Water Treatment Solutions
Imagine this: you’re thirsty on a hot summer day. You find a glass and fill it with tap water from the kitchen faucet. You take a sip, frown at the bitter taste, and then pour the rest of the water down the sink. You open the refrigerator, grab the nearest bottle of juice or soda, and gulp down the sugary beverage instead of the healthy water.
If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re in good company: a Water Quality Association fact sheet reveals that 67 percent of Americans are concerned about the quality of their household water supply. 70 percent of Americans also said they believe that home water purification plays a role in ensuring safe drinking water.
Water treatment involves the removal of chemicals, abundant minerals and other contaminants in order to make water safer to drink and/or improve its taste, smell, color or efficiency. When water tastes good, you’ll want to drink more of it—leaving less room for calorie-filled beverages.
How Can Water Treatment Options Benefit Me and My Family?
Advantages of treated water include:
- Reducing tap water impurities
Water purification systems remove chlorine, sediment, and other contaminants. - Preventing hard water
Water softeners prevent hard water by reducing the amount of calcium and magnesium in your water--minerals that cause stains, clogs, and shortened appliance life. You'll use less soaps and detergents for cleaning purposes, saving money. A water softener can extend the life of appliances by as much as 30%. - Improving the smell and taste of water
Iron and sulfur may cause your water to smell like rotten eggs, stain your fixtures, and clog your pipes. Removing iron and sulfur with the help of water treatment improves the smell and taste of your water. - Providing convenience
Filtered drinking water helps you avoid the hassle of lugging around water bottles and disposing of empty bottles. - Saving costs on water bottles
The EPA states that drinking 8 glasses of water per day from the tap costs about 50 cents per year, whereas drinking the same amount from water bottles can cost $1,400 a year. - Controlling quality of water
A 2009 New York Times article reported that only 91 contaminants are regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, although over 60,000 chemicals are used within the United States. Home water purification gives you better control over contaminant filtration.
What Are My Home Water Treatment Options?
For fresh, clean tasting water, both a point-of-entry (POE) water purification system and a point-of-use (POU) water purification system are great options. A POE system is installed on your water heater, and it treats all water at the point of entry into the building. A POU system is installed on an individual source of water, such as a faucet or shower head. Water treatments include:
- R.O. Systems (Reverse Osmosis)
R.O. systems are the most advanced method of water purification. These are installed under the sink with a separate drinking water faucet. Many bottled waters are tap water treated with an R.O. system. For a fraction of the cost, you can conveniently enjoy the benefits of bottled pure water right at your kitchen sink. - Under Sink Filters and Water Dispensers
These long-lasting systems are installed under the sink. It is recommended that a professional install under sink filters and water dispensers. - Water Softeners
Water softeners remove calcium and magnesium, resulting in less buildup and stains. During the water softening process, calcium and magnesium ions are replaced by sodium (sometimes potassium) ions. - Iron/Sulfur Removers
Iron and sulfur cause stains and clogged pipes and appliances--not to mention unpleasant-smelling and -tasting water. Iron/sulfur removers use oxidation to safely and effectively remove iron and sulfur.
Water Treatment Care and Maintenance
- R.O. Systems (Reverse Osmosis)
To keep your R.O. System working effectively, make sure to swap out old filters as instructed by your local water treatment professional. This may be every 6 months to every 5 years, depending on the model of your R.O. System. - Under Sink Filters and Water Dispensers
Make sure to change your filters at a minimum of every 6 months to ensure your water stays free of impurities. Many under sink filters and water dispensers come with warning lights to indicate when it's time to change your filters. - Water Softeners
Make sure to regularly check the salt levels and add salt if the salt level is less than half-full. You will typically add granular, block, or tablet salt (make sure to check with your local water treatment professional). - Iron/Sulfur Removers
Replace any iron/sulfur filters every 3 months to keep up an effective water treatment performance.
Why Should I Test My Water?
If your water source is a private well, you must test for contaminants. Private well water is not tested and treated according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and could be a danger to your family if untested and untreated.
If your water source is a public water system, keep in mind that the EPA does not test for and treat water impurities to the extent that an additional water treatment system would be able to remove. EPA-acceptable levels of iron, for example, may still cause your water to leave unpleasant stains and/or smell/taste metallic. EPA-acceptable levels of calcium and magnesium can dry out your skin and hair, costing you extra in moisturizing treatments.
Testing your water is the best way to ensure that your water is of optimal quality. A local water treatment professional will test a sample of your water to identify any impurities.
Benefits of Local Water Treatment Professionals
Does your water smell or taste funny, leave your skin dry, or clog your appliances? A local water treatment professional has the tools, education, and training to test your water for impurities. We can help connect you with an experienced water treatment professional. Simply call our toll-free number or submit a request on the “How We Can Help” form.
