The U.S Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of reassuring residents that water from their tap is safe to consume. However, hundreds of people are crowding local grocery stores throughout the country to stock up on bottled water supplies due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Government officials have stated that conventional water treatment and disinfection removes any viruses, including the COVID-19, and no extra measures like boiling water will be necessary. In this article, the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities offers information on their website to advise customers and answer questions that the public may have regarding this matter. It is always a best practice to have a four-day supply of water for emergency precautions; however, the department has downplayed the need to stockpile water for the coronavirus outbreak.
EPA Announces Regulation for PFAS
Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that they would begin to regulate a category of chemicals known as PFAS. PFAS’s are linked to cancer and other health issues that can be found in the environment and the human body.
Environmentalists have voiced their concerns that Trump’s EPA administration have procrastinated with environmental regulations rather than steadfast on issues. Currently, the EPA recommends water should contain 70 parts per trillion (ppt) of PFAS or less; however, this amount is not mandatory. Many health officials argue this number is still too high.
The next step will be a lengthy process entailing two long years with agency debates to determine a consensus on new contamination level standards. Once a consensus has been reached, the agency will have another 18 months to finalize the drinking water requirements. The EPA will create two drinking water standards during this process. The first standard will be heavily based on health considerations, and the second will focus on financial investment obligations. For more information about this EPA update, read this article.
4 Steps on How to Remove Rust from Drinking Water
Rust is commonly regarded as one element but is actually composed of several compounds that consist of iron and oxygen. Rust forms when free iron is exposed to oxygen and water. The water color in your home could be yellow, orange, or brown depending on the concentration of the rust. Typically, rusty water pipes on a well water system will have a higher concentration of iron leading to rusty water issues. Thankfully you can remove rust in your home with water softeners, oxidizing filters and sequestration.
Step 1: Connect an ion exchange water softener to your water supply. This device will contain sodium that will combine with the iron and remove the rust from your water.
Step 2: Install an oxidizing filter before the water softener line. This device will contain manganese oxides that will convert soluble compounds into insoluble compounds, which then will filter out of the water. Oxidizing filters are most appropriate for treat water with a moderate level of concentrated iron and where the pH is at least 6.8
Step 3: Use a solution feeder to add polyphosphates to your water supply. Polyphosphates contain phosphorus, which disperse in the water so the iron doesn’t form rust. However, a polyphosphate chemical feeder can be more expensive than other options. It is only recommended to use a polyphosphate feeder if the rust issues are severe enough warrant this option.
Step 4: Add about half gallon of bleach to your water supply. After adding the bleach, allow to water to sit for about 12 hours and run the water until no more bleach is present in the system. This system is most effective when the rust in your water is being produced by bacteria.
Read More on How to Effectively Remove Rust from Your Water Supply
The Importance of High-Quality Drinking Water
Hydration is key to all living things, and without it, we would only live for about five days. Our bodies are more than 50% water and it helps maintain our normal body temperature, lubricates joints, and enables the body to rid waste through urination, sweat, and bowel movements. Doctors advise us to drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses of water every day and studies have shown that women, on average, will consume approximately 91 oz. of water and men will drink about 125 oz. of water every day. Part of this consumption of water is from foods such as fruits and vegetables. It seems quite simple why water is so important to our health, but understanding the different risks from contaminations and how to protect your drinking water can be more in-depth.
Is Tap Water Safe?
In general, tap water is considered to be safe to consume if it comes from a public water system that is run and maintained by a municipality. When drinking water exits a treatment facility and travels to your home, the quality standards must reach strict safety requirements. Unfortunately, even with these safety policies, it does not mean that the water is free of any contaminants, but that the levels of the pollutants are low enough not to cause any health risks. Accidents do happen and if the water supply does become contaminated with something that can create illness, the supplier must inform consumers within 24 hours and offer alternative suggestions for safe drinking water.
Types of Contaminations
There are a few ways that water can become contaminated. Water can contain microorganisms like parasites and bacteria that are added to the water from human or animal feces. It can also become contaminated from industrial waste such as spraying crops that contain chemicals or nitrates used in fertilizers that run off the land. Sometimes the natural deposits from underground can have various minerals like lead or mercury that can enter the water supply. Lead can also transfer to a water source through old lead pipes as well. Even pipes that claim to be “lead-free” can contain as much as 8% lead. To avoid lead consumption when using tap water, use water from the cold tap and to let the water run for a minute before using it.
A Solution to the Problem
Often, when a contamination notice is sent to homes about a water crisis, it is advised to boil your water for 24 to 48 hours, so many consumers are under the impression that contaminates can be removed by heating the water to cleanse it. Boiling water will indeed kill germs; however, contaminants such as lead, nitrates, and pesticides will not affectedly be removed using this method. It may have an opposite consequence since boiling will reduce the amount of water when it evaporates, making the concentration of the contaminate even higher. There are four main types of water filters that are more beneficial for contaminant removal:
- Activated Carbon Filters – These can remove organic contaminants that change the taste and smell. Certain systems are designed to remove chemicals such as chlorination by-products, pesticides, and some metals like copper or lead.
- Reverse Osmosis – This filtration system can remove nitrates, sodium, pesticides, and petrochemicals.
- Ion Exchange – This type of filter can remove minerals like calcium and magnesium, and they are used in combination with other systems such as carbon absorption or reverse osmosis.
- Distillation – This method creates distilled water by collecting condensation of steam from boiling water.
The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your home’s unique water quality needs, including arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. To learn more information on our water treatment solutions, including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron and odor removal, visit https://reynoldswater.com.
New Study Shows Danger of Chlorine in Drinking Water
During a new study, researchers at John Hopkins University have found unintended and toxic byproducts during the cleaning process of water with the use of chlorine. The chemical, chlorine, has been used for over one hundred years to disinfect water supplies, and no doubt it has had positive benefits that have saved millions of lives from diseases like typhoid and cholera. According to this study, when chlorine is mixed with phenols, which is a naturally occurring compound in the environment, a large amount of byproduct is made. Further research is needed to find these actual byproducts inside our drinking water and determine if a new method should be sought to disinfect our water. To read more about this study, click here.
Water Filter System Must Haves
Tap water in the U.S. is the most tested and regulated water source. Unfortunately, our tap water can still contain chemicals, such as fluoride, chloramines, and other pollutants that are not ideal to consume, cook with, or bathe in. A water filtration system is the best solution to give your home safe access to quality drinking water. According to this article, there are three items to take into consideration when choosing a water filter. The first being the filtration rate. It is important to know how much your daily water consumption is and choose a filter that will meet your daily usage needs. The second item to consider is water quality. There are many options to choose from, but a reverse osmosis system will give you the purest form of filtration, sometimes even removing helpful minerals from the water. Lastly, take into consideration your budget. Water systems with extensive filtration are generally more costly and keep in mind the expense of replacing water cartridges.
Possible Uranium Spill Occurs in the Detroit River
A partial collapse of a seawall on the property that was holding aggregate dirt piles that potentially is contaminated with uranium has spilled into the Detroit River during the Thanksgiving weekend. The site has been marked as contaminated with uranium by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Detroit Bulk Storage currently leases the site which was formerly owned by Revere Copper and Brass factory in the 1940s and 50s for use of World War II-era research and development, in an effort to build an atomic bomb. Regulatory agencies were not informed of the spill until days afterward and, of course, they are concerned about the impact it may have on the environment and the public water quality. To read more on this recent spill, click here
What You Should Know About Hexavalent Chromium
Due to the rising attention given to the seeping of hexavalent chromium (or “green goo”, as called by area residents) in Madison Heights, MI, it is important to understand how you can protect your family from such dangers should they arrive near your home.
What is Hexavalent Chromium?
While the hexavalent chromium (made famous in the movie Erin Brockovich) seepage in Madison Heights poses little health risk to residents due to differing drinking water sources, it is important to understand exactly what this health risk is and what it can do to you and your family. Hexavalent chromium, according to this OSHA article, is one of the valence states (+6) of the element chromium, usually produced by an industrial process. Cr(VI) is known to cause cancer and targets the respiratory system, kidneys, liver, skin, and eyes.
What Can be Done to Prevent This?
What happened with the Electro Plating Services building in Madison Heights was the result of gross incompetence with waste disposal by the owner and thus posed a huge risk to residents who are Ill-equipped to deal with such contaminants when the seepage was discovered, as reported in this WXYZ article. A net positive with this unfortunate incident is the growing awareness of how to deal with potentially harmful contaminants in your home’s water going forward. One proven combatant to contaminants like Cr(VI) is reverse osmosis, which sends water through a thin membrane that naturally filters particles too small to be filtered through prefilter systems located within the overall reverse osmosis filtration system. By installing a system like this in your home you’re able to keep harmful contaminants, not only Cr(VI) but a vast quantity of other similar agents, out of your home’s water and keep your family safe.
Reynolds Water is the best local source that provides you with a variety of filtration systems to keep your family safe. Give us a call and we can hook you up with the right system for your family at the best price in the area.
Mysterious Water Leakage
A peculiar instance of water testing is scheduled for this Friday on mysterious green-colored water that oozed out onto eastbound Interstate 696 in Madison Heights a week earlier. According to this Detroit News article, the groundwater is believed to be contaminated with hexavalent chromium, which produces the green color that had onlookers scratching their heads. Due to the potential danger of this contamination, especially the possibility of local rivers and lake contamination, action is being taken immediately to remedy this situation to keep nearby residents safe. The origin of the water is believed to be from the Electro-Plating Services plant located nearby, which incidentally would not be the first time the plant has been in the news for water-related incidents. Results of the testing are scheduled to be released on Friday.
The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.
Water Filters 101
Water is one of the most important elements on this planet and without it, we would only live a few short days. Our bodies are made up of roughly two-thirds of H2O and to keep a healthy balance, we need to consume 2.4 liters of water each day. It comes to no surprise that new ways are constantly being found in order to provide us with more clean, pure water to nourish ourselves. In order to remove many of the harmful impurities from our water, the use of water filters is a solution to this problem. How important are water filters you may ask? Let’s take a closer look at what a water filter is.
How Filters Work
Water filters use two different techniques in the removal of dirt and debris. The first is physical filtration in which water is strained by a physical barrier such as a thin gauze or fine textile membrane to remove the larger particles. The second method is done thorough chemical filtration, which involves water passing through an active material, such as carbon, that removes impurities as they pass through chemically. There are 4 primary methods used for water filters that use a combination of physical and chemical filtration:
Activated Carbon Filters
This type of filter is the most common and popular of the options available that are based on charcoal. Charcoal is a form of Carbon that is very porous because it has a big internal surface area that can trap foreign particles. Larger contaminants are stuck on the outside, thus being removed from the water. Carbon can also act as a magnet for items such as lead and VOCs that continue to remove particles internally as water passes through the filter. On the chemical aspect, chemicals like Chlorine are removed during a chemical reaction when water is in contact with Carbon. The main disadvantage of this type of filter is after time it will get clogged with impurities and need to be replaced, which can add additional costs down the road.
Reverse Osmosis
Filtration that removes contaminants by water pressure to force tap water through a semipermeable membrane is called Reverse Osmosis. The membrane is an effective, very fine filter that allows the water to pass through but the contaminants like Lead, Mercury, and Iron stay behind. The downside is certain items such as some pesticides, solvents, and metals like Chlorine and Radon can not be removed with Reverse Osmosis.
Distillation
A natural option for filtration can be done with the simple process of steam distillation that involves heating water to boiling and then cooling the steam to remove the contaminants. Most contaminants have a higher boiling point than water which is why they are left behind when the water becomes steam. The steam is collected and transformed back to water in a separate container. The disadvantage to this type of filtration is some contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) boil at a lower temperature than water and they evaporate with the steam and can remove beneficial minerals in natural water during the filtration process.
Ion Exchange
This filter is very good at softening hard water by removing limescale. The process is done with chemical filtration method by releasing ions, like sodium, and exchange them for unwanted ions like heavy metals found in your water. The result is better-tasting water, however, the sodium is simply another form of contaminant, so the ion exchange doesn’t exactly make the water “pure”. This option is not the best for people on low-sodium diets. The second disadvantage of ion-exchange filtration is that it will need to recharge the filters occasionally with more sodium ions by adding a certain type of salt.
The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.