Water, the life-giving liquid, “Where there is water on Earth, there is life as we know it” – While true on a universal scale involving different life forms, a quote with such profound depth additionally perfectly portrays the significance of a clean, reliable water supply to a household. 60% of an adult’s body is composed of it, we drink 2.5 liters of it a day, we wash our hands with it, we use it to shower and do the dishes: there is no doubt that our whole life revolves around purified water being pumped into our cozy homes.
Different (Water Treatment Systems)
From a biological perspective, many of our major organs are mostly water; the average person’s brain is at least 80% water, heart is 75% water, lungs are 75% water, with other organs including the muscular system and skeleton not falling too far behind.
Water Treatment Systems Uses
Safe water supply
Since it has such a great influence on our very existence, it is of vital necessity for our health as well as the health of all our water-dependent appliances to make sure that the water we use is void of any ‘impurities’ that may contaminate them. Impurities, being a rather broad term, actually refers to a series of evils that may manifest the fluid, cleansing, empowering soul of water.
Upon establishing the incalculable importance of having access to safe water, it is time to identify the best methods used to treat water, and the problematic impurities they rid your stream of flowing goodness of.
Well water treatment
You are particularly vulnerable to malevolent and harmful microorganisms if the water you use originates from a well. Being dug underneath the very soil that humans thrive on, wells are exceedingly vulnerable to pollutants.
Bacteria and other harmful organic and inorganic compounds (such as different nitrates, sulfur and some iron compounds) present in the soil may seep into the water through the walls of the well, or be carried in through the aquifers. Furthermore, Rainwater and melting snow carrying harmful microorganisms may also contaminate well water when they get absorbed into the soil.
Unfortunately, many are unaware of any of this, since we falsely led to believe that ‘natural’ well water is the safest.
It is recommended to get your water tested at least once a year to check on the levels of microorganisms, nitrates, PH value and generally whether the water in your well is safe to use or to consume.
Some telltale signs of unsafe well water are: unusual smells emitting from the water, unusual colors and funny tasting water. Water purification companies such as Pure Wave Water in Georgetown provide efficient solutions through complex filtration and chemical processes to ensure that your well water is completely safe to consume.
Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection
Harmful bacteria, viruses and other living organisms present in water can cause serious illnesses or at times even prove fatal. While chemical disinfectants such as chlorine are widely used to treat water, there is a strong controversy about the possible health hazards and environmental damage these disinfectants may cause.
UV disinfection systems work without adding any chemicals to water to kill microorganisms.
A UV disinfection system consists of water entering the apparatus from one end, passing through a UV light, and treated water exiting from the other end. UV light has a shorter wavelength than visible light, which also means that they possess larger amounts of energy. These high frequency waves affect living organisms by altering their DNA, which damages them and makes them unable to reproduce. Sufficiently damaged viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms are harmless and can be safely consumed by people.
Water softener
Water containing a large amount of minerals such as calcium, magnesium carbonates and sulfates are what we call ‘hard water’. While this doesn’t render it unsafe for human consumption (except for a funny taste), there are other complications hard water may cause in a household. Water reliant applications, especially those with a water heating element, may suffer greatly if they are run using hard water.
The mineral compounds tend to leave behind a solid residue once the water passes, forming a buildup of layers of “chalk”. These sediments obstruct certain electric components which causes your water heater to be less efficient, resulting in higher electricity bills. This also decreases the lifetime of water reliant applicants, causing frequent repairs and replacements. The problem isn’t just limited to appliances.
Solid residue buildup in pipelines will cause changes in water pressure, which in turn, will require you to call the plumber more frequently.
Hard water is treated through a filtration process appropriately dubbed ‘water softener’. This method utilizes a tank with a resin column that strips calcium and magnesium ions from water and replaces them with sodium ions through a method called ‘ion exchange’.
A separate brine tank is attached to the column to replenish the sodium ions that were lost during the exchange process. The water that leaves the column is soft – free of calcium and magnesium ions, and certainly wouldn’t wreak havoc on your household appliances!
Reverse Osmosis
This is the most complex water treatment system in this list. Reverse osmosis utilizes a complex apparatus consisting of a pressure pump, a semipermeable membrane and multiple tubes. Osmosis is the process in which water diffuses across a membrane into an area of higher mineral concentration, down a concentration gradient.
Reverse osmosis, however, performs the opposite by exerting pressure on high mineral content water to pass through a filter onto the opposite side, while leaving behind most of its dissolved compounds on the other side of the membrane. The water that passes through the semipermeable membrane is clean and desalinated, which can be used for household purposes.
This system of water treatment is ideal to desalinate water and to filter out most otherwise inseparable minerals and compounds. Desalinated water is soft water and does not leave residue behind in pipelines and household appliances.
Choosing the correct water treatment system
Choosing the correct water treatment system entirely depends on your water supply and the types of impurities. For example: UV disinfectants don’t filter out any minerals, water softeners don’t kill any microorganisms and reverse osmosis doesn’t remove pesticides.
It is important to have your water supply tested to identify any contaminations and then make an informed decision on what treatment method suits you best.