WHY WATER TREATMENT?
Next to the air we breathe, our drinking
water is the most important part of our lives. "The clear liquid
is vital to the workings of every organ and sinew. It helps flush
poisons from the blood stream and gives form to every cell. It bathes
and cushions the brain and provides the lungs the moisture they need
to breathe. Without water, arms couldn't flex, eyes couldn't see and
the heart couldn't beat." So why has the quality of this precious
resource been so neglected?
One in 6 people drink water
with excessive amounts of lead, a heavy metal that impairs children's
IQ and attention span. In the early summer, half the rivers and streams
in America's Corn Belt are laced with unhealthy levels of pesticides.
Microbes in tap water may be responsible for 1 in 3 cases of gastrointestinal
illness. Ironically, even the chlorine widely used to disinfect water
produces carcinogenic traces when combined with other common substances
in water."
While the public health
danger is not as immediate or as severe as cholera-infested developing
countries, inept regulation, reckless land use and irresponsible handling
of chemicals are all compromising the quality of the nation's drinking
water. Though the EPA ranks drinking water pollution as one of the
top four environmental threats to health the agency has fallen short
of guaranteeing that Americans drink safe water." Even with the
current standards in place, "thousands of contaminants are spewed
into the environment each year, and no one knows what's really in
water. There are gaping holes in experts' understanding of the health
effects of even common contaminants", and by the understanding
of the EPA's drinking-water chief, most states are failing to adequately
enforce existing regulations.
Absolutely pure water is
rare. It is the greatest of all solvents and will immediately dissolve
a little of anything it touches. It never wears out, but does become
contaminated. There is no shortage of water on the planet, but nearly
99% of all water is not reasonably attainable or not drinkable without
treatment. Currently, the two most common sources of potable water
are wells and springs, and surface water - lakes, rivers, streams,
and reservoirs. These sources are continually replenished by the continuous
circulation of moisture and water. Radiation from the sun evaporates
the water on the planet into the atmosphere. While contained in the
atmosphere the water vapor is free of impurities. When it condenses
to form rain, it comes in contact with atmospheric dust which contains
particles of silica, oxides of iron and other materials, pollen, and
some microorganisms. It also absorbs nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon
dioxide.
When water reaches earth,
it is slightly acidic, corrosive and "soft". In this form
is has the potential to dissolve silt, sand and clay making the water
look "muddy". If the water passes over agricultural land
it may also absorb chemical wastes and toxic wastes from animals.
The water may flow through vegetation and acquire objectionable tastes,
odors, colors and acids from the decay of plants and/or animals. Improperly
sealed wells are often victims to bacterial contamination when insects
and small animals fall in or contaminate the area around the well.
Also, any contamination from the surrounding soil often enters the
water and is consumed as drinking water. Surface waters are usually
low in mineral content and frequently are unfit to drink without proper
treatment. Water may also seep into the lower aquifers. As it passes
through the soil, it dissolves some of the mineral matter it contacts.
These minerals are as diverse as the regions from which they are obtained.
Some of the more common minerals found in wells and springs are iron,
manganese, magnesium, calcium, and aluminum. The minerals vary greatly
in occurrence and concentration as will the health effects of drinking
waters containing them, ranging from no effect to life threatening.
The best answer to the question,
"is your water safe?", is to have your water tested. If
you are on a well or share a well system with neighbors you should
be testing your water at least yearly for coliform bacteria, organic
and inorganic contamination as directed by the county in which you
live. Also it is wise to test every time major repairs have been done
to your water system. "If your water comes from a public or municipal
system, your water is regularly tested for contaminants regulated
by federal and state standards." "However, some municipal
or rural water supply districts DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HIRE TRAINED
SPECIALISTS OR TO IMMEDIATELY COMPLY WITH EXPANDING GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS.
In addition, bacteria may grow in your plumbing, or corrosive water
or deteriorating pipes in the house may add contaminants (namely lead
and copper) to municipal drinking water after it enters your home."
The domestic water treatment
industry has changed dramatically in the past 5 to 10 years. It has
been realized that everything cannot be solved through a screw-in
cartridge filter. Rarely does the homeowner change, or has the desire
to change, the replaceable filter and results vary greatly. So the
industry has developed filtration capable of automatic cleaning. These
filters, which are placed on the main water supply line, remove iron,
"soften" water, kill bacteria, remove foul tastes and odors,
and more to produce a utility grade of water that is used for bathing,
laundry, dishes, etcetera. Also, if a high purity drinking source
is desired, a REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO) is most commonly used to produce
water virtually free of contamination. These high purity systems are
available but not practical for the whole house without excessive
brine water waste and great expense. Some RO systems employ a deionization
(DI) module to remove any final traces of contaminants. Also a pressure
pump may be installed to increase the purity of the water from the
RO in high dissolved solids applications and greatly increases the
QUANTITY of water.
A final note about carbon.
It is very effective at removing chlorine, carcinogenic chlorine by-products,
volatile organic contamination and colors. Many industry scams have
resulted from claims falsely stating carbon's abilities. Though it
is a very good filter for these applications, IT IS BY NO MEANS A
PURIFYING FILTER. Instances have occurred where a carbon filter was
placed in use with bacteria and other organisms present. The media
itself promoted the growth of these organisms to unsafe levels.
