Category: In The News

What Is a Water Softener? The Secret to Clean Hair and Dishes

water-softener
BanksPhotos/iStock

“Water softening” might seem like a term out of a (rather dull) science-fiction movie; but, in fact, a water softener can make a big difference to homeowners. Essentially, a water softener strips hard water of certain minerals to make the water feel more luxurious and make your hair, body, and clothes cleaner.

Another huge benefit? “The ease of housekeeping and cleaning,” says Mike Donley, president of Phoenix-based Donley Plumbing and Air Conditioning.

“Once you get used to it, you really miss it when you’re traveling,” adds Donley, who has had water softeners in his last two homes.

Before we plunge into the details of water softeners, let’s cover hard water and why it’s not ideal to have in your home.

What is hard water?

Hard water refers to tap water that contains high amounts of dissolved magnesium and calcium. Your house likely has hard water if you notice the following:

  • Your dishes come out of the dishwasher coated in spots or film.
  • You see spots or soap scum buildup on your glass shower door.
  • You need to use more than the recommended amount of soap to wash your hair and body, or detergent to wash your clothing.

Although those effects are mostly cosmetic, hard water can cause serious damage to pipes. When hard water is heated, it can cause calcium carbonate to form around a faucet. Over time, this buildup can damage your pipes.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85% of American homes have problems with hard water, with the hardest waters found in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Arizona, and Southern California.

What is a water softener?

A water softener is a device that is used to remove magnesium, calcium, and other ions that make water hard through a process called ion exchange.

How much does it cost?

Installation plus cost of the water softener typically ranges from $1,500 to $5,000, according to Donley. For $3,000, he says, you should be able to get a high-quality water softener for a medium-size home.

What should you look for in a softener? One that’s sized properly. The size of the softener is determined by the size of the water line entering your home (measured in gallons per minute) and the number of bathrooms. If you have it handy, the home inspector’s report should list the number of gallons per minute.

How to prep for water softener installation

In order to install a water softener, your home will need to already have installed a soft water loop (a copper line that loops out from the wall) near the main waterline. The main waterline will typically be in the utility closet or by the water heater. If your home doesn’t have a softener loop, a plumber will have to install one, which will take more time.

Installation can take anywhere from a few hours to all day. Be sure to clear the space around your main line so the plumber can reach it. Water will be shut off.

After the water softener is installed, ask the contractor or plumber to check the water hardness to ensure it’s working.

Unless you have copper soldering skills, it’s better to hire a pro to do this job, Donley says. Likewise, it’s typically in your best interest to have a contractor or plumber pick the water softener. If there’s a problem with the water softener, the plumber or contractor may repair the softener instead of charging you a separate fee.

Maintenance

To keep your water softener in working condition, clean the filter according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For most water softeners, you’ll want to periodically fill it with about 30 to 40 pounds of salt or potassium, which help flush out and clean the water softener’s filter.

Have a pro come out and service the water softener every three to four years, says Donley.

With proper care, a water softener should last about 10 years.

Original Source: https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/water-softener/

Original Date: May 10 2018

Written By: Teresa Traverse

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Get Crystal-Clear Tap Water in Your Home Today

reverse-osmosis-filter
iStock; homedepot.com

Reverse osmosis sounds like something we learned in science class, but what does a reverse osmosis water filter do? In a nutshell, it helps homeowners get better-tasting water by removing certain elements. After installing a reverse osmosis system, many folks appreciate the high-quality water that comes out of their taps; the water tends to taste and smell better, and the ice cubes are clear.

“It’s as if you’re drinking bottled water without the bottles,” says Mike Paice, a water specialist with the Sunny Plumber in Las Vegas.

Evian-quality water flowing freely from your kitchen faucet? It sounds like a real money saver, especially if you frequently buy bottled water. Read on to learn if installing an RO water filter in your home is a good decision for you.

What is a reverse osmosis water filter?

Water that runs through an RO system is filtered a number of times: through two different types of liquids and a permeable film that allows through only the water molecules. Therefore, the water that comes out of your faucet will be rid of impurities but still have important minerals.

RO systems are typically installed under the kitchen sink, and the filtered water comes out of a separate faucet. The filtration system can have anywhere from two to five filters, but the number of filters isn’t as important as the integrity of the filters, says Paice.

The two filters you’ll want to look for are carbon and sediment. These filters will remove contaminants such as Giardia, salmonella, E. coli, and Norovirus, and common chemicals, including sodium, chloride, copper, chromium, and lead, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Paice says to make sure the water filter you purchase is certified by the Water Quality Association.

RO water filters last about 10 years.

Reasons to not install a reverse osmosis filter

If your home’s water pressure is below 65 psi (pounds per square inch) or higher than 100 psi, you might have issues with an RO system.

When you put water in a filter system, it reduces the water pressure. If the water pressure is too low, your ice maker won’t get enough water and your showers will be miserable.

But if the pressure is too high, the pipes on the RO system can break and potentially flood your home. This is rare, but it can happen. If you’re seriously considering installing an RO filter, the smartest thing to do is consult a plumber to determine if it will work with your home’s water system.

If you want to test your home’s water pressure yourself, place a pressure gauge on your hose bibb, aka the faucet on your home’s exterior. If water pressure is an issue, you can still get a filter, but you’re more likely to have problems, says Mike Donley, president of Phoenix-based Donley Plumbing and Air Conditioning.

Demineralizing the water can remove beneficial elements such as calcium or fluoride from the water. But cooking with demineralized water is also shown to keep essential elements from food, so it might be wise to speak with your doctor before installing an RO filter.

Maintenance

One of the biggest advantages of an RO system is that you can install it and not bother with it for a while. They’re very low maintenance, and the filters need to be changed only once a year. You can do this yourself or hire a pro. If you go the DIY route, make sure you’re buying the appropriate filter for your system and that you shut the water off before you change the filters. The cost of a visit from a plumber is about $150, says Donley.

Every few years, you’ll have to repressurize the storage tank, which is a job for your plumber.

Installation and cost

The average cost of an RO system, including installation, is $500 to $700, according to Donley.

If you’re having a system installed, you’ll want to clear out the space underneath the sink for the plumber. Installation will take a few hours. Afterward, you’ll have to flush the system out a few times. You also won’t be able to drink from the faucet when the system is being flushed out and the storage tank fills with water. But within a half-day, you should have fresh drinking water.

Original Source: https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/reverse-osmosis-water-filter/

Written By: Teresa Traverse

Published Date: April 16 2018

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Is Alkaline Water Really Better for You?

Is Alkaline Water Really Better for You?

By Alice Callahan

Q. Are there benefits of drinking alkaline water, or is what I’m reading just a bunch of hooey?

A. Despite the claims, there’s no evidence that water marketed as alkaline is better for your health than tap water.

“It’s all about marketing,” said Tanis Fenton, a registered dietitian and epidemiologist at Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. “There is no science to back it up.”

The pH scale indicates whether a liquid is more acidic (lower pH) or alkaline (higher pH). Pure water has a neutral pH of 7, while tap water has some natural variation depending on its mineral content. Most bottled waters are slightly acidic, and sodas and juices are even more so.

Bottled waters marketed as being alkaline typically claim to have a pH between 8 and 10. Some are from springs or artesian wells and are naturally alkaline because of dissolved minerals. Others are made with an ionizing process, and water ionizing machines are also marketed for home use.

Alkaline water companies make vague claims that it will “energize” and “detoxify” the body and lead to “superior hydration.” And some claim that ionized water can prevent everything from headaches to cancer.

But there’s no evidence that drinking water with a higher pH can change the pH of your body, or even that this outcome would provide benefits.

Blood is tightly regulated at around pH 7.4, while the stomach, which secretes hydrochloric acid to digest proteins and kill food-borne pathogens, is very acidic, with a pH of 1.5 to 3.5. If you drink water that is slightly alkaline, Dr. Fenton said, the hydrochloric acid in the stomach quickly neutralizes it before it’s absorbed into the blood.

Several small studies funded by companies that sell alkaline water suggest that it could improve hydration in athletes, but any potential benefits were modest, and an easier way to improve hydration is just to drink more water. And a 2016 review of research by Dr. Fenton and a colleague found no evidence that alkaline water or an alkaline diet could treat or prevent cancer.

A study published last year found that adopting a plant-based diet and drinking alkaline water worked as well as medications to alleviate their symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux, a severe form of acid reflux in which stomach acid travels all the way up to the throat. “I think that it can be a helpful tool for patients to help with their symptoms while they’re transitioning to a more plant-based diet,” said Dr. Craig Zalvan, the study’s lead author and a laryngologist at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. But he believes that most of the improvement in his patients comes from dietary changes rather than alkaline water. Once symptoms improve, he says there’s no need to keep drinking alkaline water.

There are also hints of potential risks from alkaline water. Rat pups given alkaline water showed impaired growth and damage to cardiac muscle. And a 2015 report said that when a municipal water plant in a town in Germany accidentally increased the water’s pH to 12, skin burns ensued. While such a high pH is unlikely in bottled alkaline water, it’s a reminder that a higher pH isn’t necessarily better.

“The only health effects that we know of are danger signs, so for people to continue to market alkaline water — they’re really as bad as the snake oil salesmen of yesteryear,” Dr. Fenton said.

Original Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/well/eat/alkaline-water-health-benefits.html

Original Date: April 27 2018

Original Author: Alice Callahan

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What Is Hard Water? How It Can Wreak Havoc on Your Home

hard-water-buildup
tzahiV/iStock

What is hard water? It’s water that contains high levels of certain minerals—namely calcium and magnesium (soft water, by comparison, lacks these elements).

Homeowners who learn that their water is “hard” might wonder if it is OK. While hard water poses no serious health risks, it can nonetheless cause various problems within a home.

Here’s where hard water comes from, how to check for it, and what you can do to remediate the negative effects.

Where does hard water come from?

If a home’s water comes from a well, there’s a stronger likelihood it’s hard because groundwater is often naturally full of minerals, says Stephen Johnson, an Ashburn, VA–based field supervisor at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.

In particular, hard water forms when it drains through deposits of limestone, which are rich in calcium and magnesium. However, hard water can also be found in city water systems.

Hard water is a common issue: An overwhelming 85% of U.S. homes have water of some level of hardness, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Research from the Environmental Protection Agency shows these six cities have the dubious honor of having the hardest water in the country:

  • Indianapolis, IN
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • MinneapolisSt. Paul, MN
  • Phoenix, AZ
  • San Antonio, TX
  • Tampa, FL

What are the negative effects of hard water?

Hard water can have a negative effect on the maintenance of your home, warns Fred Webster, president at MillTown Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Drain Cleaning, in Chelmsford, MA. The effects can include the following:

  • Clogged or corroded pipes: Hard water can create major plumbing issues. Scale deposits from hard water can build up inside pipeslike plaque inside an artery, constricting the flow of watereventually causing backups that need to be addressed by a plumber.
  • Poor water heater efficiency: A study by the Battelle Memorial Institute, a global science and technology research firm, found that water heaters with hard water can be up to 25% less efficient than water heaters with soft watera loss of energy that can, in turn, drive up your homes utility bills.
  • Appliances that can malfunction: When left untreated, hard water can cause appliances such as refrigerators, ice makers, washing machines, and dishwashers to leak, malfunction, or use more energy, Johnson says.
  • Water stains: When hard water evaporates from the surface of your tub, sink, or toilet, it can leave the minerals behind in the form of water stains. The good news? Most hard water stains can be treated by cleaning the affected area with rags soaked in white vinegar.
  • Odor and bad taste: Hard water tends to have a rotten egg smell and a metallic taste, Webster says. In most cases, though, hard water is still safe to drink regardless of its funk or taste.
  • Skin irritation: Showering in hard water can cause dry skin, since the mineral deposits suck the moisture out of your skin, Webster says. Minerals drying on the skin can also clog pores and cause flaking and itching.

How to test for hard water

You can buy a water test kit online or from a home improvement store for about $30 to test your water yourself, but many plumbers offer customers free water testing, Webster says.

“Plumbers either send someone to your home to take a water sample, or the homeowner sends in a water sample, which is then sent to a lab for testing,” says Webster. “The lab results will show us exactly what’s in the water.”

Have hard water? Here’s what to do

If you discover your home has hard water, don’t panic. “Usually, a water softener will take care of the situation,” Webster says.

Water softeners, which hook up to your plumbing lines, can reduce the water’s hardness by removing minerals from your water supply.

Here’s how it works: As the hard water passes through the softening tank, negatively charged magnetic beads attract the positively charged calcium and magnesium particles, but allow the water to pass through.

If you’re fairly handy with tools, you can install a water softener system yourself by buying a basic installation kit and unit for about $500. Otherwise, professional installation costs about $800 to $1,000 for a one- to two-bedroom home. Water softener systems generally last about 15 years.

If you’re buying a house with extremely hard water, you may have to install a water filtration system to address the issue, Johnson says.

Filtration systems tend to be more expensive than water softener systems. According to HomeAdvisor, the national average is $1,683. If you can’t spring for a water filtration system for your entire house, smaller systems that hook up to just one tap (say, the one you drink out of) are also available.

Original Source: https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/what-is-hard-water/

Original Date: Apr 18, 2018

Original Author: Daniel Bortz

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Hard Water Proves Hard on Your Wallet

(BPT) – Hard water, which contains high levels of calcium and magnesium, can be found in nearly 90 percent of American homes. These minerals cause scaling, a buildup that clogs waterlines and plumbing forcing appliances to work harder and operate less efficiently. The scale may also harbor bacteria. The only way to truly remove the hard and soft scale from household water systems is with salt-based water softeners.

The environmental and cost benefits of salt-based water softening are significant. Hard water scaling can cause your showerhead to lose up to 75 percent of its flow rate in just 18 months. Hard water also interacts negatively with soap, reducing its cleaning power. Soft water is up to 12 times more effective at cleaning dishes than increasing the amount of detergent used.

According to the Water Quality Research Foundation for washing machines, the most important factor in removing stains from clothing was water softness. Reduction of water hardness was up to 100 times more effective at stain removal than increasing the detergent dose or washing with hotter water. In fact, soft water can reduce soap use by as much as half. Hard water can also reduce the efficiency of water heaters and increase electricity costs by as much as 48 percent, according to the Battelle Memorial Institute.

Hard water scaling doesn’t just harm your appliances and wallet, it can harm your health as well. The piping used in home plumbing, whether it is copper or PVC, has very smooth interior surfaces that don’t permit bacteria to settle and grow. However, hard water results in scale formation on the interior surfaces of those pipes and that provides a perfect home for bacteria.

Researchers at the School of Sustainable Engineering at Arizona State University found bacteria may grow in pipes filled with both hard scale and soft scale at the same rate. This is important new information because some forms of water conditioning produce this soft scale. The only solution is to remove both hard and soft scale in the pipes with a salt-based water softener.

Hard water you use to wash your fresh fruits and vegetables may actually contain more bacteria, and the problem isn’t only in the kitchen. When you take a hot shower the steam you are inhaling can also contain the same microbial contamination that is in the rest of your plumbing, exposing you to bacteria such as Legionella, which can cause Legionnaire’s disease.

A salt-based water softener is the most functional and cost-effective means of removing hardness minerals. It is a time-tested, highly reliable tool to improve health and to lower maintenance costs for home appliances like dishwashers and washing machine. It also reduces the need for detergents and high-water temperatures, leading to a smaller household carbon footprint.

Original Source: https://www.therandolphleader.com/online_features/real_estate/article_e222f80e-3718-515e-8b3c-feea53a7a69e.html

Original Date: April 11 2018

Original Author: Brandpoint (BPT)

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Water Filtration Systems and Where To Begin

Answer Man filter

Q: If I wanted to get a whole house water filter, where would I begin to look?

A: Home improvement stores and other retailers carry a variety of whole house water filtration systems, but first you need to determine what kind you need.

Government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have information on their websites about water treatment systems. The first thing to consider is your water source.

If you get your water from a private well or cistern, the CDC recommends having your water tested by a state-certified lab at least once a year. The lab should test for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, pH levels and other contaminants common in your area.

If you get your water from a public system, EPA requires all public water systems to send an annual report about the quality of drinking water, as well as contaminant levels, to people whose water comes from public sources.

After you determine what contaminants you want to reduce in your water, you can narrow down the type of filtration system you need.

If you plan to have the system installed by a plumber, ask for recommendations when you call for an estimate. Plumbers know how filters work and can offer suggestions on which kind will provide the results you want.

The EPA says Americans spend billions of dollars each year on home water treatment units. Drinking water can reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants, according to one EPA publication.

“As long as those contaminants are at levels no higher than EPA standards, the water is considered safe to drink for healthy people,” it said. People with severely weakened immune systems or other specific health conditions, or those concerned about specific contaminants, may wish to further treat their water.

Angie Akos, water operations superintendent for Dothan Utilities, said in an email that Dothan Utilities does not regulate water filters placed on the customer’s side of the water service.

“However, depending on the type of water filter system installed, additional backflow devices may be needed to protect the City’s water supply system,” she wrote. “The customer needs to be aware that certain filters may remove the chlorine disinfectant residual from the water.”

Chlorine is added to water to kill germs.

Original Source: https://www.dothaneagle.com/news/local/answer-man-if-i-wanted-to-get-a-whole-house/article_3a3b7864-2eef-11e8-a40c-0fa7eb6c4479.html

Original Date: March 25 2018

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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 
March 15th, 2018 at 9:18 AM
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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: https://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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