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What is rust? Is drinking rusty water dangerous? What does rust in your water mean? How do you treat rust in water? Read on to discover the answers to these questions and much more. 

The most telltale sign of rust in your water supply is when appliances such as dishwashers become dirty more quickly, laundry transforms white fabric to yellow, or when toilet bowls, sinks, and showers turn an orangey brown color. 

Rust is the byproduct of oxidizing iron or other metals, causing well water to become corrosive and destructive toward fittings, fixtures, and pipes. Moreover, it can be dangerous for humans to consume.

While humans need a minuscule amount of iron to survive, excess iron can be detrimental to human health. Water can appear rusty when levels are above .3 mg/L. Large chunks of iron can cut your internal organs, and high concentrations of microscopic iron can cause iron poisoning. 

The symptoms of iron poisoning are fever, headache, dizziness, low blood pressure, fast/weak pulse, shortness of breath, fluid in the lungs, grey/blueish/jaundice skin, and/or seizures. Iron poisoning can eventually cause death by liver failure or circulatory system shock. 

Add a water softener to your system to remove rust in your water, which will help make your water crystal clear. Some softeners can be improved by using an enhancement product, which specifically targets iron and removes it from the water softener’s regeneration process. Rust filters are fantastic options to remove this pesky sediment as well.

Since rust can be so damaging, it might be a good idea to replace your plumbing system to ensure there are no traces of rust in your drinking, bathing, or cleaning water. Additionally, adding alkaline minerals such as magnesium oxide or calcium carbonate can improve the pH of corrosive water. 

Sometimes, rust is trickling in through the municipality’s water supply, which would require your local government to replace their pipes. Most pipe replacements can be astronomically expensive, though many municipalities are already heading in that direction. 

If you have rust in your water, contact Reynolds Water Conditioning today – we can help your home be rust-free. 

Reynolds Water Conditioning was established in 1931 and is Michigan’s oldest water conditioning treatment company. Still owned and operated by the Reynolds family, we take pride in providing the highest quality products at a cost-effective price. If your tap water lacks the quality you deserve, contact us today at 800-572-9575.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/ 

Popular in the second half of the 20^th century, 1,4-dioxane was used in pharmaceutical ingredients, filters, metal degreasers, and more. In toxicity studies, laboratory rodents given the chemical in their drinking water developed liver cancer. The United States National Toxicology Program classifies 1,4,-dioxane as a human carcinogen. The United States Environmental Protection Agency also deemed the synthetic chemical a likely carcinogen.

In the United States, production of 1,4-dioxane has diminished, though certain companies import it from Germany to supply customers. Even as the use of 1,4 dioxane declines, the chemical is not disappearing. Water monitoring data collected from 2010 to 2015 shows that more than seven million people in the United States in 27 different states had utility-supplied tap water with detectible levels of 1,4-dioxane according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

There is currently no federal limit on 1,4 dioxane in drinking water, and removing it is challenging. When released into the air, the chemical poses a cancer risk. However, it doesn’t float through the air often or evaporate easily. It dissolves completely in water, even at high concentrations, making it difficult to remove.

Traditional groundwater treatments filter water through granulated activated carbon to remove chlorine and other contaminants. This technology is not applicable to 1,4-dioxane. Many communities have water tainted with worrisome levels of 1,4-dioxane. After leaking out of landfills or as a result of unregulated industrial practices, 1,4-dioxane may infiltrate public aquifers.

In Ann Arbor, between 1966 and 1986, 1,4-dioxane was filtered into groundwater through lagoons that held wastewater from the manufacture of medical and industrial filtration equipment at Gelman Sciences, which has since closed. There is currently litigation regarding the underground plume of 1,4-dioxane headed for the Huron River, Ann Arbor’s main source of drinking water.

Cleaning products, laundry detergents, and shampoos still contain 1,4-dioxane as an unintentional impurity from surfactants, typically rinsed down the drain.

To learn more about the chemicals that might be in your water or gain solutions to these issues, contact the water experts at Reynolds Water today.

Reynolds Water Conditioning was established in 1931 and is Michigan’s oldest water conditioning treatment company. Still owned and operated by the Reynolds family, we take pride in providing the highest quality products at a cost-effective price. If your tap water lacks the quality you deserve, contact us today at www.reynoldswater.com or call 800-572-9575.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

In 2000, Erin Brockovich became the subject of an Academy-award winning feature film, which depicted her role in a lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric. Portrayed by Julia Roberts, Brockovich is known for almost single-handedly bringing down the California-based power company accused of polluting a city’s water supply. Through the years, she has continued to raise awareness concerning pollution and other environmental threats.

In an opinion article for The Guardian, Brockovich wrote, “We are in a water crisis beyond anything you can imagine. Pollution and toxins are everywhere, stemming from the hazardous wastes of industry and agriculture. We’ve got more than 40,000 chemicals on the market today with only a few hundred regulated. We’ve had industrial byproducts discarded into the ground and into our water supply for years. This crisis affects everyone – rich or poor, black or white, Republican or Democrat. Communities everywhere think they are safe when they are not.”

“These issues start with tiny seeds of deception that add up over months and years to become major problems. Our resources are exhausted. Corruption is rampant. Officials are trying to cover their tracks. People are not putting the pieces together when it comes to the severity of this crisis. I’ve got senators and doctors calling me, asking me what to do,” Brockovich stated.

Brockovich stressed the importance of not succumbing to despair. No single person or entity can correct the issues solo; communities must work in tandem to remedy this issue.  In response to the countless calls and community outreach she has experienced, Brockovich created the Community Healthbook to allow individuals and community groups to “report and view health-related concerns and community environmental issues by geographic area and health-related topic.”

For more information or to read the entire article, check out The Guardian. Want to know what’s in your water? Call the water purification experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning Co. at 800-572-9575. We test water quality and purification, install filters, and much more.

Reynolds Water Conditioning Co. was established in 1931 and is Michigan’s oldest water conditioning treatment company. Still owned and operated by the Reynolds family, we take pride in offering the highest quality products at a cost-effective price. If your tap water lacks the quality you deserve, contact us today at www.reynoldswater.com or call 800-572-9575.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Flint residents affected by the toxic lead water crisis will be eligible to receive payments from a $600 million preliminary settlement. A court-monitored victim compensation fund will allow Flint water crisis victims to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in payments. The parties involved in the settlement include the state of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and all individual state defendants, including former governor Rick Snyder.

Almost 80 percent of the settlement fund will be divvied out to children who were under 18 when the crisis began in April 2014. The effects of lead are especially poignant in children, as the mineral impacts brain development. An earmarked $12-million fund will be created in escrow to offer special education and other services for children who suffer chronic health/behavioral impacts as a direct result of lead poisoning. Another $35 million will be placed in a trust for “forgotten children” who cannot file claims within the required time frame and will be eligible to do so when they reach adult age.

“The residents of Flint were victims of horrendous decisions by the state, its employees, and other defendants that have resulted in tragic and devastating consequences,” said Florida attorney Ted Leopold. He was appointed by a federal judge along with Royal Oak attorney Michael Pitt, to lead a class-action litigation combining scores of individual lawsuits. “While we can never undo the damage that occurred to the citizens and community of Flint, we are pleased that today we were able to secure a measure of justice for the Flint community,’ Leopold stated.

As for the US Environmental Protection Agency and other private organizations involved in the shift of Flint’s drinking water source from (safe) Lake Huron to the (toxic) Flint River, litigation will continue.

Concerned about toxins, minerals, and/or contaminants in your drinking water? The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning are committed to solving your water needs. We offer several services to ensure your water is the best it has ever been…chemical-free. For more information about the Flint Water Crisis, read the full Detroit Free Press article.

Reynolds Water Conditioning was established in 1931 and is Michigan’s oldest water conditioning treatment company. Still owned and operated by the Reynolds family, we take pride in providing the highest quality products at a cost-effective price. If your tap water lacks the quality you deserve, contact us today at www.reynoldswater.com or call 800-572-9575.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

PFAS, known as “Forever Chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and human body indefinitely, saturate the water supply in Michigan. These highly toxic chemicals have been linked to cancer; liver, thyroid, and pancreas conditions; ulcerative colitis; hormone and immune system interference; high cholesterol; and a host of negative issues for pregnant women and children. PFAS are found at some level in public water serving about 1.9 million people and more than 11,000 sites. A Detroit Free Press article stated, “PFAS contamination is Michigan’s biggest environmental crisis in 40 years.”

Michigan groundwater is saturated with PFAS chemicals at levels which exceed standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Seventeen rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds have “do not eat” advisories for fish; at least one county issued the same warning for deer due to PFAS. The entire country is dealing with an emerging crisis regarding PFAS contamination.

In an effort to regulate this toxic chemical, the state of Michigan issued enforceable standards to limit the amount of PFAS allowed in drinking water. These standards took effect on August 3 and are among the nation’s strictest. This article by The Detroit News explains the new regulations in-depth. Typically, the EPA develops nationwide standards based on states’ adaptations. States like Michigan, New Jersey, and New Hampshire have taken the lead and created their own standards without the EPA’s involvement.

Since PFAS are emerging toxins, many consumers are unfamiliar with the chemicals and unsure about how to protect themselves from ingesting them. Thankfully, household filters – specifically reverse osmosis and two-stage – are the most effective way to remove PFAS from drinking water. Activated carbon filters are also beneficial for PFAS filtration. Don’t have a reverse osmosis or two-stage filter? No problem! Call Reynolds Water Conditioning Co. at 800-572-9575. Reynolds Water was established in 1931 and is Michigan’s oldest water conditioning treatment company. www.reynoldswater.com

The ongoing 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak reminds us how rapidly infectious agents can travel the globe. Today it is possible to be anywhere in the world within hours. Our increasingly mobile society means that diseases that used to seem exotic and distant can impact any population. Of the 50 most deadly infectious diseases, approximately a third may be transmitted by drinking water.

The top deadliest diseases from drinking water
The following is a summary of the top deadliest diseases known to infect humans that have a waterborne transmission route ranked from the least to most deadly (numbers in parentheses indicate ranking). Table 1 includes these and other infections that made the list, considering all transmission routes.¹

Lassa fever (49) was originally discovered in the late ’60s in Lassa, Nigeria. That country reported that a new outbreak began in January 2020 with over 1,700 new cases suspected. An estimated 300,000 infections occur annually.² Although primarily endemic in West Africa, rodents are an intermediate host and can transmit the disease to people. Ingestion of contaminated food and water is another common transmission route. Symptoms may progress to hemorrhaging, fever and multiple organ failure.

Rabbit fever (48), also known as tularemia, is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. This highly contagious organism causes an average of 126 cases per year in the US. Tularemia can be spread through arthropod bites, contact with infected animal tissues, inhalation of contaminated aerosols and ingestion of contaminated food or water. Historically, F. tularensis has been utilized as a bioweapon. Thus, officials monitor carefully for increases that might indicate foul play.

Taenia solium (46) is a type of tapeworm found in pork whose larval stage causes a disease known as cysticercosis. The disease spreads through feces-contaminated food or water from an infected person. Larvae then invade the central nervous system tissues. Endemic in Latin America, cases are routinely diagnosed in US-born residents.³

Rotavirus (45) is the number one cause of childhood diarrhea worldwide. Although the availability of a vaccine dramatically reduced the number of rotavirus deaths, an estimated 215,000 are still attributed to this organism.⁴
The majority of cholera (42) cases can be treated with oral rehydration solutions but in many areas treatments for the severe, acute watery diarrhea is not available. It is estimated that up to four million cases and 143,000 deaths occur from the bacterium Vibrio cholerae annually. The current (seventh) pandemic hit South Asia in 1962, Africa in 1971 and the Americas in 1991.⁵

Typhoid fever (42) cases are estimated as high as 22 million with 210,000 deaths annually. Spread via food and water contaminated with Salmonella enterica serotype typhi and paratyphi, it’s the largest global burden in in the developing world.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) (40) causes severe outbreaks of food and waterborne disease. The disease is usually self-limiting but may progress to bloody diarrhea and the deadly haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), which can result in acute renal failure. Children and the elderly are most at risk.

Botulism (31) is the most deadly toxin known. Produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, the toxin is destroyed by conventional drinking water treatment but can spread via intentional acts of contamination. A powerful neurotoxin, botulism death usually occurs following muscular paralysis and respiratory failure.

Legionnaire’s disease (31) is spread via water aerosols from showers, cooling towers, fountains and hot tubs. The Legionella pneumophila bacteria grows in premise-plumbing systems. The 10,000 cases of Legionnaire’s disease reported in the US annually are thought to be a large underestimation of the true disease burden. The elderly, smokers and people with chronic lung disease are most at risk.

Anthrax (31) spores are produced by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis and are commonly found in soil and infect domestic and wild animals feeding on outdoor plants and grasses. Once inside the human body, the spores become active, multiply and produce potent toxins leading to severe illness and death.
SARS (29) or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (which became a global threat in 2003), is caused by a strain of coronavirus. Symptoms similar to influenza complicate rapid and distinct diagnoses. Respiratory illness is often accompanied by severe diarrhea. Although rare, case-fatality rates may be as high as 50 percent.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (27) is a chronic autoimmune condition that attacks the nerves, causing a paralytic illness similar to polio that can progress to total body paralysis and death. Although the exact cause is unknown, the syndrome often occurs following acute infections from respiratory or waterborne microbes, including influenza, Zika and hepatitis A viruses.

Listeriosis (18) is caused by the food and waterborne bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Found commonly in soft cheeses and ready-to-eat meat products, infections may become invasive and lead to severe health outcomes including septicemia, meningitis and spontaneous abortion.

MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) (15), like it’s relative SARS, may be spread by the respiratory and fecal-oral route. First reported in 2012, MERS is the most deadly virus with a possible waterborne route on our list of top 50 infections, with a death rate of over 34 percent.

Minimizing endemic and epidemic waterborne disease
The only disease that has been successfully eradicated from the globe is smallpox. As microbial hazards continue to emerge due to mutations or expanded routes of transmission, efforts to contain their spread will be promoted. Most microbial pathogens spread via potable water supplies can be removed or inactivated by the use of POU drinking water treatment devices. Therefore, POU device technology designed to remove microbes is recommended to control endemic and epidemic illness risks.

Original Article: http://wcponline.com/2020/03/15/25764/

By: Kelly A. Reynolds, MSPH, PhD

Posted on: Sunday, March 15th, 2020

If you have an irrigation system, you probably have rust spots appearing on the side of your home, on patio furniture, paved ways, landscaping, and other areas. The iron within your water causes these reddish-brown spots, particularly for those who have well water. Rust can also form in a standard municipal water system but in considerably fewer amounts. In this article, we discuss how you can treat and prevent rust from forming around your property. 

Removing Rust & Iron Stains  

Before tackling the main problem – removing the rust from your water supply – you should remove the stains that have built up over time that have formed around your property. You can do this with many cleaners, but Magica is a renowned product for removing spotty rust stains and is safe for any surface, including concrete, wood, fabric, and metal. Even after you remove these stains, they will come back, and you will need to find a more permanent solution to tackle the root of the issue by fixing the iron levels in your water supply.

Your water must be oxidized and then filtered out to remove the iron, and you can only do this with a filter that uses manganese dioxide or a form of catalytic media that will react with the iron. Depending on your water’s characteristics, you may need to use an oxidizer like chlorine, oxygen, or hydrogen peroxide. Removing rust is important as it is aesthetically unpleasant and does damage to your plants and surfaces, sometimes killing vegetation entirely.

The Reynolds Irrigation Stain Control System

The Reynolds Irrigation Stain Control System is a preventative maintenance process that prevents rust from forming on all surfaces of your home, including your white linens and the bathtub. This system has an RC solution; a clear blue concentrated non-toxic neutral phosphate that will prevent mineral and iron stains. The solution is 100% bio-degradable and is injected into the irrigation stream as it enters your water supply. 

The feed system includes a solution tank, industrial-grade flow switch, and a high-performance solid-state injection pump, which is adjustable so solutions can be appropriately proportioned for any water quality. This product is one of the best treatments for preventing rust formation occurring with your irrigation system. 

Reynolds Water Conditioning Co. was established in 1931 and is Michigan’s oldest water conditioning treatment company. Still owned and operated by the Reynolds family, Reynolds Water Conditioning takes pride in offering the highest quality products at a cost-effective price. https://www.reynoldswater.com | 1-800-572-9575

The water industry is posed to have several new changes that happen within the next decade due to rapid urbanization, climate change, consumer demands, and emerging digital technologies. Complex business challenges will arise, and companies can turn these changes into opportunities that could benefit both businesses and consumers and the environment. Below, are five trends that will have an impact on the water industry within the next decade:

1. Extreme Weather

It is anticipated that we will have more extreme weather in the next decade than ever recorded before. Most of the climate change is attributed to water, and these changes will influence agricultural production, rises in sea levels, and wildfires leading to droughts and floods. 

Hard engineering structures such as dikes, seawalls, and levees can be built to protect coastal communities against severe flooding. The use of intricate water modeling technologies can help determine current vulnerabilities and offer better solutions to address these coastal challenges.

2. Agricultural Changes

The UN has projected that the world’s population will reach more than nine billion by 2050 and making sure that there is enough food for everyone will be essential. It is estimated that global food production needs to be increased by at least 70% to maintain enough food. To keep up with these demands, there needs to be enough arable land for crop production and more efficient irrigation technology to handle the requests. Precision farming systems, coupled with emerging technologies to improve agricultural production, will help in using less water for more crops. 

3. Reusing Wastewater

Wastewater is made up of many valuable elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and other resources that can be used for energy and be reused instead of letting them be discarded back into the environment. The current water consumption model is liner in nature, meaning that water is extracted from a source, checked for quality, consumed, treated, and discharged in a receiving body of water. In the next decade, we will see the emergence of a more circular model, one of which focuses on reusing wastewater and utilizing its properties we are currently discarding. To do this, we will need to rethink and redesign the current infrastructure. 

4. Customer-Led Revolution

Digital technologies are used by consumers nearly every moment of the day, empowering them more than ever. People expect more personalized products and services to improve every aspect of their life, which will only increase as time goes on. Businesses must accept that the new paradigm of the empowered customer adapts their mindsets to service this expectation. Technologies for smart water softeners, filtration systems, and other consumer products will give homeowners more control over bills, utilization, and overall maintenance. The water industry will be challenged to examine how to work with businesses, consumers, and technologies to achieve the desired goals for all. 

5. Smart Network and Technologies

As we progress into a more tech-driven world, smart water network solutions will increase in use and improve the reliability of physical water operations by gathering and analyzing data more effectively. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term coined to describe all devices connected to the internet and speak with each other, sending data, automatic process, and analytics. IoT will help better manage the water industry infrastructure and reduce non-revenue water losses; it will also support essential changes to how utility companies operate and function. This will allow the opportunity to improve productivity and ROI, all while enhancing customer experience and expectations. 

Reynolds Water Conditioning Co. was established in 1931 and is Michigan’s oldest water conditioning treatment company. Reynolds Water is delighted to provide the highest quality products at a cost-effective price. www.reynoldswater.com

Most homeowners choose a reverse osmosis system for their water filtration needs. Reverse osmosis works by forcing water across several layers of a semi-permeable membrane to catch contaminants. Particles that are caught are then flushed out of the system. This is a process in which dissolved inorganic solids (such as salts) are removed from a solution (such as water).

Key Benefits of a Reverse Osmosis System:

• Improves Taste. When water is filtered with reverse osmosis (RO), it removes contaminants that could alter the taste and odor. Another benefit is texture and softness. Your water should look, taste, and feel refreshing. 

• Saves Money. With a RO system, you can stop purchasing cases of bottled water and discontinue water delivery. This will save you a lot of money and cost you only pennies per gallon for better tasting water.

• Helps the Environment. Drinking water from your own kitchen facet cuts down on plastic bottles that can end up in landfills. For every six bottles of water purchased, Americans on average, only recycle one of them.   

• Easy Maintenance. The simplicity of RO systems cannot be underestimated. Surprisingly, these systems are straightforward to clean, fix, and service. There are very few moving parts; thus, identifying and replacing parts is relativity easy.

• Removes Impurities. Reverse osmosis removes a plethora of pollutants from water. The common contaminants that a RO can eliminate are nitrates, pesticides, sulfates, fluoride, bacteria, pharmaceuticals, arsenic, and much more. The carbon filter within the RO system will also remove chlorine and chloramines. 

Reverse osmosis is an effective and affordable way to improve the health, taste, odor, and overall quality of your water. Read more about reverse osmosis here. 

There are plenty of things that can go wrong with your water softener over time, and regular maintenance is a must if you want to ensure that your unit works consistently. Below are a few common issues with water softeners and some tips that will help you make your softener work more efficiently and last longer.

Avoid Salt Bridges and Salt Mushing: 

A salt bridge occurs when a hard crust forms in the brine tank and creates a space between the water and the salt. This prevents the salt from dissolving into the water to make the brine. You may notice an issue if your salt tank appears full, but your water seems hard. The best way to tell if you have a salt bridge is to take the end of a broom handle and press against the top of the salt wall. If the top of the salt collapses inwards, then you have a salt bridge.

Salt Mushing:

This is the more serious of the two issues and happens when dissolved salt recrystallizes to form sludge at the bottom of the tank. The thick layer of salt at the bottom keeps the water softener from properly cycling through the regeneration process and leaves the water hard and blocking the rest of the tank filtration. Salt mushing is probably the cause of hard water if you already tested for bridging. 

Be Selective with Your Salt Choice:

There are three basic types of water softener salts available for softeners: rock, solar, and evaporated. Rock salt, the least expensive of the three, contains higher levels of insoluble minerals or impurities and can muddy your tank over time, decreasing the softening elements. The second option is solar salt, which is more soluble than rock salt, is obtained by the evaporation of seawater, and is found in both pellet and crystal form. The last option is evaporated salt and is obtained through a combination of mining and evaporation and is the purest form of salt at 99.99% sodium chloride. 

By periodically checking your water softener, you can keep it running smoothly with little to no hard water occurring. Read more on other tips to ensure you have a fully functional water softener system here.