The table below outlines information on specific home water treatment approaches. Keep in mind that some water treatment can be for aesthetic as well as health factors. If drinking water poses a health risk, the consumer may also consider the cost of purchasing bottled water or tying into a public water system if available as an alternative to treatment.
If you need to contact a water treatment professional to install or repair a home treatment system or to assess a …
Drinking Water Treatment – Reverse Osmosis
EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Inorganic contaminants such as: dissolved salts of sodium, dissolved (ferrous) iron, nitrate, lead, fluoride, sulfate, potassium, manganese, aluminum, silica, chloride, total dissolved solids, chromium, and orthophosphate. Also effective in removing some detergents, some taste, color and odor-producing chemicals, certain organic contaminants, and some pesticides.
NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Dissolved gases, most volatile and semi-volatile organic contaminants including some pesticides and solvents. Alone, reverse osmosis units are not recommended for treatment of bacteria and other …
Drinking Water Treatment – pH Adjustment
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About pH
pH is an indicator of the acid or alkaline …
Drinking Water Treatment – Oxidizing Filters
EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Oxidizing filters oxidize and filter iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide in one unit.
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Uses
An oxidizing filter is an in-line, point-of-entry device (on the main incoming water line) that converts dissolved iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide to a solid form and then …
Questions to Ask Before You Buy A Water Treatment System
Drinking Water Treatment – Activated Alumina
EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Fluoride, arsenic, selenium, and chromium.
Contents
- 1 Uses of activated alumina
- 2 How activated alumina works
- 3 Capacity of an activated alumina device
- 4 Maintenance of an activated alumina device
- 5 Special considerations
- 6 Questions to ask before you buy
Uses of activated alumina
Activated alumina can be used as a point-of-entry or point-of-use water treatment device. Activated alumina absorbs contaminants instead of filtering them. The effectiveness of activated alumina depends on the contaminant, characteristics of the …
Drinking Water Treatment – Potassium Permanganate
EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Dissolved iron and manganese, and hydrogen sulfide.
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Uses of potassium permanganate
Potassium permanganate is a point-of-entry treatment method that oxidizes dissolved iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide into solid particles that are …
Drinking Water Treatment – Ozone
EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms including bacteria and viruses, phenols, some color, taste and odor problems, iron and manganese, and turbidity.
NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Large cysts and some other large organisms, inorganic chemicals, and heavy metals.
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Drinking Water Treatment – Filtration
EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Small particles and suspended solids such as ferric iron, clay, silt and sand, and some pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, and colloids (suspended matter).
NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Any dissolved contaminants such as nitrate, dissolved iron, sodium, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
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Drinking Water Treatment – Distillation
EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Some heavy metals, dissolved solids, some bacteria and viruses, inorganic materials such as nitrate, sodium, fluoride, and sulfate, and some toxic organic chemicals.
NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Most volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and some bacteria.
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Distillation
Distillation is …
