Pure Water Occasional, May, 2022
 
Greetings from Pure Water Products, the Pure Water Gazette, and the Pure Water Occasional.
 
 
 
In this Memorial Day Occasional you'll learn why we worry about germs and not miasmas, hear about Dr. Show's famous pump, learn how the much-maligned air gap faucet works, learn how radium gets in water ( and how to get it out), hear about backwashing filters and water softeners, including an explanation of the age-old question of why softened water feels slimy on your skin.  All of this, and as always, much much more. 

Thank you for reading.   And sincere thanks from Pure Water Products for your continuing support.  We consider our greatest asset to be the many faithful customers who have kept us going over the years. We really appreciate your business!
 
Thanks for reading!

For article archives and water news, please visit the Pure Water Gazette.
 

A Landmark Event in the Understanding and Control of Waterborne Diseases


Waterborne diseases like infectious hepatitis,  bacterial dysentery, cholera, and giardiasis were common until fairly recently.  Throughout the world, health impacts were staggering. Entire villages in Europe were wiped out by plagues in the 11th and 12th centuries.   In 1848 and 1849 in a single cholera epidemic alone, 53,000 people died in London.
 
Dr. John Snow’s 1854 Pump Study is a landmark in the development of epidemiology (the study of infectious diseases).

The Broad Street Pump Findings

Dr. John Snow, a London obstetrician,  became interested in the cause and transmission of cholera after witnessing severe outbreaks of the disease in the 1830s and 1840s. In 1849 he published a pamphlet that suggested that cholera was transmitted by contaminated drinking water.  Many theories about the cause of cholera were in circulation at the time, and Dr. Snow’s polluted water theory was not widely accepted. The then-dominant theory was the miasma theory that stated that diseases such as cholera or the Black Death were caused by a noxious form of “bad air.” This was a short time before Pasteur’s “germ theory” became popular.
 
In 1854 Dr. Snow carefully plotted the locations of the illness and compared his findings to the subscriber lists of two private companies that provided water for London. His research showed that cholera occurred with greater frequency among the customers of one of the companies–the one that drew its water from the lower Thames river which was contaminated by London sewage. The other company used upper Thames water, which was less polluted.
 
Dr. Snow’s maps indicated a strong correlation between cholera cases and the proximity to the intersection of Cambridge and Broad Streets. The obvious conclusion was that the main cause of the cholera epidemic was the water drawn from a community pump on Broad Street.
 
 
Although few at the time believed Dr. Snow’s theory, the handle was removed from the pump to prevent further use of the water and the plague of cholera was broken.
 
Both the pump and its handle are on public display today and Dr. Snow’s discovery remains a landmark achievement in public health.
 
Reference: Thomas V. Cech: Principles of Water Resources: History, Development, Management, and Policy. (John Wiley and Sons, 2005).
 
 
 
 

How Air Gap Faucets Work

The air gap faucet is a frequently cursed and just as frequently misunderstood device used in water treatment.
 
Air gap faucets are used with some undersink reverse osmosis units. They are never used with filters because the air gap is not needed.
 
The purpose of the air gap faucet is not only to deliver drinking water from the RO unit, as all faucets do, but also to provide an “air gap” for the RO unit’s drain system.
 
An “air gap” is a siphon break to assure that drain water cannot flow backward from the household drain system into the reverse osmosis unit.
 
 
Note in the picture above that the tubes are of different diameters. The smaller tubes are 1/4″ and the larger tube is 3/8″.
 
The tube on the left in the picture delivers the “permeate” or purified water to the user via the tall spout when the faucet’s handle is pressed. The other two tubes are parts of the air gap drain systems.
 
Reverse osmosis units produce drain water called brine when they are in operation. This waste water comes up the center tube in the picture and is released into a small open trough inside the base of the faucet. The drain water flows along the open trough until it falls through a hole into the top of the larger tube on the right in the picture. The large tube connects to the undersink drain pipe. Water falls by force of gravity down the large tube and into the undersink drain pipe.
 
 
 
Classic Air Gap Design. The RO drain water goes up to the faucet in the red tube, then down to the sink’s drain pipe in the black. The permeate tube connects to the threaded metal stem. The hole in the faucet body serves as an overflow drain if the black tube is obstructed.

More about air gap faucets

If the air gap faucet leaks water through the hole in the faucet body onto the sink, it is usually because the drain line, the larger of the tubes, is stopped up. The drain hole, indicated with the arrow in the top picture, is an escape hole so that drain water can have a way out if the drain line stops up. The problem can usually be fixed by removing the drain line at the bottom end and clearing out the obstructions. Or, the obstruction may be in the drain saddle or the drain pipe itself.
 
Since the 3/8″ tube delivers water by force of gravity alone, any small obstruction (a small piece of food from the drain pipe, for example) can block it.
 
Since air gap faucets are often unpopular with homeowners because of gurgling noises when water runs to drain and messes on the sink when the drain line blocks, some manufacturers provide reverse osmosis with standard faucets. A standard faucet has only the permeate line, the one that is attached to the threaded shaft. The RO drain line connects directly to the undersink drain. This arrangement works flawlessly but dues not address the possibilty of backflow from a stopped-up drain.
 
Some RO builders take the middle road by using standard faucets but provide one or more one-way valves (called “check valves”) to guard against backflow from the drain.
 
Plumbing codes differ from place to place, but most still require the air gap faucet. It should be noted, however, that this is a provision of the plumbing code that is frequently overlooked.
 
If your RO unit has an air gap faucet and you want to get rid of it, here's an easy solution that lets you keep your faucet but get rid of the air gap feature.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Radium in Water
 
The natural metal Radium is a known human carcinogen. Radium exists naturally in rocks and ores and it is also refined from uranium ore. It is measured in pico curies (pCi), a measure of radioactivity. Radium is an EPA regulated substance with an EPA allowable limit (MCL) of 5 picuries per liter (pCi/L). Radium is most often found in water near uranium mines or waste disposal sites.
 
Removal of Radium can be accomplished by cation exchange (a water softener) and by reverse osmosis, which removes 95 to 98%. Distillation also removes radium. You should not assume that just having a water softener will take care of radium removal, however. There are special considerations you should learn about.
 
For more information about radium, visit the Occasional's Water Treatment Issues page.
 

Why Pure Water Products Backwashing Filters are the Very Best in the World.

by Gene Franks,  Pure Water Products  

To start with, we have invented a superior new filtration medium that removes all known contaminants from water, never wears out, and is very inexpensive. No matter what's wrong with your water, it fixes it.

We also have created a new filter control valve that lasts for 40 years, runs without electricity, and can be programmed by thought.

Finally, in response to customer demand, we have created a unique space-saving mineral tank that is over twice as large on the inside as it is on the outside.

I  wish I could tell you that this is all true, but, alas, I have to confess that we don't really manufacture anything or offer anything unique. We mainly use the same old stuff that’s available to everyone else in the industry for making filters. Nevertheless, we think that our backwashing filters offer an exceptionally good value because of the way we put them together, market them,  and support them.

Here are some reasons why we think our backwashing filters are "best."
 
 
The standard format for out simple backwashing filter features the Vortek mineral tank and the Fleck 5600 SXT control. We program the control to meet the customer's needs before shipment. Stainless steel bypass valve is included as standard equipment.
  
100% Vortech. We now use Vortech mineral tanks exclusively for all residential-sized filters (up to 13”). Vortech tanks cost more and they are harder to get, but they don’t need gravel underbeds,  and compared with conventional tanks, they save at least 20% of regeneration water used by the filter.  They save water day after day, year after year. They also distribute flow more evenly through the media bed for improved filter performance.

We use all Fleck controls. These tried and proven performers are easy to program, easy to maintain, economical to operate. We offer standard timer models, SXT electronic upgrades, and even non-electric manual Fleck units, plus the AIO electronic air-draw control in two control valve styles for problem well water.

We program all control valves before the filter is shipped. Plug it in, set the time of day, and you’re ready to go. If you want to change the programming, it’s easy.

We provide a complete “Setup Sheet” for all filters that lets you know at a glance the type and quantity of the media your filter has, the regeneration time, the backwash and rinse duration, and the drain line flow control size. Plus, we keep this information on file so if you call or email we’ll know exactly what you need for your filter.

We pay shipping. Keep this in mind if you’re comparing prices. Backwashing filters are large and the media that goes in the tank are heavy.

We build filters every day, so we have everything in stock and can normally ship the filter the day following the day you order it. This means also that we always have parts in stock if you need them.

We support installation and service by both email and phone. If you call us, or if your installer calls us, we’re happy to help.

The most important thing about buying a backwashing filter is getting what is needed for your specific water issue. We offer help in diagnosing water issues and in selecting and sizing equipment. You can contact us by phone or email for help. We offer a dozen different media choices that cover most city or well water issues. We also sell and supply any supporting equipment needed, such as sediment pre-filters, chlorine or aeration pre-treatment, or pH amendment. We also offer free testing to help determine what you need (or don’t need). We can also test your water after installation to assure that the equipment is working properly.

What others offer as options, come as standard equipment with our filters. All of our filters come with such standard equipment as a stainless steel bypass valve, drain tubing, pre-installed flow control for regeneration, and a media funnel.  The bypass, funnel, drain tubing, and media trap when sold as options cost almost $100. 
 
Our newly revised backwashing filter page features standard residential-sized filters built mainly with the tried and true Fleck 5600 SXT control. We also supply larger filters but prefer to provide information about them by phone or email. So if you need an iron filter for a large home or  building with 2" pipe, we've got it, but we ask you to call or email and let us help with sizing and media selection.
 
 
 
 

Water Softeners

Water softeners are exceptionally useful tools that can do a lot more than soften water. When you need one, they're great. Unfortunately, they are often oversold by aggressive marketers and many that are sold are not really needed. We recommend using common sense when you consider buying one for your home. Softeners have their pros and cons. 
 
The very informative article below is from a 2017 Occasional.

The Issues with “Softened Water”

 
You’ll sing better with softened water (once you realize that the slimy feeling  is really good for you)

As pure water falls to earth, it picks up contaminants, absorbing gases like carbon dioxide and dissolving metals and minerals it comes in contact with. Rain water is naturally “soft,” low in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), but it is “aggressive,” looking for minerals to dissolve. As it picks up minerals like calcium and magnesium, it become “hard.”
 
Even small amounts of hardness minerals, calcium and magnesium,  cause the water to exhibit typical hard-water characteristics. The higher the hardness level, the more evident the problems will be. Residential and commercial water users typically identify two significant problems when dealing with hard water:
 
Scale: Hardness scale causes water heaters to waste energy and eventually fail,  and unattractive mineral deposits accumulate on fixtures. Faucets and appliances fail. Metal pipes pick up interior scale deposits and inhibit the free flow of water.
 
Soap interactions: Laundering results aren’t satisfactory; dishes, glasses and silverware are not clean enough and larger amounts of cleaning materials are required.
 
Water Softeners

For over a century, salt-based ion exchange softening has been the gold standard in addressing these issues. Water softener technology is relatively easy to install in homes and businesses and relatively cost-efficient to own and operate. Salt-based softeners are now very user friendly, with such efficiency enhancements as metered vs. timer controls, twin-tank systems, improved resins, and upflow regeneration. Advances in technology save water and salt.
 
Even with these technological improvements, however, many people can’t or won’t use a salt-based system and actively seek alternatives. While many alternatives exist in the marketplace today, it is important to understand that ion exchange softeners alone deal with the soap issue and that most alternatives address only the problem of scale formation.

Probably the three most common objections to softened water are that it might be corrosive, that it is not healthful to drink, and that it leaves a slimy feel on the skin.
 
Corrosion in the form of damaged hot water heaters or heater anodes does not occur because water has been softened, but it is true that it can occur in spite of softening if pH is outside the acceptable range (7.0 to 8.5), if TDS exceeds 500, or if the softener itself is not rinsing itself thoroughly during regeneration. Water actually retains its alkaline nature after softening and softened water is usually only slightly higher in total dissolved solids than the pre-treated water, since softening normally gives back more or less what it takes out in terms of TDS. For the calcium and magnesium it removes, it exchanges a nearly equal amount of sodium.
 
As for the healthfulness of softened water, Greg Reyneke writes:
 
Softened water does not contain sodium chloride or potassium chloride salt. During the ion exchange process, sodium or potassium ions are added to water in direct proportion to the amount of other ions being removed from the raw water. The result of this sodium addition is the formation of sodium carbonate and bicarbonate compounds in the water, which do indeed contribute to taste. At hardness levels < 15 gpg (grains per gallon), many people describe the additional sodium as making the water taste sweet or well-rounded. At higher hardness levels, some drinkers begin to identify an alkaline or soda flavor in the water. If the water from a softener tastes salty, this is not normal, and [you] shouldn’t drink it.

Hypertensive persons, or those on sodium-restricted diets, are concerned about the total amount of sodium that they consume in a day. The process of softening water generally adds 1.86 mg/L for every grain of hardness removed, so when you soften 15-gpg water, you’re adding almost 28 mg/L of sodium to whatever is already naturally there. To put that into perspective, one teaspoon of salt contains approximately 2,000 mg of sodium and cow’s milk contains approximately 125 mg of sodium per cup. . . .

While there are many arguments for and against consuming the inorganic minerals found in hard water, my personal decision is simple: since the inorganic minerals in water are so difficult for the human body to assimilate compared to the abundant and easily assimilated organic mineral compounds found in common fruits and vegetables, I choose to derive nutrition from food and hydration from water, while making sure that the water I drink is as pure as possible.

We can add that if the salt content of water is objectionable, addition of an undercounter reverse osmosis unit will remove the sodium and leave only pure, excellent tasting water. There are now even post filters for reverse osmosis units that add a small amount of mineral hardness back into the treated water to polish the taste and satisfy those who object to drinking low-mineral water.
 
Squeaky Clean Is Really More Like Squeaky Dirty

The slimy feel that people often complain of in regard to softened water is harder to pin down. This is also experienced as the feeling that soap won’t wash off of the skin. According to Reyneke, the feel of any water on the skin is affected mainly by pH. Water low in pH feels rough and water with higher pH feels smooth or slick. This is true even if soap isn’t used.
In hard water, soap loses its ability to clean and forms into a sticky, waxy precipitate called soap scum or soap curd. This scum clings to skin and hair, producing the “squeaky clean” feel that we are accustomed to with hard water. “The problem is,” according to Reyneke, “that squeaky clean, is really more like squeaky dirty, since soap precipitate and soil deposits are left behind on the skin.”
 
So, you can just tell yourself that the slick feel and the illusion that soap won’t wash off are really advantageous, or you can try some tricks that might make the softened water more to your liking. Reyneke suggests switching to a potassium-base soap or changing the regenerant of the softener from sodium to potassium. Note also that various soaps have different pH levels, so it may be your soap raising the pH so much that the water feels slick. You may be blaming your softener for something that’s actually your fault for using the wrong soap.
 
Or, you certainly might consider that being “squeaky dirty” isn’t really a disadvantage. There are those who believe that most of us bathe too much anyway and that it isn’t healthful to wash away the natural oils from our skin. From this point of view, a little hardness in the water might keep us from scrubbing away the natural skin oils that form a natural protection from  the sun.
 
Reference: Grey Reyneke, “Hard to Lather, Easy to Fix” from Water Treatment and Purification magazine.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Places to visit for additional information:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thanks for reading. The next Occasional will be out eventually--when you least expect it.
Pure Water Products, LLC, 523A N. Elm St., Denton, TX, www.purewaterproducts.com. Call us at 888 382 3814.
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