In The News Archives - Page 13 of 14 - Reynolds Water Conditioning Blog

What is the difference between purified, Distilled and Tap Water?

Water is life; when you hear this statement it doesn’t always talk about the water around you. It also means that water is a highly significant part of your body and the body necessarily needs it. That is why you should take sufficient water every day.

Talking about the types of water, there are some terms that we often hear such as purified water, distilled water, and regular water. Some people get confused on these types and cannot decide which is the best type to use the water for drinking.

This article is a guideline on the differences of water types to find out which is the most suitable type of water to use.

Purified water

Purified water is used to remove impurities by filtration or any process i.e. chemicals, contaminants etc. Purified water is made from the regular groundwater or the tap water. The purification of water removes many types of the impurities such as;

Bacteria
Fungi
Parasites
Algae
Metals
Chemical pollutants

Techniques to purify water

Using several methods that can be operated commercially or at home for domestic usage does the purification. In most of the countries, the publically available water is usually purified already. It makes it safe for human health.

The water purification standards vary in different parts of the world. Typically these processes are carried out by the governmental regulations following the international standard of purification.

Even after all this, it is estimated by the report of WHO that nearly 2.1 billion population lack an access to clean water drinking. In all these areas where public water is not clean, several methods of purification are used such as;

Coagulation and flocculation

This process adds positively charged chemicals to the water. They bind to the negatively charged particles and are easily filtered out this way.

Sedimentation

For the large size particles, the residues sets at the bottom of the water container and the clear water are separated from the impurities.

Filtration

The water from the topside flows through many filtration processes. These may include sand, charcoal, and gravel. By filtration, the contaminants like bacteria, dust, chemicals, and viruses are removed.

Disinfection

This is a chemical purification that uses disinfectants such as chlorine. Chlorine is added to the water and it kills most of the microbes and contaminants in water.

Benefits of purified water

You may think that tap water is safe to use in many areas but tap water still has a chance of having contaminants in trace amounts. The water safe for human usage must follow the legal limitation by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for having only 90 contaminants in drinking water.

The purified water is free from heavy metals like lead and copper. These are otherwise very toxic to health. The purified water is also free of chemicals and other contaminants that may affect your health.

However, there are a few considerations that need to be addressed for water purification.

Water upkeep
Proper removal of contaminants
High maintenance cost
Waste

Distilled Water

Though not commonly believed the distilled water is a type of purified water. It just follows another process of distillation for removing the impurities. Distillation is a process in which water is boiled and steam is collected. This steam is returned back to the water after cooling.

This process is highly effective for removing contaminants such as bacteria, viruses etc. This form of water is extremely pure. It is more often used in medical facilities and research laboratories.

Benefits of distilled water

Water distillation is the best way to remove all the contaminants that pollute the water. The amounts of pesticide and presence of other chemicals in water sources is mainly determined by where you live. It also depends on local bodies regulating the water safety in your specific area.

There are no contaminants in distilled water. It is very helpful for people with a weaker immunity that are at a higher risk of disease attack. It removes the impurities that possibly cause this contamination.

While distilled water is pure and safest of all it may not be healthiest of all. The process of distillation removes many harmful contaminants. But on the other side, it is not particular in this action. Which means, it also removes the natural minerals and electrolytes found in water.

It means that the beneficial minerals such as calcium, magnesium are also removed during this distillation process. You may not know this but distillation removes around 99.9% of all the minerals in tap water.

Although water is not believed as a good source of minerals a decreased number of minerals may negatively impact the health. One risk with using distilled water is that it removes fluorine from the water.

In this way, it becomes unhealthy for those that are at a high risk of cavities. It is suggested to follow a proper dental hygiene in case an individual is planning to use distilled water.

Which type of water should you use?

In most of the cases, public drinking water is safe for use. It usually has strict contaminant limits, which are set by the health regulatory authorities. But there is still a chance to get affected by the natural sources, human activities that damage the quality of water.

The best idea is to buy an in-home water purification system. For the people with the weak immune system, purified water is the best. As distilled water may make them more susceptible to the diseases.

In all those countries where water contamination is a big problem, the alternative is to use bottled water that could be either distilled or purified. There are many types of purification plants that may help you.

Some of them are charcoal infused filtration and UV filters. These filters remove the impurities that are left behind in basic purification. It shows the effect of the purification plant.

When a regulatory authority governs the water quality, the water quality and safety is not a problem. An individual can drink the tap water too and it is safe for usage.

If you are doubtful about the quality of your tap water the best idea is to test the water by buying a home kit for water testing. You may also take help from a water-testing agency in your area. Then you can decide which type of filtration plant to buy.

Purify your water at home

Purification at home is a better idea than buying bottled water. It is a one-time investment that saves the continuous cost of buying bottles of water. The household treatment units are helping to improve the taste and odor of the tap water.

One option is Point of use (POU) treatment system that only purifies the water for drinking and cooking. Another type of treatment system is called Point of entry or (PUE) and it is applied to all the water that is available in the house.

Some of the most in-home water filtration systems use these techniques.

Filter plant
Reverse osmosis
UV lights

Regardless of which option you select, it is better to look for the brands that come with certification by your native regulatory authority. For example, the authoritative body in the S is American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and NSF International.

Conclusion

The availability of clean water is necessary for a good health. While most of the public drinking water is safe for use, it is better to drink the purified water.

Purified water is comparatively safer and may decrease contact with pollutants that are normally found in tap water. Remember that quality of water is varied in every area. This is a major determining factor to decide using the tap water or purified water.

Original Source: https://reportshealthcare.com/what-is-the-difference-between-purified-distilled-and-tap-water/

Original Date: March 19 2018

Original Author: Nancy Walker

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In The News… Such Sad News For California

Wildfire intensity impacts water quality and its treatment in forested watersheds

The recent Thomas Fire in California was the largest wildfire in the state’s modern history. It scorched nearly 282,000 acres between December 2017 and January 2018, and serves as a reminder of how devastating such events can be. Now, researchers report that wildfires in forested watersheds can have a variable but predictable impact on the substances that are released from soils and flow into drinking water sources. The new research provides important insights for water utilities evaluating treatment options after severe wildfires.

The researchers will present their work today at the 255th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

“Wildfires can have dramatic effects on watersheds, in addition to destroying personal property,” Fernando L. Rosario-Ortiz, Ph.D., says. “But perhaps less obvious are their potential effects on drinking water sources, caused by altering soils and the fundamental processes of forested watersheds. We find that these fires can cause many substances to be released from soil into drinking water sources, leading to contamination. The nature and amount of the substances depend on the severity of the fire.”

Forested watersheds supply nearly two-thirds of U.S. drinking water sources and billions of consumers worldwide, according to the National Research Council. Healthy urban and rural forested watersheds absorb rainfall and snow melt, slow storm runoff, filter pollutants and provide critical habitats for fish and wildlife. In addition, forested watersheds provide recreational opportunities and help support local economies.

Following a wildfire, significant changes can occur in source water quality, which can impact water treatment processes. These changes include enhanced mobilization of nutrients, sediments and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which can impact the ability of drinking water utilities to produce water that meets Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Utilities need accurate information regarding these impacts and how to respond to them.

Rosario-Ortiz and his team at the University of Colorado, Boulder have been studying the relationship between soil transformation and wildfires since 2012, when two wildfires burned the Upper Cache la Poudre River watershed in northern Colorado. The team simulated wildfires of different severities in the laboratory by heating soils to different temperatures and then analyzed the results.

“Up to a point, the warmer the soil gets, the more carbon- and nitrogen-containing compounds are released from soils,” Rosario-Ortiz says. “These compounds, which are generally characterized as DOC, can react with chemicals used to purify water and be transformed into disinfection byproducts, or DBPs, which you don’t want in drinking water.” In fact, the level of permissible DPBs is regulated by EPA. “But we were surprised to find that as a wildfire increases in severity, the amount of DOC released by the soil decreases, and instead you could end up with more sediments in the source waters,” Rosario-Ortiz says.

Now his team is studying how the release of organic compounds from soil into water changes during wildfires. “We found that there is an enhanced release of compounds with a lower average molecular weight, containing both more oxygen and nitrogen functionalities, compared with typical conditions,” Rosario-Ortiz reports. “The results from this work will help us better understand the overall effects that wildfires have on water quality and ultimately on the production of potable water.”

Rosario-Ortiz expects his research to find increasing application as the number and severity of wildfires increases due to climate change, extreme droughts, land disturbances and increased fuel loads.

Original Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180320084403.htm

Date:March 20, 2018

Story Source:

Materials provided by American Chemical Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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One More Reason To Consider A Water Filtration System

Major bottled water brands found to be contaminated with microplastics

Bottled water rose to popularity several decades ago thanks to a number of factors including its perceived superiority to tap water. It is often marketed as pure, clean, natural water thanks to the idea that it doesn’t have to travel through ancient buried pipes before it lands in your cup. It’s as good as it gets, right? Not so fast. A new study of 11 different bottled water brands from around the globe reveals that the crystal clear water we know and love is actually filled with tiny bits of plastic that often go completely unnoticed.

The study, which was conducted by researchers at the State University of New York at Fredonia, hunted for tiny, almost invisible pieces of plastic left over from the manufacturing process. The team looked at several popular brands, including Aquafina, Nestle Pure Life, Evian, Dasani, and San Pelligerino, and the results are rather interesting.

None of the brands that were tested were completely free of microplastics, and some had microplastic densities as high as 10,000 per liter. That’s a whole lot of itty bitty plastic bits that consumers are swallowing, and the verdict is still out on just how damaging they could be over the long term. Studies have shown that many microplastics pass through our bodies with little issue, but a significant percentage might be sticking around for a good while longer.

“Some particles might lodge in the intestinal wall,” Orb Media, a nonprofit organization which performed the research, explains. “Others might be taken up by intestinal tissue to travel through the body’s lymphatic system. Particles around 110 microns in size (0.11 millimeters) can be taken into the body’s hepatic portal vein, which carries blood from the intestines, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen to the liver.”

The tiny plastic pieces are thought to be leftovers from when the bottles and caps are manufactured. The materials were most often found to be polypropylene and nylon, but polyethylene was also detected in the samples. The incredibly wide range of contamination levels — from zero to over 10,000 per liter — suggests that some manufacturers are simply better at cleaning their products before filling them with drinking water, though none of the brands in the tests have made any public declarations of how they intend to use the findings to better their product.

Author: Mike Wehner

@MikeWehner

March 15th, 2018 at 9:18 AM

Original Source: http://bgr.com/2018/03/15/bottled-water-plastics-contamination-study/

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How It Works: Water Softener

While water is in the ground, it picks up soluble bits of whatever it passes through. While this can mean contamination that makes the water unfit to drink, in many cases it simply means that the water contains minerals found in the earth. Of these, calcium and magnesium are of particular importance because they affect the water’s ability to function in our homes. These minerals make our water hard.

One effect of hard water is that soaps and detergents lose some effectiveness. Instead of dissolving completely, soap combines with the minerals to form a coagulated soap curd. Because less soap is dissolved, more is required. And the sticky insoluble curd hangs around–it clings to the skin and may actually inhibit cleansing. Washed hair seems dull and lifeless.

In the laundry, things aren’t much better. The soap curd can work its way into your clothes as they’re being washed in your automatic washing machine. This can keep dirt trapped in the fibers, and it can stiffen and roughen the fabric.

In addition to affecting the actual washing process, insoluble soap deposits leave spots on everything you wash–from your dishes to the family car–and a soap film will build up in your bath and shower.

Another reason to be concerned about hard water is its effect on your plumbing system. Calcium and magnesium deposits can build up in pipes, reducing flow to taps and appliances. In water heaters, these minerals generate a scale buildup that reduces the efficiency and life of the heater.

The Fix

The solution to the problem is to get rid of the calcium and magnesium. While there are chemical treatments that do this, the most popular answer is a water softener.

The typical water softener is a mechanical appliance that’s plumbed into your home’s water supply system. All water softeners use the same operating principle: They trade the minerals for something else, in most cases sodium. The process is called ion exchange.

The heart of a water softener is a mineral tank. It’s filled with small polystyrene beads, also known as resin or zeolite. The beads carry a negative charge.

Calcium and magnesium in water both carry positive charges. This means that these minerals will cling to the beads as the hard water passes through the mineral tank. Sodium ions also have positive charges, albeit not as strong as the charge on the calcium and magnesium. When a very strong brine solution is flushed through a tank that has beads already saturated with calcium and magnesium, the sheer volume of the sodium ions is enough to drive the calcium and magnesium ions off the beads. Water softeners have a separate brine tank that uses common salt to create this brine solution.

In normal operation, hard water moves into the mineral tank and the calcium and magnesium ions move to the beads, replacing sodium ions. The sodium ions go into the water. Once the beads are saturated with calcium and magnesium, the unit enters a 3-phase regenerating cycle. First, the backwash phase reverses water flow to flush dirt out of the tank. In the recharge phase, the concentrated sodium-rich salt solution is carried from the brine tank through the mineral tank. The sodium collects on the beads, replacing the calcium and magnesium, which go down the drain. Once this phase is over, the mineral tank is flushed of excess brine and the brine tank is refilled.

Original Source: http://siouxcityjournal.com/ads/service/plumbing/how-it-works-water-softener/ad_e67e0c36-15ae-11e8-94c2-932b5e9b7c8a.html

Original Author: Popular Mechanics

Original Date: Feb 23 2018

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New Setting for Water Softeners

Infrastructure & Services

With the Village of Yellow Springs’ new $7.2 million water plant now online, residents should adjust their water softeners to a new setting — 15 grains per gallon.

Because the new plant partially softens the water, which is naturally high in dissolved minerals or “hardness,” residents and businesses no longer have to soften their water as much, according to Village Water and Wastewater Superintendent Brad Ault this week. Before the new plant, the Village recommended a water softener setting of 30 grains per gallon.

High levels of dissolved calcium and magnesium from the underground limestone and dolomite formations that are the groundwater source of municipal wells are the culprits behind local water hardness. There is some evidence drinking hard water may be healthier, according to a 2014 News article.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85 percent of the country has hard water at its taps. But Yellow Springs water may be among the hardest water in the country. Locally, water hardness is measured at 471 milligrams per liter, twice as high as the U.S. average and more than twice what the USGS considers “very hard” (180 mg/l), according to a 2012 News series on water.

From the USGS: Hardness is a property of water that is not a health concern, but it can be a nuisance. Hard water can cause mineral buildup in plumbing, fixtures, and water heaters, and poor performance of soaps and detergents. Hard water was prevalent in the east-central and western United States, reflecting the distribution of carbonate aquifers and aquifers with relatively high concentrations of dissolved solids. (Photo from https://water.usgs.gov/edu/hardness.html)

In a 2011 News survey on local water, two-thirds of respondents said they fight local hard water with a water softener, which they must maintain by constantly adding salt. When not treated with a home softener, local water can clog pipes, cake in hot water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, cloud dishes and form scum on bathtubs and showers. Adjusted to the new setting, locals will not have to add as much salt to their water softeners as they used to.

Original Source: http://ysnews.com/news/2018/01/new-setting-for-water-softeners

Original Date: Jan 26 2018

Original Author: Megan Bachman

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Hard Water Can Weaken Your Appliance Efficiency

Water contains many dissolved substances we can’t see, so we’ve developed simple terminology to describe its specific condition. Hard water is one: Hard water can smell and taste bad. It also can lead to mineral deposits on your appliances and within their workings, which can make them less effective and less efficient over time.

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water is so named due to its high content of dissolved minerals. You can’t usually see that content, but you can taste or sometimes smell it. While water can contain any number of minerals and other substances, the primary offenders are calcium and magnesium.

The minerals in hard water cause us problems when they bind to other substances. Soap, for instance, won’t foam up as well, which makes washing our bodies and clothes less effective in removing dirt or bacteria — you may have noticed clothing ending up with odd stains or dishes come out of the dishwater spotty.

How Does Hard Water Affect Appliances?

Appliances which use water, such as our dishwashers and hot water tanks suffer the most from hard water. Minerals in the water (think dissolved rocks) build up on the heating elements and slowly bring down the efficiency of the appliance.

A hot water tank has to work much harder to heat water to the desired temperature when it is coated with minerals. It draws in more energy and raises your utility bills in the process. It can cost almost 30% more to heat the same amount of water when it is untreated, hard water.

Mineral deposits from hard water can coat our pipes with an unsightly substance called scale. Over time, it often restricts water flow and clogs pipes and appliances. Even a tiny layer of scale, 1/16th of an inch, can increase the energy consumption of an appliance by 10% or more.

And guess what happens when the appliances have to work hard? They break down more frequently and require more maintenance to remove the mineral buildup and maintain efficiency cause, costing you to repair them.

Industries which use hard water in their processes require an increased amount of detergent to clean their equipment. Detergent isn’t as effective against hard water, so it takes more of it to produce the needed suds. For every increase in water hardness, detergent use goes up 2% to 4%.

That means a waste of detergent and increased costs. And all that detergent-polluted water goes into our sewers and water treatment plants. They have to work harder to clean it up before it can be reintroduced into our water supply.

What’s the Solution to Hard Water?

You can avoid this waste and expense by investing in a water softener. Water is “softened” by removing the mineral content. Softening is done in a variety of ways, usually through a process called ion exchange using a special salt. Water is passed through tiny beads called ion exchange resins. In a chemical process, two sodium ions are exchanged for each calcium or magnesium ion. The result is better-tasting water which is “softer” on your skin, clothes and appliances.

Softened water won’t produce scale or cause buildup in your pipes or on your appliances’ heating elements to the extent hard water will. Since they won’t be compromised by mineral buildup, appliances won’t require as much maintenance and they won’t break down as often.

Disadvantages of Softened Water

You wouldn’t put so much effort into getting rid of the minerals in your water and making it soft if there weren’t benefits to doing so. But while soft water is often better for your plumbing, appliances, some drawbacks exist.

Because water softeners use salt to change the water, they can increase the sodium content of your drinking water. Not by much, but it’s worth considering. If you’re someone who has to monitor salt intake for health reasons, you may want to take that into consideration before adding a water softener.

It’s up to you to decide if treating your water is worth the expense. It’s a matter of how high the mineral content of your water is and how it is affecting your appliances. Softer water may mean less energy use and longer-lasting appliances.

Original Source: https://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/how-hard-water-affects-appliance-efficiency-zbcz1802

Original Date: 2-9-18

Author: Kayla Mathews

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The hard facts about your water

Many options available for improving the quality of the water that we wash with, cook with and consume on a daily basis

Are your water glasses spotty and is your laundry looking gray and faded? Do you have mineral buildup on your fixtures, faucets or sinks?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you likely have a need for a water treatment system in your home. Even more importantly, your water may harbor contaminants that could endanger your family’s health and should be tested.

“Arsenic and lead are tasteless and odorless and prevalent in Genesee County,” said Greg Cornell, general manager of the Flint office of Culligan Water, one of the nation’s oldest and largest water treatment companies. “You should have your water tested periodically. You can either bring a water sample to our office or we will come out to your home.”

Even though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates and sets standards for public drinking water, homeowners often use a home water treatment system to improve water quality. These systems can reduce the hardness of the water, eliminate certain contaminants like arsenic or lead, or get rid of strong odors.

“The biggest thing right now is arsenic issues,” said Scott Breckenridge of Beauchamp Water Treatment & Supply, on Old U.S. 23 in Brighton. “It’s a naturally occurring contaminant and cancer-causing but people don’t have to be scared by it because it (arsenic issue) is treatable. We remove it by reverse osmosis or with a whole house softener with an arsenic removal system added.”

Residential water treatment options include filtration systems, using a water filter to remove impurities from the water; water softeners that reduce the hardness of the water; distillation systems that boil impure water and reverse osmosis, which uses a semipermeable membrane to remove ions, molecules and larger particles from drinking water.

The most common water treatment system in most homes is a water softener. Water softeners soften the water by removing minerals such as calcium and magnesium and replacing them with a softer mineral — sodium or potassium.

You’ll notice cleaner laundry, smoother and softer skin, more efficient use of soaps and detergents and increased efficiency and longevity of water-using appliances like dish washers, water heaters and washing machines.

“Water softeners are the basis of what we do,” said Jason Tiefenback, co-owner of Douglas Water Conditioning in Fenton. “It’s the first step in your home’s water treatment plan. The second step in purifying your water would be reverse osmosis, if you want a specific system for drinking water. The two work hand-in-hand.”

Jim McIntyre, who founded McIntyre Soft Water in his hometown of Linden 58 years ago, specializes in solving water problems for people, whether it’s bacteria, iron removal, taste and odor removal, plus all different contaminants found in the water. His company trucks can be found locally, in the Thumb area and on the campus of Michigan State University, where technicians have been servicing and replacing huge dormitory water softeners for the past 18 years,

Most local companies that specialize in water treatment also offer salt and bottled water residential delivery and pick-up, free water testing and other services.

You can also purchase a water softener at local retailers, including Sears Hometown Store in Fenton.

“Kenmore has three different models, from $399 to $599,” said Tim Stone, store co-owner. “When selecting a unit, we’ll ask you how many people are in the household, to determine water usage. Our top model is also ergonomically designed to make it easier for the homeowner to insert the salt.”

Sears Hometown Store will also test your water for hardness and iron content, if you bring it in, Stone said.

Original Source: http://www.tctimes.com/living/the-hard-facts-about-your-water/article_48aa9f2e-02c1-11e8-9e2d-8f79f13548a8.html

Original Author: Sally Rummell

Original Date: Jan 26 2018

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Buyer Beware: Free Water Analysis Not All It Seems

A company called Elemental Core Outreach was doing bottle drops in Hutchinson this past week. That’s when salespeople leave a small bag with a water bottle and a flyer, asking people if they want to participate in a free water analysis. Those who participated reported having a salesperson visit them for what was described as a high-pressure sales presentation.

Staff photo by Stephen Wiblemo

Did you recently receive a small bag with a bottle and flyer on your door offering you a free water analysis from a company called Elemental Core Outreach? If so, beware, these salespeople may use questionable, high-pressure techniques to try to sell you expensive water softener equipment you may not need.

This past week there were several reports on social media from people in Hutchinson who said they received these bottles and flyers. This technique is called a bottle drop, according to Jon Hantge of Tri County Water in Hutchinson. The bottles and flyers are left on residents’ doors, asking them to fill out a short questionnaire and leave it with the water sample to be picked up the next day.

This flyer, accompanied by a small plastic bottle, showed up on people’s doors in Hutchinson this past week. It’s from a company called Elemental Core Outreach and is not affiliated with the city.

Hantge said the bottle drops and flyers are not the questionable part. His company used to do them, too. It’s what’s not included on the flyers, he said, that should raise suspicion.

“When we do a bottle drop, we put our names, phone number and who we are so people can see we are legitimate,” he said.

The flyers left by Elemental Core Outreach do not include names or phone numbers. They give instructions to fill the bottle with water, complete the questions on the flyer, and put it back where it was found for pickup the next day.

Hantge said he’s seen this type of sales tactic before, especially in the Twin Cities, and that they typically try to target elderly and vulnerable people.

He said some people participated in this recent bottle drop and were later contacted by a company representative who told them their water had problems. When those people brought samples to Tri County Water for testing, however, Hantge said their water tested just fine.

Others were told that with their current water softener they would need to replace the resin bed annually, but in actuality resin beds are typically good for 10 to 15 years.

One couple reported they had a sales representative visit their house for what ended up being about a 3 1/2-hour sales pitch, during which they felt pressured to purchase a range of products for monthly payments around $200. Afterward, they were not given contact information for the sales representative.

Hutchinson officials confirmed the company has a permit to solicit in town.

The Hutchinson Water Department said it was not related to the bottle drops. It also said that when it does water testing, it always notifies residents before dropping bottles off.

An internet search of Elemental Core Outreach showed the company is based in Appleton, Wisconsin. On the company’s Facebook page, the first post was made in June 2017. According to the Better Business Bureau’s website, the company started in May 2017.

Other Facebook postings about Elemental Core Outreach revealed the company was in more towns this past year. A Lester Prairie resident named Jeanine Lore reported receiving one of the bottles and flyers in October, and the city of Howard Lake reported the bottle drops in December.

In Kimberly, Wisconsin, the company was denied a solicitor’s permit because it was soliciting before receiving approval.

Elemental Core Outreach’s website does not list a price for its Eagle 5600 SXT model water softener, or any of the other products it offers. The company also touts a lifetime warranty for its products, but upon closer inspection there appear to be some catches.

For instance, it says “if the equipment does not perform properly you should request service from the dealer that sold you the equipment.” This could be a problem if no other contact information is given other than the phone number and email address for the company’s headquarters in Wisconsin.

The warranty also states “If we are not able to arrange local servicing, you should send the defective part(s) (or, if you prefer, send the entire unit) directly to us, freight prepaid, with proof of purchase and a copy of this warranty.”

A phone call to the company’s headquarters was made to find out more information and how much its products cost. The woman who responded said she could not answer questions, but promised to have a representative call back. As of Tuesday morning, the call had not been returned.

Tips from BBB

Many door-to-door salespeople and contractors are legitimate, however some are unscrupulous operators who cheat consumers. The Better Business Bureau gives these seven tips to get work done properly and protect against fraudulent operators:

• Do not make decisions at your front door. If your property requires maintenance or remodeling, BBB recommends researching prospective contractors and sellers to see what other consumers’ experiences have been like. Also, do not invite unsolicited salespeople into your home. Better Business Bureau also urges consumers to be even more wary of telephone solicitations for products and services.

• Ask for identification and information. If someone is selling door to door, request they provide you with proper identification and leave you with material to read about their products and services. Legitimate sellers and contractors will give you the time you need to research their reputation and reliability. Check with your local city regarding the rules of soliciting in your neighborhood. Many times a special license is required for those salespersons going door to door.

• Watch out for high pressure sales tactics. Avoid sellers who encourage you to sign a contract or put down a deposit right away, claiming that they will offer a special rate, but only if you act immediately.

• Check all contractors’ credentials. Make sure they provide proof of required insurance coverage, licensing and proof of registration.

• Get it all in writing. A contract should contain a description of the project, labor and materials to be used, a start and completion date and payment schedule. Make sure contracts contain any verbal promises in writing. Never pay in advance more than one-third of the contract value.

• Remember your rights. The Federal Trade Commission’s “Cooling-Off Rule” gives you three days to cancel purchases over $25 made at your home or other location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business.

• If you ever feel in danger, call local authorities. If a seller or contractor gets irate and/or difficult with you (for example, does not leave the premise after you have already asked), call the police. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and you can help report potential problems that may help others avoid precarious situations in your neighborhood.

Original Source: http://www.crowrivermedia.com/hutchinsonleader/news/local/buyer-beware-free-water-analysis-not-all-it-seems/article_14cb9f36-01d2-51be-9245-bf8c7302ad5e.html

Original Author: Stephen Wiblemo

Original Date: Jan 22, 2018

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Proud Recipients To Obtain This Award!!

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Best Water Treatment Systems for Your Home

Water treatment systems are designed to solve differing issues with domestic water supplies. As hydrology and water quality vary widely across countries consumers need to determine their specific treatment needs before shopping for a suitable system. Issues can range from water hardness, chemical filtration, biological filtration, UV treatment, well water quality and other water contaminants or pollutants.

Professional and trustworthy water treatment system specialists are also an important consideration for consumers to consider. Due diligence on the consumer’s part is the best way to assure the success of any trade person’s installation or product.

In most cases, installation companies will offer the consumer a free water quality test to determine their specific needs. They will then usually guide the customer through the system selection process. You can, of course, employ an independent firm to carry out the test who have no ties to water treatment supplies.

Water Supply Types

The need for treatment will depend on the waters source and associated contamination from local land use or natural contamination. Water supplies most commonly come from the following:

Groundwater remains the most common source for bathing which may or may not need treatment.

Brackish waters, from for example estuaries, after desalination, are usually used for gardening and irrigation.

Surface waters sourced from, for example, lakes, are usually safe to drink but may need some treatment to remove contaminants.

Let’s take a look at common issues and available solutions.

Water Treatment Systems – Contaminant types

A variety of different contaminants can make your water supply less than ideal for consumption or use. Some companies may use the term “purify” on their marketing materials, but this is actually a little misleading. Pure water is H2O and nothing else, which of course is highly unlikely to be found in naturally.

Bacteria

Some systems specialize in UV treatment of water supplies to disinfect it. This treatment method kills the contaminating bacteria that would if consumed, potentially lead to illness.

Minerals

Water softening systems excess mineral content in “hard” water. The minerals in question are excess concentrations of calcium, magnesium and certain other metal cations.

Multi-contaminant removal

Many water treatment companies offer services to remove a wide variety of materials from water. This can include heavy metals (from industrial contamination, damaged pipework, sediment and chlorine from public water disinfection. These contaminants will either effect the waters taste (metallic or chemical) and visual clarity but can potentially affect your health.

Some supplier companies provide systems that perform several different water treatment systems that treat various issues such as water hardness and pollutant filtration. This is often performed by installing ionic exchange devices or Granular Active Carbon (GAC).

Brackish Water Treatment

Desalination is usually performed by reverse osmosis.

Surface Water Treatment

Sources including rainwater or water at the top of natural water bodies may need to bet treated to remove algae, bacteria and other insoluble items prior to being deemed safe to drink. This can be performed by filtration, chemical or non-chemical treatment.

Water Treatment Systems Types

There are essentially only two principal locations for installing water treatment systems. Which of the two systems you need depends upon what you hope to accomplish. These are:

Point of Entry (POE)

As the term suggests, these types of systems treat the water supply before it enters the domestic water distribution system. POE systems are usually installed after water meters or storage tanks.

Point of Use (POU)

POU systems, as the name suggests, are installed at locations like the kitchen sink or a showerhead.

Technology utilized

Water treatment systems are great ways to treat impure or contaminated water supplies for your home or business. They often encompass one or more of the following methods.

Filtration

Water filtration clean water by trapping contaminants in a filter. The filtered materials are often absorbed or broken down after filtration.

UV

This method uses UV-C to fatally interfere with the bacteria’s DNA. UV treatment is actually more effective than chlorination. For Legionella, however, this system’s efficacy may not be reliable alone.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis is a process where inorganic solids such as salts are removed from a solution, such as water. This is accomplished by using water pressure to push the water supply through a semipermeable membrane. In effect, this method mechanically forces the impurities out through a filter.

Water Softening

The softened water is more compatible with soap but also extends the lifetime of plumbing and of course your very expensive kettle. Water softening is achieved using lime softening or ion-exchange resins.

Eco-friendly considerations

Some systems may claim to be eco-friendly when in fact they are not. Softeners, for instance, may produce waste water that is potentially hazardous to the environment. Water filtration companies will differ greatly on how their systems are potentially damaging to the environment after the treatment process.

Green filtration companies will hold environmental protection foremost in their products. They will only ever use “green” materials and products.

Eco-friendly water treatment systems will offer products that are, for example, salt-free treatment, which uses less water during treatment than traditional salt-based systems.

Traditional water treatment systems companies use traditional technology and products. These companies are not particularly focused on environmental-friendliness.

Customer maintenance requirements

Maintenance remains the hidden cost for any technological solution to a problem such as water purity. Performing proper maintenance on water treatment systems ensures its lifespan and efficiency.

Water treatment systems will vary in the consumers need to maintain it or not.

None required – Some companies will offer “all in” options where they supply and fit the technology and also handle regular checks and maintenance.

Minimal Maintenance – This is a hybrid option where the supplier will only replace or repair devices/clogged filter but will need the customer to check filters.

Customer Maintenance – These types of systems will have complete control over the maintenance of the system after installation. This would usually mean replacing the filters once clogged.

Original Source: https://interestingengineering.com/best-water-treatment-systems-for-your-home

By Christopher McFadden

January, 02nd 2017

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