Water forms scum after boiling, people are worried

(Baonghean.vn) - For many years, more than 50 households in Nghia Duc commune (Nghia Dan district) have had to use water sources suspected of being contaminated with lime. Worried about their health, people have had to accept "living with the flood".

Mr. Luc Xuan Loi (66 years old, resident of Hamlet 5, Nghia Duc Commune, Nghia Dan District) led us into the kitchen, where he had just boiled a pot of water pumped from his family's well. Then, the homeowner opened the lid of the pot full of steaming water and showed us a layer of white substance about 1 cm thick at the bottom of the pot.

The homeowner said: "If water is taken from the well and boiled for a while, there will be a white residue like fine limestone settling at the bottom of the pot. If it dries, it will look like lime powder."

White residue settles at the bottom of the pot after boiling water. Photo: Ngoc Thuy

With the naked eye, we can easily see a layer of white, fine sand-like precipitate spread evenly at the bottom of the pot. We can use our hands to grasp the “lime residue” and squeeze it tightly. Because Mr. Loi’s family has been using the same pot to boil water for a long time, there is a layer of white substance stuck around the pot, forming large patches that are difficult to clean.

Mr. Loi said that for many years, his family and many households in the neighborhood have been using water from a well dug in their garden. The water when pumped up is very clear, without any odor or impurities. However, when boiling water, a layer of transparent scum appears on the surface. After the water cools, a white residue like lime settles at the bottom of the pot.

White residue like lime powder. Photo: Khanh Nguyen

In particular, if this well water is used to make green tea, it will have a milky white color like rice water, without the green tea flavor. Along with that, if used for cooking, the food will almost have its usual flavor "removed".

Ms. Dang Thi Lieu (resident of Hamlet 5, Nghia Duc Commune) said that in order to have “clean water” for cooking, most households with “lime-contaminated” wells must filter the water before using it. Accordingly, water taken from the well will be boiled thoroughly and cooled. When the precipitate has settled at the bottom of the pot, people will only take the clear water on top of the pot, and the water and residue at the bottom will be thrown away.

“For many years now, we have been using well water like this. If we want cleaner water for cooking, we have to boil and filter it that way. I am also worried that using this water might cause illness, but what can we do?”, Mrs. Lieu wondered.

Water sources suspected of being contaminated with lime in Nghia Duc commune come from wells with a depth of 10 to 20 meters. Photo: Khanh Nguyen

Mr. Luc Dinh Duan, head of Hamlet 5, said that out of 117 households in the hamlet, more than 50 have wells suspected of being contaminated with lime. In recent years, those households that can afford it have bought water filters to use, while the rest have no other choice.

In reality, people really hope that the authorities will come to inspect and notify people about the level of impact so that they know, and in the long term, they need to study and install a water pipe system so that people have clean water to use.

Khanh Nguyen - Ngoc Thuy