Water Treatment Plants

Water treatment plants treat water from various sources like rivers and lakes. Water from these sources has to be purified to remove floating objects like sticks and other solids of larger dimensions, finer particulate matters, color, odor, pollutants, and harmful bacteria and microbes.

The water entering the treatment plant passes through intake screens to remove floating objects and larger insoluble materials. Back-flushing of the screen with air is done periodically to clear the screen and maintain the effectiveness of the screen.

Coagulants are added to the water to facilitate the subsequent sedimentation process. Water containing the rest of the impurities is taken to a sedimentation tank containing sand filters to remove suspended solids. Sand is then recovered and cleaned so that it can be reused. The next process is the bacterial disinfection and degradation of the organic compounds by treatment with ozone gas. Ozone, being unstable, is produced onsite by the use of oxygen in an electric discharge unit. The ozone thus produced is bubbled through water. Residual ozone is then converted to oxygen gas and vented out to the atmosphere.

Water will still contain some turbidity and other organics. An activated carbon filter is used to remove these impurities along with any remaining colored materials and odor-causing chemicals. Final polishing of this water is carried out by sand filters, and this water is taken to storage vessels. A small amount of chlorine can be used to treat this water to prevent bacterial contamination before the supply to the distribution system.

Thus, water from natural sources can be fully purified and disinfected and then stored in underground storage tanks.

Sewage Water Recycling Process

Sewage water recycling

Sewage water recycling involves removing of impurities from the water through various physical, chemical and biological processes. If the sewage water goes untreated, there may be bitter consequences in the future with impacts on human health. Several governments in the world have made in mandatory for allocating sewage treatment plant for a particular area. The treatment of sewage is a very big process and the resulting water is safe to use and does not cause any disease to the human beings. The recycled water can be used to irrigate golf course thus saving gallons of drinking water. It can be used for irrigation in agricultural lands thus saving ample amount of ground water. It can be used for car wash in servicing centres. The other common domestic usage of recycled water can be for vehicle wash or gardening in homes.

Sewage Water Treatment

There are two types of sewage treatment. The first is the decentralised system where the process of recycling like aeration and filtering takes place close to where the sewage is collected. The other method of treatment is the centralised system where the sewage is transported through pipelines to a central municipal unit where several processes are done before discharging water into the environment. The main steps in sewage water treatment include pre-treatment, primary, secondary and tertiary treatments.

Pre-treatment

In this process, the solids that can be easily removed from the waste liquid is removed. The bigger solids like tree branches, sticks and plastics which could possibly cause damage to the pumps and pipe lines are removed. The water moves through a screening layer for removing all heavy materials. There is a grit removal section in pre-treatment which allows for constant velocity of sewage flow for the next treatment section.

Primary Treatment

The primary treatment involves removal of physical solids from the water by the process of sedimentation. The entire content is held in a huge basin and allowing the physical impurities to settle. The floating materials are removed by a special process and the liquid is alone transferred to the secondary treatment. A saponification process is carried out to remove the oil and grease from the water. The greasy materials come to the surface as froth and they are skimmed off.

Secondary Treatment

In secondary treatment, micro-organisms are used to treat the sewage water. They remove the dangerous microbes from the liquid, changing its colour and odour. However the micro-organisms are later removed before getting discharged to the tertiary treatment. The secondary treatment comprises of activated sludge process and aerobic granular sludge process which has an aeration tank to provide oxygen for bacteria helping to convert organic materials. The main conversion done here is changing ammonia to nitrates and then to nitrogen gas. Sometimes rotating biological contractors are used which are huge in size and holds the organic matter and bacteria while the conversion takes place. Finally before going to the tertiary treatment, secondary sedimentation is done which removes almost all suspended and organic matters.

Tertiary Treatment

This involves high degree of filtration involving lagoons or micro filtrations. Initially sand filtration is done to eradicate suspended impurities or sometimes carbon adsorption is done so that all dangerous microbes are removed. This is followed by nutrient removal process. This process is very important as the resulting water now contains large amount of nitrogen, phosphorous, etc. which helps in algal growth leading to eutrophication. After removing nitrogen and phosphorous, finally the disinfection process is carried out where the water is treated with UV or ozone and then the resulting water is discharged to nearby irrigation centres or any other place through pipelines.

Finding the Best Home Water Treatment Systems - What's the Secret?

There are TONS of home water treatment systems available today, in light of all the recent discoveries of the quality of both tap and bottled water. So how do you know which one to go with? Here are some helpful tips to make sure you pick yourself one that's both effective and affordable.

I've found that searching for home water treatment systems online is best, for a few reasons. One is because you can learn a whole lot more about them on the companies website then you could just by reading it's box at the store. Plus, if you decide to get a specific system, you can save a lot of money by buying it directly from the manufacturer through their website.

The first thing to look for when browsing through different home water treatment systems is it's effectiveness. With the technology that's out today, there's no reason to get a filtration system that removes less than 99% of all possible contaminants. The most prevalent ones are chlorine, chlorinated byproducts, lead, cysts, synthetic chemicals, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), pesticides, herbicides, solvents, and gasoline additives.

The most effective home water treatment systems tend to use a multi-stage filtration process to remove contaminants. By breaking down the whole process into a number of stages, more contaminants are able to be removed. For example, since synthetic chemicals, lead, and cysts are always more difficult to remove, it's easier once all the chlorine, sediment, and cloudiness is removed in the beginning.

Now since it's a home water treatment system that you're looking for, you'll want to get one that DOES NOT produce demineralized water. Distillation and reverse osmosis are the systems that fall under this category.

The human body is meant to run on both water and minerals, and we've been drinking water with trace minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium in it since the beginning of time. Now, studies have even shown that drinking demineralized water can not only lead to an increased risk of mineral deficiencies, but can also increase your chances of having cancer at some point in your life.

To assure that home water treatment systems are as effective as claimed, make sure to look for the documentation that states it's capabilities. If the system has been put through vigorous tests under real-life circumstances in order to prove it's effectiveness, then you can be pretty confident that the product is legit. And if those results are certified by the Department of Health, then you can really be just that what they offer is the real deal.

My family and I have installed simple point-of-use filters on both our faucet and shower heads. We knew we made a good decision right from the start because it not only exactly what we were looking for, it was also voted #1 filtration system by Consumer Digest for 6 years running! After owning these home water treatment systems for some time now, I can definitely say it was one of the best invests I ever made to assure the safely and well being of my family.

A Dirty Lesson on the Water Purification Process

A complete water purification process can take dirty contaminated lake-water and turn it into something drinkable. In order to explain water purification, you first have to understand that there are many different methods and many steps are needed for completion.

From the wire mesh that removes tree limbs to the point of use filter on the kitchen counter. Each step is important and necessary.

Most of us think of the purification process that is used for drinking safety, but there are methods used for specific industrial, commercial and medical applications. Each has a system that suits it best. To explain water purification methods in great detail is a lengthy process. We can only mention and briefly touch on some of them.

The water purification method that is chosen is largely dependent on what needs to be removed. For de-mineralization and desalination, there is reverse osmosis. For removal of bacteria and other living organisms or "disinfection", there are chemicals, ultraviolet lights and distillation. To remove chemical contaminants, there are activated carbon and multi-media filters.

Ion exchange systems can be used to target any specific contaminant that can hold an ionic charge. Deionization is used to deplete the charge.

The typical process used at a public treatment facility goes something like this. Beginning at a lake or reservoir, the first step is to remove large debris and trash. Wire mesh or other screens can be used to accomplish this goal. That step is pretty easy to understand, but as we continue to explain water purification, the words get longer and a little more complicated.

Pre-conditioning and pre-chlorination is a water purification process that involves the use of chemicals to balance the pH level and prepare the water for disinfection. Flocculation is a term that simply means "to make clear". Chemicals, filters, porous membranes or reverse osmosis may be used in the flocculation process.

Flocculation is usually followed by sedimentation, slow moving storage and final filtration. Chlorine is added near the end of the water purification process to prevent the growth of algae, bacteria, viruses or fungi in the pipes that lead to your home. Finally the water is tested to be sure that it meets with Environmental Protection Agency standards.

To explain water purification from this point on, you must first understand problems that cannot be removed by public treatment or are a result of aging pipes or float into the system on the way "downstream" from the plant. To know exactly what these problems are, a home test can be done. The do it yourself tests are relatively inexpensive, but not as accurate as lab testing.

In our area, one company or another leaves a bottle in the yard every year. I assume they are trying to sell some home water purification, but we have a good one now that blocks anything that could conceivably be a problem, so I never bother with it. That completes my attempt to explain purification from a public treatment standpoint.

For the homeowner, I have this warning. To assume that what comes out of your tap is safe is a dangerous assumption. It is difficult to attribute specific illnesses to low level toxins. The causes of premature births and miscarriages are hard to identify. The cause of a specific type of cancer cannot always be determined. But any of these "may" be caused by exposure to toxic chemicals at low levels over a long period of time.

So, it is reasonable to consider a home water purification process as a relatively inexpensive piece of insurance.

Do Public Water Treatment Systems Increase Your Risk of Developing Cancer and Other Health Problems?

The best water treatment system in use by public facilities is sadly not effective enough to protect your health. In fact, some of the steps that they use to improve your safety increase your risk of developing cancer and other health problems.

Before the age of chlorination, there were numerous epidemics of waterborne illnesses in the United States and all over the world. But, many scientists believe that the widespread use of chlorine caused different kinds of epidemics.

According to Joseph Price, PHD, twenty years after the start of regular chlorination, the current "epidemic" of heart disease and cancer began. It takes ten to twenty years before symptoms become evident in humans, but by using chickens, Price was able to show that chlorine is a cause of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is the medical term for what we usually call "hardening of the arteries". The interior walls of the arteries leading to the heart become coated with cholesterol, which causes them to become less flexible and eventually can block the blood-flow entirely.

Price didn't explain exactly how the chlorine leads to atherosclerosis. It was an observational study. When chickens were given chlorinated water, 95% developed atherosclerosis within just a few months.

The best water treatment system for the home is one that removes chlorine, but there is another problem, a byproduct of the chlorination process called trihalomethanes or THMs. They are known to cause cancer in humans, but the Environmental Protection Agency believes that a certain amount of exposure is "safe".

One problem with this idea is that at even the best water treatment system facilities, testing is only performed on a quarterly basis and the average level is "extrapolated" from those results. The testing procedure is known to be inaccurate, as it is difficult to detect the presence of the gases and some researchers are working on new and improved methods of testing.

But, even with the old testing there were always a number of facilities that exceeded EPA safe limits. Studies conducted over twenty years ago showed that cities with the highest levels of THMs also had the highest levels of cancer in the populations.

The best water treatment system for the home includes a process called adsorption to trap THMs, before you can be exposed to them. Exposure can occur through drinking and also through showering in chlorinated water, so showerhead filters are another worthwhile investment.

You do have to compare product performance data, because not all systems that remove chlorine will remove THMs. It seems illogical to remove one threat and leave the other that always accompanies it, but the technology to remove THMs is a little more expensive and so it is not included in the cheap chlorine filters.

According to Dr. Herbert Schwartz, "chlorine is so dangerous, it should be banned." He believes that it causes cancer, heart trouble and senility. All that I know, for sure, is that it smells bad, tastes bad and can't be good for my health.

I believe the reports about THMs, because the studies are numerous and have been conducted repeatedly over the years, all with the same conclusion. I am also convinced because countries with public health care are now concerned about how much the new cancer cases are costing them every year. To the governments it's all about cost.

The best water treatment system for the home is not a costly device and I think of it as another type of health insurance. Make the right choices and protect your health, today.

A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment Methods

Have you ever imagined how the water that you drink everyday gets treated and cleaned before it is sent to your faucets? Drinking water treatment methods vary from place to place depending on the type of water, but all modern methods of treating and cleansing water follow a few common basic steps. The water is subjected to various filtration methods followed by chemical-based enhancement. For example, some chemicals are adept at filtering out large particles from the water by binding them to other particles, while other chemicals are capable of efficiently destroying the harmful bacteria that are responsible for some types of drinking water contamination.

Most of the water that is procured from various sources is required to be treated with chlorine before it can be fed into the public water supply system. By the time this water reaches your faucets, it has also been treated with lime, sulfate and aluminum, among other chemical substances. And yes, most of these chemicals do remain in the water that you drink, though in very small quantities.

Now, in the case of bottled water, the drinking water treatment that it needs to undergo is completely different. Not all bottled water comes from the same kind of source. While some companies may purify and bottle natural spring water, some distill and purify municipal tap water and bottle it. This process of distillation mostly ends up removing the essential minerals from the water, which also alters the taste of the water.

The goal of any drinking water treatment method is to ensure that the purified water passes the EPA tests. The EPA guidelines do allow a small amount of contamination to be present in the water, in an amount that isn't large enough to cause noticeable damage to our health. Some municipalities have their own stricter guidelines. A point to note here is, if the water contains toxic substances for which there are no EPA specifications or requirements, most purification companies will not test for or treat the water for such substances.

In addition to all the above mentioned drinking water treatment methods, there is an additional layer of protection from drinking water contamination that can be implemented at home. They are home water filtration systems. Water filters meant to be used at home come in several different types, large and small, for different filtration requirements. Large and advanced filtration systems can be set-up to purify all the water coming in to the house. These filters are essential because they will efficiently remove those contaminants that have been left behind in the water after the preliminary municipal drinking water treatment process.

The modern water filtration systems are very efficient at removing all the harmful chemicals and contaminants from the water while leaving behind all the essential minerals untouched, providing pure, safe and mineral-rich drinking water for you and your family to drink everyday. There are too many types of drinking water contamination to be efficiently treated by the basic municipal drinking water treatment methods. Installing a good quality water filtration system at home will ensure that you provide that crucial, added protection to your beloved family. So, do yourself a big favor and get a good water filtration system today!

Facts About the Water Purification Process

Some people tend to get confused when it comes to the details of the water purification process.  The whole thing really isn't as complicated as it sounds.  In fact there are only three major steps which need inclusion when you explain water purification to the layman.

The first concern in the water purification process is the removal of parasitic threats.  Parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium and their spores are prevalent in our reservoir system, and are found in up to 88% of all freshwater sources.  Infection from either of these parasites can lead to diarrhea and flu-like symptoms, in some cases the symptoms are severe.

When you explain water purification to your children you must warn them that because of the threat of illness, drinking from creeks or streams is not safe.  I don't know how many times I've overheard adults telling their kids that, "as long as the water is moving and not standing still it's alright to drink." This may have been true at one time, but it no longer is.

The water purification process that your town uses will not remove these parasites. It is one of the great myths of our society that water treatment centers actually purify the h20, making it safe to drink.  The best way to protect yourself in this case is to install a micron filter on your tap.

The second major concern to cover when you explain water purification is blocking out chemicals and heavy metals.  There are all kinds of pesticides, herbicides and assorted other nasty stuff which find their way into our groundwater system every day.  In order to take care of these threats effectively, you need to use an activated granular carbon filter and a multi media block.

The third step in the water purification process is bacterial and viral contamination.  Your local treatment center has proven pretty successful at removing this threat through the use of chemical disinfectants and through UV radiation.  These two methods, whether used separately or together, kill just about anything found in our water.

While chemical disinfection works wonderfully in protecting us from bacterial threats, the chemicals used pose a few threats of their own. Studies have shown that drinking chlorinated water greatly increases your risk of developing certain types of cancer.  THMs, which is a byproduct of chlorine, has been directly linked to breast cancer.  You really need to mention that fact when you explain water purification to your friends and family.

There are a number of home protection systems available to you, but they are not all the same.  Some these systems disinfect, which as stated is already taken care of by the treatment facilities. Some remove chlorine and nothing else.  Still others do nothing more than de-mineralize.

The water purification process that you want to use will contain a combination activated granular carbon, multi media blocks and an ion exchange filter (for mineral balance).  This balance of filters will work together to prevent any and all contaminants from reaching you and your family, giving you the purest, healthiest h20 possible.

Compare Water Treatment Systems - The Ultimate Guide

With any important purchase you want to get the best value for your money. Take the time to compare water treatment systems and find the best products on the market. This type of purchase is just as important as any other important item from a car to a computer.

When you really stop and think about it, what is more important than your health and safety? Nothing. And you will see that with all the chemicals out there, water treatment systems are vital necessities in today's world.

So why do you need a filtration unit? Well for one, the danger of lead in water. What most people do not know is that the plumbing fixtures in homes contain a large percentage of lead. This is usually found in brass and chrome-plated brass plumbing fixtures.

That means that whatever your local treatment plant is doing to purify the water doesn't even matter. In fact, the EPA has stated that 98 percent of all homes contain plumbing where trace amounts of lead can seep into tap water.

That's why when you compare water treatment systems, be sure they can filter out lead. Some products on the market are only capable of sifting out a few minerals and a small level of chlorine. You want to see if a unit can handle eliminating a wide range of properties.

Some feel that Reverse Osmosis and distillation water treatment systems are outdated. When you see claims on such products that they remove TDS, or total dissolved solids, be wary.

Fancy claims aside, the TDS meters actually just measure the dissolved minerals in water such as calcium and magnesium. They do not remove harmful contaminants or create pure water. You have to compare water treatment systems that use a better process like selective filtration.

Review products that have the capacity to remove contaminants and not just minerals. A good apparatus will safely filter out a host of chemicals and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). You have to understand that VOCs are manmade chemicals and water treatment systems need to be able to eliminate them.

Furthermore, these substances are used to manufacture pharmaceuticals, and other things, such as paint. VOCs typically include industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, and are by-products of chlorination in water treatment, namely chloroform.

Ideally a good dual-filter system can effectively handle all the threats out there. Compare water treatment systems for how they filter out harmful substances. Look for products that use a multi-faceted process.

Learn about what the filtration process of chemicals involves. This will help you make the right decision. A combination of carbon filtration, ion exchange and sub-micron filtration can provide delicious and safe water. Be sure it can filter out everything from lead and VOCs to fuel oxygenates (MTBE) and cysts.

Now that you understand some of the ins and outs of water purification, you are a step closer to creating a safer environment at home. Plus, you can better compare water treatment systems and make wise buying decisions.

5 Tips to Find the Best Home Water Treatment Systems

With so many water treatment systems coming out these days, it can seem daunting to make the right choice as to which system to go for. Without doing a background search, arriving at an informed decision will be no doubt impossible. If you are thinking of using system to treat the water supply in your home, it is highly recommended that you compare water treatment systems before going out to purchase one. There are some tips you can use to help you find the best home water treatment systems, as well as water treatment products, that are being sold in the market these days, and this article gives you at least five of them.

The first tip on the list, and no doubt the most important one, is to research on all the home water treatment systems or water treatment products that are available. Of course, it would be impractical to employ all of them. After getting basic information and browsing through the profiles of some of the systems or products, you can narrow your research by selecting just one, two, or three of the seemingly effective ones and go from there. The Internet is the most powerful tool that can aid you in this task. However, you must exercise caution and discernment in identifying which are information-oriented articles and which are purely product advertisement campaigns.

The second, third, fourth, and fifth tips are all attached to the process of research. This means that you should follow the tips when you are doing the necessary research on the home water treatment systems and water treatment products you can find out there. So, what are these tips exactly? They all involve around factors that you should check out before settling for one water treatment system or product for your home. These factors include effectiveness, credibility, cost, and popularity.

The term "effectiveness" actually pertains to the overall performance of the system you are interested in. There are a number of home water treatment systems, including reverse osmosis, steam distillation, filtration, softening, and many more. The standard to follow is that the water treatment system should be able to successfully remove contaminants that can endanger your health and that of your family. But removing the contaminants, whether natural or man-made, is not the only consideration. The water treatment system should leave the water clean and perfectly safe for drinking purposes and other uses. Water treatment products or equipment can help with this.

The term "credibility" refers to the reputation of home water treatment systems, as vouched for by years of research, development, and all-around evolution. There are water treatment products out there which have not been tried and tested. This can lead to serious health hazards. The most credible water treatment systems are those designed and constantly modified by specialists who work in and out of their laboratories to ensure only the best results in the water treatment industry. The term "popularity" is sometimes confused with the term "credibility," but the two are different, though somewhat related. When a product is popular, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is credible. However, when many experts recommend a product, it shows the product's value.

Finally, the term "cost" simply pertains to the savings you can make from choosing one among the many home water treatment systems. The accompanying water treatment products or equipment should be that expensive to maintain and care for because this will only make you lose more money in the long run. The water treatment system you should go for is the one that can treat your water supply so you'll have water that is not only safe for drinking but for all other uses of water too, such as bathing or showering, washing clothes, washing dishes, cleaning the house, etc. All these factors can help you find the best systems for treating water in your home.

Water Purification Processes

Water purification is the scientific process of cleaning or sterilizing water for human consumption, or for use in industrial, medical and pharmacological practices. The process removed biological contaminants, chemicals and other materials from water. Water is contaminated through a variety of means and there are numerous methods used for the purification of fluid.

Generally, the process includes the use of filtration systems to filter and clean fluid. Natural water purification occurs through the normal process of water draining through the earth, filtered through plant roots, and into the ground water system. However, with the number of manmade contaminants that add to the undesirable state of ground water, additional means must be employed in order to clean fluid for human consumption. Those locations that are highly populated have water treatment and purification plants that process large amounts of water every day to make it usable in residential homes and commercial facilities.

Homes which operate off of wells face additional challenges for liquid purification. Many who live in the city find water filtration and purification necessary as well, as additional chemicals are often added to city water in treatment plants to clean the water and make it safe for consumption, cooking, bathing, and other normal activities. However, many people see these chemicals as potentially harmful and the taste of city water is also largely a factor in the choice to use additional in home liquid filtration and purification methods.

Commercial substance filters and purifiers are easy to find. Many can be attached directly to the facet, and work by filtering tap water through additional means in order to remove chemicals and other contaminants. Purifiers can also be larger appliances, similar to a water softener, and capable of filtering water for the entire home through a single, larger unit. The processes used in fluid purification can take many forms. Physical processes include filtration and sedimentation, but biological processes can also be quite common, including activated sludge filtration and the use of slow sand filters. Other processes include chemical treatments like those in flocculation and chlorination. Other methods can include the use of ultraviolet light and electromagnetic radiation.

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How to Compare Water Treatment Systems - The Facts

With the vast amount of different water purification products, it was inevitable that at some point water treatment system reviews and comparison information was going to start appearing on the Internet.

As happens with any other popular product, several specialized sites as well as enthusiastic users write and post reviews of the water treatment systems they have tested, and make conclusions about which one is the best.

However, many of these comparisons are not fair, not because the authors lack objectivity, but for the simple reason that some comparisons are made among different aspects of such systems. It's much like comparing oranges and potatoes, sort of speaking.

If you are looking for good information that correctly compares the different systems, you should look for sites that separate their table of comparison in several sections, comparing each feature with the corresponding one on the other system.

In this case these sections are mainly made up of four: the volume of water that can be processed, the quality of the treated water, the technologies used by the system, and the costs associated to installation and maintenance.

1- Water volume: The amount of water that can be processed effectively. It determines how much water you can consume during a certain amount of time, typically litres per hour or per day.

To compare water treatment systems of different types, you should consider equivalent or similar uses; for instance, when comparing a whole-house water treatment system with smaller filters, you should think about the volume of water processed by a single whole house system versus the combined volume of treated water if you had a smaller system in every sink and shower in your home.

2- Water quality: The level of purity of the water obtained, i.e., the amount of toxins and contaminants present in the processed water compared to a similar sample of untreated water. Preservation of beneficial minerals and other elements should also count for purity measurement.

You can compare the results by taking equal samples from them, regardless of how much water they process.

3- Building technology: Refers mainly to what type of filters are used to process the water. This is one of the most important things to take into consideration when you compare water treatment systems. Filters determine which toxins and harmful chemicals are retained and which ones pass through, and different filter technologies have different effectiveness.

A good comparison should inform about the duration of each type of filter, and about how efficient they are over time.

4- Costs: The amount of money you will spend to set up and maintain it. To compare in a fair way, you should think about how much will it cost to use the compared systems to process the same amount of water, and how frequently will the equipment need maintenance (like a filter change, for instance).

Typically, whole house systems cost more in the beginning, but end up being very cost-effective in the long run.

Installing a water treatment system is a good decision to make, but choices can be tough. An accurate comparison leads to an informed decision, and this will ensure you pick the best system for your needs.

Choose the Best Drinking Water Treatment For Your Home

There are so many drinking water treatment solutions and processes available on the market today it can be hard to decide which is right for your home. Drinking water contamination has become more of a concern recently than in the past. Making sure your family is safe using your water for drinking, cooking and bathing has become a top priority for many people.

How to Determine Which Drinking Water Treatment is Right for You

The first thing to ascertain is what type of drinking water contamination you may have. This will determine the type of purification solution you use. You may want to find a solution that is cost effective and will take care of the more typical drinking water contamination that may be present. Even if some of those contaminants are not in your water, it is better to be safe than sorry. If you are unsure you can have your water tested to pinpoint the ones that are most prevalent.

The next thing to consider is how much purified water your family will need to use. When deciding upon the drinking water treatment, you will use, this will be a vital factor. A typical family of four people will use anywhere from four to eight gallons of water per day.

If Cost is a Factor

Often cost is one of the factors when one is considering the type of drinking water treatment you will use. The initial cost may be high for some of the treatments you may be considering. You will also want to factor in the ongoing costs of the drinking water treatment. Think about how much it will cost to operate over the next ten to forty years based on how long you think you will be living in your residence.

The Value of the System and the Guarantee

Because there are so many choices when you are thinking about how to combat drinking water contamination you want to be assured that the product you are buying is of the highest quality and the best value for the money. A guarantee for performance should be given and the reputation of the drinking water treatment company should be pristine. You should not go for cost over value as this water is being used for your family, your most precious commodity.

There are many ways that drinking water contamination can occur and being vigilant about the water your family consumes is an important consideration. Drinking water treatment is on the mind of many families whether they live in a rural area using their own well water or they live in the city and must rely on public water.

Ask your water company for a water report and if you have your own well, have the water tested to learn what drinking water contaminant may be present. Then do your research and figure the costs before you make any final decisions about which drinking water treatment solution or process you want to use. Just like anything else, shop around so you can get the best value for your dollar.

What's A Water Purification Process?

Do you have any idea about what's a water purification process is? Well, if you're like most of us, I'll be asking you to stay and read the article below and who knows, the information you get here could save your life and your family.

Unlike before, the water purification process has gone into a confusing and complicated game. Nonetheless, the idea remains the same: to make the water safe by purifying it. It's that simple. Previous treatment facilities involve the use of huge clunky and heavy machines, but the technology has changed all that. We can now purify water in the comfort of our homes.

Water is life and all living things, including humans, need it. There's no shortage of water around us but not all water is potable or safe for drinking. We can't drink rain, melted snow or those found in the swamps. They need to be processed first to achieve the purest form free from disease causing microbes. We need pure water to achieve good health Good health means we can save money instead of spending it on hospital bills and vitamin supplements. Good health allows us to perform what we're supposed to do. It creates the well-being of an individual.

We're so dependent with water from washing to cooking and doing some domestic tasks such as cleaning the things around us. Access to clean water is, therefore, the most important thing we do everyday and yet taken for granted.

How Water Purification Process Works?

The market is filled with water treatment gadgets and equipment. Various techniques, various differences but all geared towards achieving purified water. Most of today's systems make use of different filtrations or cleaning levels. It's impossible for a single level to clean the entire thing. Each level has its own function and contributes to the entirety of the operation. Thus, if one system has failed, the rest will follow.

The cleaning sequence is not a run-of-the-mill process but a carefully thought out process. Different contaminants and pollutants are eradicated in various levels in a very systematic way. Microbes are treated and killed, and water turned into a soft water (with limited amounts of dissolved minerals) on certain levels.

There have been many discussions going on about how the water should be treated. Technology is continuously working its way up to making our water safer than ever. When you're purchasing for your own water treatment facility, it's best to do some serious research first, on what fits the bill or not. I hope that the above explanation gave you the bird's eye view of what the water purification process is all about.

Water Treatment Is Necessary

Water treatment is a process in which equipment or other solutions remove worrisome particles, minerals or other substances from your supply. Both homes and businesses can benefit from investing in the right treatments as it can purify it significantly. In doing so, the process ensures that everything you put into your body and your into your children is healthy. Individuals who may need these types of treatments may have problem suppliers. In other cases, though, the government-tested supply coming into your home could be bad for you. It is up to you to determine if the quality is high enough for your needs.

Test It First

The first step in getting the right water treatment is to test what you have. This process involves having a professional come to your home and to perform the test. It generally does not take long to complete. By testing the water that comes into your home or business, you get a very accurate understanding of what substances may or may not be lurking within it. Unlike the testing done at the plant, this is an individualized look at what is going on.

Determine the Problem

One of the most important things for individuals to realize is that with problems in the supplies, you could be infected your family and not realize it. There is no way to spot some types of problems with just looking at the supply. In addition, there can be problems lurking there that can go unnoticed by you for years to come even as health problems develop. You may never link it. However, after testing the supply, it will be obvious if there is any concern.

Determine the Solution

Once you know there is a problem, the next step is to find the proper solution. There are various types of treatments available. In some cases, there are needs to use a filtration system to pull out particles and other contaminants from the water. In other cases, treatments are added to the supplies in order to improve the overall composition. When you work with an expert, he or she will guide you to making the right decision based on the specific concerns in your home or your place of business.

It is important not to put off getting this type of treatment. If you do, you may end up with problems that are harder to fix. Water treatment is specific and customized for your location based on the test results obtained. When working with a company offering these treatments, it is very important to understand the options offered to you and then to determine which one can offer the best, long-term improvement that you need.

The Need of the Times - Water Treatment Systems

Pollution is a major issue faced by urban communities all over the world. Whether it is in the form of air, land or water pollution the phenomenon affects our lives in several ways. The rising cases of asthma, poor quality of food grains, fruits and vegetables and spread of water-borne diseases are just some of the effects of pollution.

Development with harmony

Cities around the world are grappling with lack of hygiene and sanitation facilities due to poor infrastructure planning. In most cases the available resources and facilities prove to be insufficient to support the increasing population.
Urban development in harmony with the environment is an important aspect of town planning something which is often overlooked in most places. A well planned settlement with facilities for water treatment both for potable purpose as well as recycling makes for healthy living. Industrial units, one of the main sources of water pollution should be away from residential zones with facilities to treat effluents and exhausts.

The benefits of Water treatment

Recycled water has been used to great benefit for agriculture and landscaping purpose. In coastal areas or places where the rainfall is heavy, storm water and rain water treatment systems have provided large amounts of water to communities to be used for a variety of purposes from residential hygiene related to large scale irrigation.

Advanced technology with traditional means

Several urban and semi-urban areas have extensive water treatment facilities that make use of sophisticated filtration systems. These systems are usually based on up to three levels of purification based on physical, chemical and biological processes. The physical filtration method is based on traditional means using sand, pebbles and sediment chambers. Advanced filtration processes include materials like active carbon, ion-exchange process, artificial and biological membranes and the like.

The water treatment system has been used extensively in most places on a large scale as well as for domestic purpose. Entire cities are served by water treatment plants situated at various places. Small water purifier units seen in many households use the same filtration technique albeit on a small scale.

Health is wealth

Water purification units for potable purpose also make use of additives like chlorine and water softeners along with the other methods. Storm water runoffs are now systematically collected in tanks and treated in plants to be used for flushing toilets, watering trees and on croplands. This has reduced the prevalence of diseases like malaria which occur due to stagnant water. Also the incidence of other water borne diseases too has reduced considerably in places where water treatment plants have been set up.

Often along with financial constraints, lack of knowledge, awareness and infrastructure lead to degradation of the environment. Most town planning authorities have tried to resolve the problem by allocating a separate fund for environmental concerns as part of maintaining public health and hygiene.

Phosphate Water Treatment - Giving Nature a Helping Hand

Due to diminishing water resources and increasing costs associated with waste water disposal, along with stricter discharge regulations, phosphate and waste water treatment and management is becoming ever more essential. The municipal sector, which incorporates water and associated wastes originating from residential areas, commercial and industrial operations and institutions, consumes the greatest proportion of water and thus waste water discharge. All water that is consumed by these users must be treated before it is released back into the environment.

Although nature has an innate ability to naturally flush out toxins from the water, the increased pressure from population and industrial expansion has created an urgent requirement to assist nature in the reduction of phosphate and waste water pollutants. Clean water is critical to all aspects of life, not only human health. Fisheries, with the plants and animals contained in these ecosystems, is critically dependent upon clean water. Wildlife habitats, such as oceans and rivers, teem with life that depends upon shoreline, beaches and marshes. Additionally, this natural resource provides a recreation haven for many, with scenic and recreational values of this natural resource held high in the psyche of most humans.

The process of wastewater treatment endeavours to remove as much of the floating solids as possible from the water, which is termed effluent, before it is released back into the environment. If the solid material is not removed, as they decay in the natural environment they utilise precious oxygen which reduces the amount of oxygen available to living plants and animals who call the body of water their home. There are a variety of practices to remove contaminants from wastewater, including physical, chemical and biological. In most instances, a variety of methods are combined to ensure varying types of contaminants are removed, with the variety of systems being termed primary, secondary and tertiary waste water treatments. As well as nutrient removal, some of the more scrupulous treatments include the removal of specific contaminants.

Among the various systems employed to decontaminate the water, a new practice that is emerging involves the filtration of effluents form waste water. This process has become widely accepted for the supplemental removal of suspended solids from waste-water effluents of biological and chemical treatment processes, in addition to the removal of chemically precipitated phosphorus.

Controlling phosphorous discharged from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants is a key factor in preventing eutrophication of surface waters, being one of the major nutrients contributing in the increased eutrophication of lakes and natural waters. The presence of phosphorus can lead to many water quality issues, including increasing algal presence in the water, which raise health concerns and reduce the value of recreational and conservational principles.

Process Water Treatment Solutions

Never before has the business of process water treatment been more crucial for the manufacturing industry than it is today. High tech manufacturing technologies, closer tolerances, more stringent quality standards and substitution of less environmentally friendly components with water oftentimes require high purity water to achieve acceptable results. Those who are proactive about installing or upgrading water purification processes to ensure state of the art water treatment will thrive, while those who neglect this important aspect of manufacturing face growing challenges and process water treatment problems.

Process Water Treatment: The Necessity of Viable Systems

Process water refers to water used in manufacturing processes such as rinsing, plating, spraying, coating, cooling, washing, product dilution, boiler water make-up, cooling tower make-up, etc. Oftentimes, minerals dissolved in the city or well water may cause spotting, fouling, streaking, interference with adherence, scaling, product contamination or other undesirable effects which affect quality of the product or the cost to manufacture it. Water quality may be associated with high energy costs; for example, demineralizing water going to a boiler may reduce fuel consumption markedly by allowing operation at much higher cycles of concentration, thus drastically reducing the blowdown which dumps very hot water down the drain. Oftentimes warm water is discharged to sewer, thus wasting energy.

Any manufacturing company that uses large amounts of water needs to accept the fact that equipment and infrastructure to process water is essential. Otherwise companies not only lose money by failing to reuse water at a time when water and sewer fees are becoming ever more expense elements of a successful manufacturing plant, but they may also risk fines, product quality issues, or forced downtime.
Responsible Water Treatment Process Makes Marketing Sense

Water is a dwindling resource required to sustain life on the planet. Consumers are increasingly interested in how responsibly the products are manufactured. Some retailers (e.g., WalMart) have programs in place to evaluate their vendors on how environmentally-responsible they operate. So in terms of an image and branding strategy it is imperative that every manufacturing facility - whether it is located in the USA or abroad - emphasize their efforts to conserve resources in their manufacturing processes. Frequently this involves water recovery and reuse.

Affordable Process Water Purification

The fact remains that many companies just cannot afford to invest vast amounts of money to create their own process water purification system. Neither can they justify the high salaries it takes to hire and retain expert water system engineers to manage an on-site water treatment process. That's why more and more companies - both large and small - are outsourcing this important and highly specialized work to professionals. For those who need a short-term solution, for example, an experienced water system provider can bring in portable purification equipment for a specific period of time. In that way, a manufacturing company can be more strategic about allocating financial resources to maximize water treatment budgets.

Leaders of manufacturing businesses need to be aware of the potential for water-related problems and address those in a proactive but fiscally sound manner. Working with water purification companies to install and maintain infrastructure for industry compliant water treatment is one solution. Companies can also take advantage of numerous affordable alternatives like leasing some or all of the equipment on an as-needed basis.

Waste Water Treatment Plant Appraisal, How Is Your Waste Water Treated?

What is wastewater? Wastewater happens to be called sewage is it is the waste that is released by the locals. It is mostly water, 99.94 with little solid material. When it comes to your sewage, it will take five does to break it down and it has many diseases and germs contained inside it. Sewage is waste and the waste includes things like E Coli, which can seriously harm or make one sick. It also has things like minerals, metals, and nutrients. It includes things like ammonia and phosphorus.

There is usually a process that will remove all the waste from the water before it flows back into a body of water. When it comes to cleaning wastewater, the goal to the process is to reduce or remove some matter, nutrients, diseases, and parasites or pollutants. There are laws that control the process, because you can only release a certain amount of pollutants into a body of water before you are considered to be contaminating.

When it comes to treating your sewage, you will find that there is a preliminary and primary treatment. When it comes to the preliminary treatment stage, it will make sure that it takes out, separates, or grinds large particles. This is done so that you can protect the pumping equipment or other equipment used in the treatment process. The debris that is separated or screened out ends up being buried in a landfill.

During the primary treatment, it will take out the solids and greases. It will be placed in a holding tank for hours. Then when all the particles are settled to the bottom and the grease is floating, the bottom waste is sucked out and the top is skimmed into sludge tanks. Then once the water is clarified, it goes to the next stage. If your plant doesn't do this, then they must do a secondary treatment.

Secondary treatment is the process of when microorganisms are added to the wastewater so that the organic matter is absorbed. You may find that the plant uses a fixed film, suspended film, or lagoon systems. Fixed film systems take out things like rocks, sand, and plastic.

Suspended film systems are where the sludge is taken out of the wastewater and sent to a sludge treatment plant. Lagoon systems take full advantage of natural drying, where the water is placed in a large holding tank and allowed to evaporate its water content. At the end of this stage you should only have, the sludge particles left since all the water would have been evaporated.

Water Treatments at Home

There are many water treatment products available in the comfort of your own home. If you just spend more time looking for alternative and easy ways to treat the water coming out of your faucet, there will be no need to pay out some of your bucks for bottled waters.

As insisted by bottled water companies, their merchandise is the most accessible and most significant water treatment product of this generation. New brands are sprouting each and every day making us, consumers, very confused. Since bottled water brands continuously flourish, the prices have to compete. The cheaper the better is what the market and consumers dictate. Because of this, the quality control measures of these companies are downgraded as well making the water almost as impure as tap water. Due to this quandary, people are now looking for an alternative way to just treat themselves the water they drink. Not only it is much safer, it is also a much cheaper choice.

Some homeowners cling to an explicit choice when it comes to home water systems. The RO or reverse osmosis method is one of the few choices to purify tap water. The process of osmosis helps in separating the molecules that are much larger than water molecules in the solution by exposure to a solution with much stronger pure water molecules concentration. This process is then reversed-hence the name. This method also works to detach a few hazardous contaminants from the water, along with the filtration of some minerals which are helpful for the human body. Many water treatment products consider this system to be useful in some ways. However, this is neither dependable nor cheap since it might be enough under particular circumstances.

Aside from the scientific alternative process mentioned, there are of course other ways in order to have a water treatment system at home. The simplest and most relative way would be the use of faucet mounted filters which works in the primary filtration of the water that is coming out of the faucet. This is actually necessary in showers in order to have clean and pollutant-free bathing water. Other water treatment systems which are not costly at all are the pitcher purifiers, filter bottles and filter straws. Either can be used as a substitute method for reverse osmosis and bottled water. There are also the counter top and or under the counter water treatment systems. Whichever does its work to filter out dirt and other pollutants that the water acquires on its way to your faucet.

Choosing to have a water treatment system at home is very essential. Not only you will be able to save time and money, you will also be able to contribute to the benefit of the planet. The demand for bottled water is detrimental to the earth's survival. It is widely known that plastic bottles are non-biodegradable thus more garbage to pollute the planet. If your resort is to use water treatment products at home, you will not just help yourself but also the environment.

Water Treatment Professionals Provide a Vital Service

Residential water treatment has many great benefits. Even with the great things it provides, many people still choose not to utilize this service. It can either be because they are not aware of its advantages or they believe that it is not worth the money. Whatever the case, it is important that people begin to realize how beneficial this process can be for them and their families.

First of all, water treatment allows you to have better tasting and purer water. This is obviously something that is very important to many people. The reason it is so obvious is because of how popular liquid filters are becoming. People no longer just want their drinking supply to come straight from the faucet. Instead, they want something that has been purified. So, in order to get the taste that they desire, they go out and buy a filter that will satisfy their needs. They could also call a water treatment professional to come out to solve the problem.

Not only can this service help to make your water taste better, but it also helps you to have cleaner laundry. This is also something that most people truly desire. It does no one any good to have dirty laundry after it has supposedly been washed. Everyone's intention for putting their clothing in the washing machine is for it to come out as clean as possible. The only problem is that when water is not treated properly, many times it doesn't clean clothing as well as it should. What ends up happening is that the clothing may come out with dirt stains on it that should have been washed away. Water treatment creates a softer source, which allows the detergent to clean the laundry completely and properly.

This procedure can also be beneficial when it is time for you to clean your bathroom. The soft water that it creates alleviates the need to have to clean up soap scum. Soap scum is something that many people find themselves having to deal with. Someone can be in the restroom for 15 minutes, attempting to clean up just one area of soap scum. The great news is that the water treatment process eliminates the need to deal with this issue.

So instead of spending an extra hour in the restroom trying to clean up hard hit areas, you would have more time to clean other areas of your home. Not only that, you would also have more time to relax and spend with your family.

So don't overlook the advantages that this service can provide. It can do more good than you may think.

What a Good Drinking Water Treatment Facility Can Do

If you ever have the opportunity to tour a good public drinking water treatment facility, you will see that a number of different steps are in place to remove or reduce impurities large and small.  The steps that are taken depend, primarily, on the quality of the source, although municipal finances do sometimes come into play.

Above ground sources, such as rivers, lakes or reservoirs require the most steps.  Illness-causing pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses, can thrive in above-ground sources, particularly during the warmer months of the years.

In order to avoid outbreaks of waterborne illnesses, which is the term used by health care professionals to describe them, facilities use disinfectants, such as chloramines or bromine.  UV light may be used, as well as exposure to ozone or oxygen.  Whatever the facility believes is necessary to prevent the spread of illness.

But, that's not the first step for an above ground source.  Large particles, such as mud, dirt, rocks and sticks, are removed using a wire mesh.  The mesh can become clogged.  Keeping it clear is one of the jobs performed by the facility's employees.

Drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment have some things in common.  Both facilities can make use of a reverse osmosis step, although the process is expensive and is usually reserved for specific contaminants.  Lead, for example, is one of the hazardous compounds that can be removed through the use of reverse osmosis.

Wastewater facilities use a settling process to separate solid waste from liquids.  Eventually, the solid particles are formed into pellets and are sometimes used as fertilizer, although many farmers are put off by the smell.

Once the cleaning process is completed, the wastewater is returned to a river or ocean.  The EPA hopes that the processes used will protect fish and other wildlife, as well as people living downstream. 

When it comes to drinking water treatment facilities, the EPA hopes that the necessary steps are taken to prevent outbreaks of waterborne illness, which is a goal that most facilities are able to achieve.  The EPA has set allowable limits for other contaminants, such as lead and chemical disinfectants. 

Facilities are required to adhere to those limits.  Although former EPA employees have said that enforcing the limits is next to impossible, because of limited staffing.  Warnings are issued, but not always followed up on.

One thing that a public drinking water treatment cannot do, according to the EPA, is address the issue of cyst contaminants.  They say that cysts may be present at any time, but contamination is most common during spring and summer. 

Cysts are something like bacteria, but they are resistant to all known disinfection methods, other than boiling.  They are most common in areas near farms, where run-off is a problem.

A public facility cannot address the issue of cysts, because they are too small.  The EPA recommends home drinking water treatment systems for some individuals, because of the risk of cysts.  Many health experts recommend home systems for everyone.  There's only so much that a big facility can do.

Do Not Choose Just One Non Chemical Water Treatment - Choose Several

A non chemical water treatment can be used for removing contaminants of various kinds. Here's a look at some of the steps available today and the contaminants they are capable of removing.

Ion Exchange

As the name suggests, ion exchange is a process that exchanges ions of one material for that of another. In the case of water purification, the contaminants typically removed are metallic ions, such as copper and the more hazardous heavy metal lead.

No chemicals are used in an ion exchange step. The metallic ions are trapped through a process similar to magnetism. When the lead ions become trapped in the ion exchange filter, minerals such as potassium and sodium are released.

In addition to protecting your health, ion exchange systems can improve the taste of your tap water. Other filters capable of removing lead will also remove traces of healthy minerals responsible for water's taste.

UV Disinfection

The power of UV light has been used historically for public disinfection. As holding tanks stand in the sun, the UV rays from the sun work to reduce bacteria and other pathogens. Only recently has UV disinfection become a non chemical water treatment available for home owners.

There are even tiny pen-like UV devices you can carry with you when you go on vacations to other parts of the world. The stomach ailments that often accompany travelling are due to unique bacteria. You become accustomed to the bacteria present in your own drinking water, but different types exist in different parts of the world and they make you sick.

Sub-micron Filtration

Sub-micron filtration is used in the home typically to remove parasitic cysts resistant to other disinfection methods. The process is not unlike using a strainer, but the holes of the strainer must be smaller than one micron in size in order to be certified for cyst removal.

Cysts are not normally dangerous, but they can cause vomiting and diarrhea. The illness can be life-threatening for someone with a weak or undeveloped immune system. Children, people receiving cancer treatments, AIDS sufferers, the elderly and those that are already ill are most at risk.

Sub-micron filtration can also remove dust and dirt particles. Any sediments or dissolved solids larger than one micron in size will be strained out.

Carbon

Carbon granules or blocks are a non chemical water treatment for removing traces of chemicals that may already be present. Assuming the carbon filters are designed correctly, they will not add anything to the water.

Chemical molecules are trapped on the surface of the granules or the blocks. The process is typically used to remove chlorine, THMs, pesticides, herbicides, traces of drugs and other molecules too small to be removed in other ways.

Instead of choosing a single non chemical water treatment, you might need to choose several. It all depends on the contaminants present at the source.

The Vital Importance of Industrial Process Water Treatment

When most people think of energy shortages that put big demands on the economy, they tend to think of gas and oil. But water is fast becoming one of the most precious resources on earth. That looming shortage increases the urgency for professional industrial process water treatment methods, systems and infrastructure.

Untreated Water Can Disrupt Industrial Processes

Industrial process water treatment is necessary because superior water quality is essential for many manufacturing procedures. A high level of mineral content in water, for example, may create unwanted problems such as streaking and spotting during the application of industrial coatings. Minerals can build up on the components of industrial boiler equipment too, causing scaling. That reduces their performance and energy efficiency, adding to the cost of operations. In order to clean parts and remove scaling it may also be necessary to shut down manufacturing operations, a step that can dramatically reduce production and increase expenses.

Addressing a Wide Range of Problems

Thanks to proper industrial process water treatment, the management of water resources becomes much more effective. This has a positive impact on the natural environment as well as the bottom line revenues of manufacturing companies. Expert treatment can, for instance, reduce the presence of unwanted color, grease, oil, bacteria, turbidity, acidity and organic compounds. There are many sophisticated methods available to accomplish this kind of desirable water preservation and control. Among these are dealkalization, demineralization, decarbonation, nanofiltration, ultraviolet disinfection, and electrodeionization.

Advanced Blowdown Solutions

Another common issue industries face is "blowdown." This refers to the stage when water is bled out of boilers. Since water contains minerals, as the water evaporates into steam the concentration of mineral particles left behind increases. Soon those sediments reach levels that compromise the function of equipment. Proper treatment can, however, significantly reduce the volume of blowdown. This not only preserves more of the valuable chemically-treated heated water, but it also reduces foaming, corrosion, and other conditions that can result in process water impurities, damage to water lines, and reduced equipment longevity.

As the US economy improves, manufacturers will in kind increase production, and industries will ramp up to meet renewed demand. With the help of industrial process water treatment technology, they will be able to contribute to the economy while reclaiming precious resources, using less energy, reducing wasteful expenditures, and improving their revenues. Water as an industrial resource is precious, and astute manufacturers pursue the wisdom of water professionals in order to acquire the many benefits of quality industrial process water treatment.

Is the Public Water Purification Process Thorough?

I've been interested in the water purification process since I studied conservation in high school. After a field trip to a wastewater treatment facility, we were asked to explain water purification briefly. It's hard to be brief about such a lengthy topic. But I thought that you might be interested in the different processes used by treatment facilities and homeowners. So, here's a quick look.

You might say that the water purification process begins with soil. The earth cleanses rainwater of various kinds of contaminants. So, groundwater is one of the purest and cleanest sources we have. When you see bottles of natural spring-water, they are actually taken from deep wells, not bubbling springs. The mineral content in these bottles varies, because as the rain passes through the soil, some of the minerals become dissolved in it.

So, that's how you explain water purification that occurs naturally. The soil acts as a filter. Now, to explain water purification performed by man, let's start with wastewater treatment facilities.

The facilities are usually located near a lake, river, or ocean. All of the raw sewage that goes down a customer's drains ends up at these facilities. The sewage goes through a number of processes. First, it is allowed to settle. Solid material sinks to the bottom of storage tanks and is eventually pelletized for use as fertilizer. From there, the treatment steps vary. Some facilities use reverse osmosis to further purify. Others simply dump the resulting solution into the local water supply.

If they dump into a river, further down stream there may be a drinking water purification process. Many cities use rivers as the water source for the city's population. There a number of additional steps are performed. Rocks, sand and other large particles are removed with the use of screens. Smaller particles are removed using sand beds or reverse osmosis. UV light is sometimes used to reduce bacteria. Chlorine is added as a final step to further reduce bacteria and prevent algae from building up in the pipelines.

When some people explain water purification, they fail to mention that the steps taken by large-scale facilities are not "perfect". In the US, we have some of the safest drinking water in the world, but there are still problems.

A public water purification process will not get rid of cysts, which are tiny parasites that cause illness and, in some cases, death. The steps that they use can only reduce some of the common chemical contaminants, such as herbicides, pesticides and prescription drugs. Lead is sometimes found when testing the waters in homes and offices, because chlorine corrodes the pipelines. So, the lead content in homes is higher than what exists at the facility level. Luckily, we can take care of these problems in our homes.

To explain water purification processes available for homeowners, you start with granular carbon to remove chlorine and other chemicals. But, a complete home water purification process includes a variety of steps. Take the time to learn more about it and protect your health.

What Whole House Water Treatments Can Do For You

Does your shower water smell funny? Or does your tap water have a bad taste? If so, you could benefit from whole house water treatment. Poor municipal filtration processes as well as pollution can cause tainted H20 in your home.

The main culprits for bad tasting water are chlorine and chloramines. These substances are usually enlisted to kill bacterial contamination in drinking water. Water treatment equipment can help remove these and other contaminants such as copper and lead from water. Other things like calcium and magnesium can build up in your plumbing system. This can create water pipe blockages in your home and household appliances. However, you can rely on whole house water treatment to prevent such events from happening.

Overall, it has never been more important to protect yourself from harmful substances. Today, there are so many toxins out there, that you don't want to depend on "safe" purification from local agencies. All you have to do is read the headlines. The EPA indicates that over 2,100 cancer causing chemicals have been detected in U.S. water supplies. Furthermore, the National Academy of Sciences claims the "residues of 39 pesticides and their degradation products have been detected in the groundwater of 34 states."

So it's up to you to protect your home. But this can be challenging. Some water treatment equipment is sold separately for each faucet in your home. Getting a device for your shower head, bathroom sinks, and kitchen spout can be quite expensive.

There is a solution to this problem. You can get all-encompassing whole house water treatment that is much easier to install as well as cost-effective. Every little bit of savings helps when you own a home. To prevent using chlorinated and tainted water, get a top rated filtration unit. One that uses a four-stage process can support your entire home and families' needs. Such a product can reduce the maximum amount of contaminants in your home.

It has been reported by the EPA that there are elevated levels of chloroform gas in the air because of chlorinated water. It is a highly dangerous chemical and simply inhaling it can lead to respiratory difficulty. Whole house water treatment can provide better air quality in your home by removing the risk of this chloroform gas from entering the environment.

Most systems on the market come with everything you need to install them. A unit that has a multi stage process typically has all the filter parts and accessories. When you order water treatment equipment be sure you get an installation kit and the necessary hardware.

All of this will help you eliminate any problems you are having with your local water. Just keep up with any maintenance of your whole house water treatment device. If you follow the manufacturer's recommendation for replacing the filters, you can have a great unit for a long time.

Cooling Tower Water Treatment - Cooling by Evaporation

When trying to cool something down, there tend to be four main ways that one may use to aid the transference of heat. They are radiation, evaporation convection, and conduction. In cooling water treatment, we are predominantly concerned with the cooling effect of evaporation.

In our every day lives, we're all familiar with the way evaporation cools. When we work up a sweat, our bodies use this process to keep us from heating up, and it's the evaporation of the sweat from our skin that actually removes heat, cooling our bodies down as it does. This process of cooling by evaporation is known as an endothermic reaction.

In cooling tower water treatment, a cooling water system is designed to remove heat from processes or equipment by transferring it to water. The heat absorbed by the water must then be dissipated to allow the water to be reused. In an open, evaporative cooling water system, this occurs in the cooling tower or evaporative condenser.

A cooling tower is designed to maximise contact between air and water and, in doing so, encourage some of the water to evaporate.

The evaporation of just a small proportion of the water cools the remainder. In fact, evaporating just 2% of the water will achieve a 9°C temperature drop. When water is lost by evaporation in this way the mineral content of the remaining water becomes more concentrated. The higher the concentration factor the less water the system uses as fresh make-up).

Cooling by evaporation like this is relatively energy efficient and effectively conserves water by allowing hot water to be cooled and reused, rather than discarded. However, without effective water treatment and regular maintenance, significant problems can arise:

• Cooling by evaporation increases the dissolved solids of the water - raising the likelihood of corrosion, scale and deposition problems occurring;

• The increase in water temperature increases the potential for corrosion and scale;

• The retention of warm water in an open evaporative cooling water system increases the tendency for biological growth;

• A cooling tower is in effect an air-washer and will scrub corrosive gases, microbial nutrients, micro-organisms and dust from the atmosphere which if untreated can lead to increased corrosion, fouling and microbial problems;

• An evaporative cooling system is potentially a good growth environment for legionella bacteria and the spray produced in a cooling tower is the ideal means of generating the aerosols necessary to cause legionnaires' disease if adequate controls are not maintained.

Industrial Water Treatment - Objectives, Classifications and Applications

Industrial water treatment is a means to optimize industrial processes that are dependent on water consumption. Examples of these industries include cooling, heating, processing, rinsing and cleaning. This technique is employed in order to reduce not only operating costs but also to lessen the risks linked to contaminated water systems.

There are different objectives behind industrial waste water treatment equipment. Primarily it focuses on areas of scaling, corrosion, disposal of wastewater and microbiological activity. Alongside these objectives are different classifications for water treatment. Below are explanations for these subject matters on this industrial product.

Objectives of systems for treating industrial water

As mentioned awhile back, the objectives of treating water revolve around four areas. The first one on the list is scaling or the process caused by the precipitation of water mineral salts that result to solid deposit formation. The second one is corrosion which is often a problem taking place once metal is oxidized and forms into iron rusts.

The last two areas evolve on microbiological activities and disposal of wastewater. Microbes are often a problem especially in cold water systems. They often thrive in untreated areas and come in the form of flies, fungal spores, grass and dust. When it comes to disposal of wastewater, the main focus of attention is to provide a means to comply with wastewater treatment as required by the community. This is often dealt with in petroleum refineries and chemical plants.

Classifications of industrial water treatment systems

Water treatment for several industries is classified into three. Each of these treatment facilities has its own set of applications. The categories are boiler, cooling water and wastewater treatment.

A boiler water treatment makes use of a vessel to heat and treat water. It is essential in heating applications including those for domestic use and generators. It also provides steam for boats, trains and ships. The boiler helps transfer energy from fuel to the water before it serves its purpose.

The cooling water system on the other hand, makes use of cooling towers. These are devices that make use of heat removal processes. They employ water evaporation to remove heat from the system then cool it down to become a working fluid. This is important in oil refineries, power stations and chemical plants.

Lastly, wastewater treatment is a system that is utilized in various industries as well as in domestic residences. This is an industrial water treatment that aims at the removal of waste materials discharged by commercial properties and agricultural systems. With the correct processes employed, the objective of the water treatment system can be achieved.

How a Home Water Treatment System Removes Chemicals & Creates Delicious Drinking Water

Water softeners are bad for the environment because they add salt to the water system. Salt destroys plants and makes soil unlivable for plants for many, many years. Salt is extremely difficult and expensive to remove from water. Because of this, the state of California is trying to enact legislature to ban water softeners from being sold in California. Water is already scarce in California and the entire western seaboard is being forced to find ways to conserve and protect it's water supplies.

Salt softeners replace 'good' minerals like calcium with unhealthy mineral - sodium, for the purpose of eliminating "scale".

Water purification offers a non-salt and non-chemical alternative to ion exchange (known as water softening). It changes the "hard" minerals (calcium and magnesium) in the water, to their bicarbonate forms. This makes the minerals unable to form the hard scale build-up in plumbing and around fixtures. The other benefit of changing minerals to bicarbonates is that those minerals, which are beneficial to health, become more absorbable by the human body.

New water treatment technology not only prevents scale build-up, but eliminates existing build-up, extending the operating life of the plumbing and fixtures in the home. This is another benefit absolutely unique to this technology.

Water softening is widely installed in California and because it does not add salt to the water - will not be prohibited in California.

The water treatment system point of entry is approved by the Water Quality Association.

Water purification has a long history, and can provide results, of water quality tests before and after installs. Water testing has been done by many independent organizations such as the National Testing Laboratories of Ypsilanti, MI. As a matter of fact, water treatment systems include a pre-installation test of the well water by the National Testing Laboratory. The well system is then custom designed for the home owner to solve the particular problems of their well.

The entire water treatment process is a 'point-of-entry' system, which means it is installed at the point where the water supply comes into the home. It is therefor able to treat all of the water in the home rather than just at one or two faucets. This creates purified water for everything - drinking, shower, laundry, and the yard.

How to Find the Best Water Treatment System

How do you find the best water treatment system? First, you should consider performance variables of practicality and contaminant removal. Second, look at the most economical solution for your family.

Has your water been tested? If you have a well, testing should always be conducted. If you are serviced by a public treatment facility, it is sometimes advisable, as facilities do not test for all possible contaminants, only those that are regulated.

The most probable contaminants are liquid chemicals, compounds that are gaseous and sediment or solid particles, like traces of lead. Most liquid chemicals are removed by granular activated carbon, but a carbon block is more affective.

Water can channel around the carbon granules and elude purification. Bacteria can grow in the gaps between the carbon granules. The best water treatment system uses a special carbon block that also traps gases and sediment.

The pores are so small (less than one micron) that it will even trap cryptosporidium and giardia cysts. Those are parasites in an early stage of development that are resistant to chemical disinfectants. Infections can be deadly.

Tiny ions of lead and other metals, smaller than can be seen with the naked eye, are removed through a process called ion exchange. This process also improves the taste and mineral content, as the metallic ions are exchanged for mineral ions.

So, the best water treatment system is one with a submicron carbon block and ion exchange. How do you know which ones have it? If the purifier is certified to reduce cysts, THMs, VOCs and lead more than 99%, then those steps are included.

There is really only one kitchen purifier on the market that can do it, without using a reverse osmosis step. You don't want reverse osmosis because instead of using ion exchange to remove lead, it relies on a semi-permeable membrane that also removes any healthy mineral content.

Anything smaller than the pores in the membrane will pass right through, knowing this, the better units follow up with steps to remove chemical and gaseous contaminants. The thing is, you simply don't need the reverse osmosis step. It's just too expensive for most families.

The best water treatment system with submicron carbon blocks and ion exchange costs $125. The only reverse osmosis unit that can remove the same contaminants costs $650. In other words, you are paying $525 for reverse osmosis, when it is unnecessary.

You should also consider a purification device for your shower, since contaminates can penetrate the skin and the gases are inhaled in the enclosed space of the bathroom. Only two showerhead filters remove gaseous contaminants, along with traces of lead and copper.

There is again an extreme difference in price, but not because of reverse osmosis. This time it's because of the supposed benefits of volcanic stones.

The best water treatment system for the shower costs $67.99. Currently the manufacturer is offering a combo special that includes the kitchen and the showerhead system for $159.99. That's the best deal out there.

Is Your Water Purification Process Efficient?

You think your drinking water is safe? Maybe you've purchased the latest device and attached it to your faucet. It sure looks clean and clear. However, you really cannot tell if it is safe simply by looks alone. In the past, it was acceptable to take sub-par measures like boiling or using any old home filter to get "pure" water. But today, such methods are simply not enough for clearing out the many contaminants found issuing from your tap . Knowing more about the water purification process is a step in the right direction, as well as learning about the toxins that can enter your domestic supply.

Believe it or not, next to chlorine, lead is the most frequent contaminant found in tap water. This contamination usually happens when it travels from the main supply in the street to your home's faucet. That's why it's so hard to explain water purification on a large scale. The treatment typically takes place at a central location. Unfortunately people don't take into account what happens to their water after that.

In fact, most lead in drinking water comes from corrosion of lead piping, solder and other plumbing fixtures inside the home. As you may know, all of these types of plumbing fixtures are made with about 8 to 15 percent lead. It's also known that the EPA approximates that a very large percentage of homes have some type of plumbing system made with lead that can bleed into tap water. What's more, the EPA has determined that there any level of lead in drinking water is deemed unsafe.

One tip outside of filtration you can follow is to use cold water for consumption and cooking and especially for mixing baby formula. The reason for this is that hot water is more likely to contain higher levels of lead in it than cold.

Another way to safeguard your drinking water is to put a home filtration system in place. This is an important step in protecting you and your family from harmful contaminants. A twin-cartridge water filter system can be a vital asset and help you keep your children safer. The way a dual filter system works is that it employs two methods in the purification process. A combination of carbon filtration, ion exchange and sub-micron filtration is accomplished right at your kitchen tap.

Let me explain water purification a little further from a dual-filtration perspective. A dual system works to filter out chlorine, the problematic lead (mentioned earlier) and even pharmaceuticals and cysts (chlorine-resistant parasites). While filtering out all of this junk the system also works to keep the natural trace minerals in your water. A treatment product like this can be installed on a standard kitchen faucet. Be sure that when you are shopping for a system, you find one that can produce at least 30 gallons of ultra-filtered water per hour.

In conclusion, even natural spring water has to be tested before you know what kind of treatment it needs. So be cautious about the water you drink. Also, be aware of the local treatment process and how you can work to eliminate lead from your home supply. You will find not only is a home filtration process economical, but you can have great tasting water.

Drinking Water Treatment - How Contaminated Water is Treated

Drinking water contamination is a huge problem in today's industrialized society. Did you ever wonder how the drinking water treatment process works, and what needs to be done to protect ourselves?

In this article, I'm going to try to give you a quick guide on how our drinking water treatment is done, that is how our municipal water facilities treat our water, from the lakes and rivers to your home. But this method is still not adequate to protecting ourselves from drinking water contamination and ultimately your health.

The first stage of drinking water treatment starts with some type of pre-treatment. What this stage consists of varies, but what it does is to basically pump the water from the source, pre-screen it, that is to remove large debris like branches, and then store it. What follows might consist of pre-conditioning and pre-chlorination.

Then it might try to adjust the pH level. Below 7 means it's acidic and what they try to do here is just to bring it up to at least 7 or above, which would be alkaline.  

I know this might sound boring, but this step is important since, acidic water does a lot more damage to our body then alkaline water does. Our bodies will start to take nutrients out of our teeth and bones to try to level the acidity if the water we drink is acidic. Another scary fact is many facilities might not even use this step in its process to clean the drinking water contamination.

Now, most people wouldn't want to drink water that wasn't clear, right? So the next step might be to use a process called flocculation. All it does is basically throw in some type of small particles, and all the material in the water that gives a color will try to stick itself onto these particles and rise to the top and can be cleared away.

Now the problem is in the actual filtration or treatment of the water. Many municipal facilities use processes like a simple sand-bed filter, which leave a lot of contaminants still left in the water.  

What happens is the water slowly drains through a container of sand and anything that is smaller will drain through. The problem with this is, most of the time, the sand is coarse, leaving many chemicals and bacteria and viruses still within the water.  

Not only that, there are chemicals, especially synthetic ones that are smaller in molecular size than that of water, so that is not going to get filtered out anyways.

They also use many chemicals, including chlorine to treat drinking water contamination, which can be very damaging to our health. Think about it this way, many of the guidelines allow for 3 ppm (parts per million), but simple home test kits for a pool, only allow 1 ppm. If it's not safe to swim in, why should it be safe to drink?

Now, it's hard to cover exactly what your municipal water supply might do for our drinking water treatment. It could be one of the better ones, but since drinking water contamination is such a large dilemma that it is too costly for them to clean to levels that most of us would consider acceptable.

Since drinking water contamination is such a huge problem, it really is up to us to find a drinking water treatment process that can be added to clean our water. The drinking water treatment process I have found to be effective is that we to need a good multi-stage filtration product to filter our water once it reaches our homes.

Phosphate Water Treatment - Filtering the Good and the Bad

Naturally occurring in mineral deposits, rock formations, decaying plant and animal remains, and free ions in aqueous environments, phosphates occur in three forms, being orthophosphate, metaphosphate and organically bound phosphate. Phosphate utilised in commercial applications are termed apatite, which is a family of phosphates which exhibit high concentrations of chlorine, calcium and iron, among other elements in varying quantities and qualities.

One of the main commercial applications of phosphate is the removal of hazardous substance from wastewater and contaminated soils. Groundwater, surface water and soils can contain high levels of toxic chemicals which severely affect the quality of the water supply, as well as the surrounding environment. The utilisation of phosphate for waste water treatment, as well as in aquaculture, where it is used as a management tool to control nutrient levels and algal biomass in intensive farming are among the most popular commercial applications of phosphate.

In relation to waste water treatment, there are numerous methods to achieve the removal of toxic material, including oxidation, filtration, ion exchange, biological treatments and absorption methods. However, research has shown that the use of phosphate in an absorption process to remove toxic material from wastewater supplies is the most effective and suitable. Treating waste water with phosphate, due to the phosphates unique properties and qualities, has been proven to be stable under a wide range of environmental conditions. The ability to utilise a single method for waste water treatment under a range of temperature, flow and volume variables provides a distinct advantage for those charged with the responsibility of waste water treatment and management.

The use of phosphate in water treatment does not limit itself to large bodies of water. Many up-market dwellings and lodges now have decorative ponds, pools and even their own small lake. Golf courses are increasingly seeing the use of water hazards as both to increase the aesthetics and scenic attractiveness of the course while at the same time increasing the difficulty. Furthermore, water features are becoming regular sights within urban and regional parks. However, these water features, whether man-made or natural, tend to accumulate nutrient rich sediments and soluble ions which produce algal problems. Recent articles in newspapers though New Zealand have shown the issues that can arise when algal blooms and growths are not managed, including a complaints from local anglers who were frustrated by the fishing conditions and numbers of healthy fish in a number of key fishery lakes and rivers. Specially manufactured phosphate from leading suppliers of minerals, are able to remove nutrients from both the body of the water itself, while at the same time, being utilised as a sediment capping device.