Drinking water treatment

ENVIRODOS® 100 Series

Help: What type of drinking water treatment is needed ?

What type of drinking water treatment is needed ?

Drinking water

Safe drinking water is everybody's business. Managing drinking water supplies properly, from the source water to the consumer's tap takes a great deal of knowledge and coordination among multiple stakeholders - from gouvernments and businesses, to individuals like you and me.

Products and materials that come into contact with drinking water

Another way that drinking water can become contaminated is by the products and materials wich with it comes into contact. Water is a solvent and can leach metals and other chemicals from pipes, fittings and other products.

The multi-barrier approach

The best way to make sure drinking water supplies are kept clean, safe and reliable is to take a preventive risk management approach. This means understanding each water supply from its beginning in nature to where it reaches you, the consumer. This understanding - about the water's characteristics, the way it could become contaminated, and the type of treatment it needs - comes from collecting and studying data.

The drinking water supply can be broken down into three parts: the source water, the drinking water treatment system, and the distribution system wich carries the treated water to homes, businesses, schools and other buildings. The plumbing inside your home is an extension of the distribution system.

As drinking water travels on its journey to you, it can be contaminated in many ways. The multi-barrier approach to managing drinking water supplies is a preventive risk management approach that identifies all known and potential hazards and makes sure barriers are in place to reduce or eliminate the risk of contamination.

Potential health problems with the use of water treatment devices like activated carbon

The activated carbon filters used in many water treatment devices can, in themselves,, become a source of contamination. Over time, the filter can become saturated with chemical contaminations, resulting in the release of these compounds into the finished water, possibly in even higher concentrations than in the source water. As well, build up of organic matter on the filter can lead to bacterial growth over even short period of time, i.e., overnight. Some manufacturers have devised various methods of reducing the microbial growth, such as adding silver, but the effectiveness of these methods is questionable.

Softeners (Ion Exchange Resin)

Although softened water is more suitable for washing and helps prevent deposits in appliances and pipes, it is not generally recommended for drinking and cooking due to its increased sodium content, decreased essential mineral content and the potential for bacterial growth. Bacterial growth may also occur in greensand filters.

For saltfree water softeners and conditioners please have a close look at our SOFTNOR® products and drinking water treatment dosing products from ENVIRODOS® made by Watch Water.

Potential health effects

Hard water is not a health hazard. In fact, the National Research Council (National Academy of Sciences) states that hard drinking water generally contributes a small amount toward total calcium and magnesium human dietary needs. They further state that in some instances, where dissolved calcium and magnesium are very high, water could be a major contributor of calcium and magnesium to the diet.

Researchers have studied water hardness and cardiovascular disease mortality. Such studies have been "epidemiological studies", wich are statistical relationship studies.

While some studies suggest a correlation between hard water and lower cardiovascular disease mortality, other studies do not suggest a correlation. The National Research Council states that results at this time are inconclusive and recommends that further studies should be conducted.

Hard water treated with an ion exchange water softener has sodium added. According to the Water Quality Association (WQA), the ion exchange softening process adds sodium at the rate of about 8mg/liter for each grain of hardness removed per gallon of water.

For example, if the water has a hardness of 10 grains per gallon, it will contain about 80mg/liter of sodium after being softened in an ion exchange water softener if all hardness minerals are removed.

Because of the sodium content of softened water, some individuals may be advised by their physician, not ot install water softeners, to soften only hot water ot to bypass the water softener with a cold water line to provide unsoftened water for drinking and cooking; usually to a seperate facet at the kitchen sink.

Softened water is not recommended for watering plants, lawns and gardens due to its sodium content.