemistry allows for leaching. When this happens, lead can enter the water supply, posing a significant health risk. Mentor’s water treatment plants use corrosion control methods, such as adding orthophosphates, to coat the inside of pipes and minimize lead leaching. However, this is a preventative measure, and complete safety relies on the removal of lead service lines altogether.
In Mentor, efforts are underway to replace aging lead service lines, but this process is costly and time-intensive. Residents are encouraged to test their water and use certified filters that remove lead if their home has older plumbing. Community awareness and investment in infrastructure upgrades remain critical to ensuring Cleveland’s drinking water is safe for everyone.
The best way to protect your family from lead in your drinking water is by filtration. For this, we suggest installing our K5 Drinking Water Station. With the multi-stage filtration and modular filter set-up, the K5 is highly effective at removing lead particles, as well as reducing contaminants and byproducts in your water.
Curious To See If Your Water Contains Traces Of Lead?
Discolored Water
Discolored tap water can occur for several reasons, often related to changes in the water system or the presence of naturally occurring minerals. One common cause is the disturbance of sediment in water mains during events like pipe repairs, construction, or sudden changes in water flow. Due to the aging infrastructure in Mentor, especially during winter months, old water lines can rupture, causing sediments to enter. These sediments can include harmless particles like iron or manganese, which give the water a brown, yellow, or reddish tint. In other cases, corrosion in older pipes can release rust into the water supply, leading to discoloration. While discoloration is usually temporary and not harmful, it can be alarming for residents. The issues associated with discolored water go beyond its unpleasant appearance. Even though it is often safe to drink, the water may stain clothing during laundry or leave residues in sinks, tubs, and toilets.
Kinetico has several water treatment solutions to help with stains caused by water. If there is iron in your water causing reddish-orange stains, we have iron filters to get rid of them. If your stains are scale buildup and hard water spots, a Premier Series Water Softener is the solution to your water problems.
