In this Memorial Day Occasional you'll read about the pros and cons of softened water, microbial contaminants in groundwater, the safety issues of drinking from a garden hose, what kinds of coal are used to make filter carbon, the great controversy over the world's tallest waterfall, advances in water heater technology, Texas' war on the Rio Grande river, the devastating floods in Brazil and, as always, much, much more.
Thank you for reading, and sincere thanks from Pure Water Products for your continuing support.
Thanks for reading!
Please visit the Pure Water Gazette, where you will find hundreds of articles about water and water treatment, and the Pure Water Products main website, where there is much information about water treatment and specific information about the products we offer. On both of these information-rich sites, pop-up ads and other distractions are not allowed.
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.
Summer Rains Increase Risk of Human Viruses in Groundwater
By Kelly A. Reynolds, MSPH, PhD
Gazette note: Below is a truncated version of an excellent article from the June 2017 issue of Water Conditioning & Purification. Dr.
Kelly A. Reynolds is a widely recognized authority on water quality
issues and especially microbial contamination. The increasing frequency
of waterborne disease described in the article explains the growing
popularity of point of use and point of entry home treatments like
ultraviolet disinfection.
Just as the weather constantly
varies, the quality of source water is also ever-changing. Increased
rainfall in spring and summer months creates additional challenges to
municipal water suppliers and private well owners as water moving over
the land and through the soil accumulates added contaminants capable of
causing human disease.
Heavy rainfall associated with waterborne disease
Surveys of extreme precipitation
events indicate (rainfall more than two inches a day) and waterborne
disease outbreaks (WBDO) in the US are strongly correlated.
Retrospective comparison of 548 outbreaks documented by US EPA and
precipitation data from the National Climatic Data Center from 1948 to
1994 showed that 68 percent of WBDOs were preceded by extreme
precipitation events. Surface water was the most likely to be
contaminated and result in an outbreak during the same month as the
rainfall event but groundwater outbreaks lagged by about two months.
Twenty-four years ago in late March,
the largest documented waterborne outbreak in US history occurred in
Milwaukee, WI. Before identifying the problem, residents consumed
contaminated water for over two weeks. Ultimately, more than 400,000
people were sickened with diarrhea and over 100 died. Cryptosporidium, a
protozoan pathogen, caused the outbreak and may have been introduced
due to increased precipitation and the presence of nearby cattle farms.
Crypto has been found in 64 percent of manure samples from a sampling of
50 livestock farms. Following rain and land runoff, Crypto from nearby
farms is readily transported to surface supplies, where associated
increases in turbidity further tax treatment works.
Groundwater risks
Surface water risks are somewhat
expected and municipalities have treatment tools, including the use of
flocculants, filtration and disinfectants to settle out, filter and
inactivate harmful microbes. While federal regulations mandate treatment
of surface water, utilities accessing groundwater are not necessarily
required to treat. Thus, less obvious and less controlled are
groundwater contamination events. The greatest concern with seasonal
groundwater contamination are human viruses. Viruses, unlike larger
bacteria and protozoa, easily navigate the tortuous path from land
surface to underground aquifers. Storms, however, can lead to sewer
overflows and contamination of groundwater wells with a variety of
microbial hazards.
Recently Minnesota and Wisconsin
state health departments announced evidence of disease-causing microbes
in a high percentage of drinking-water wells. In Minnesota, eight
percent of a collection of 478 samples and 37 percent of the 82 public
water systems with a groundwater well supply tested positive for human
viruses. Eleven percent were positive for Salmonella bacteria. Less is
known about household well water supplies. An estimated 34 million
households in the US are served by private wells. One Wisconsin study
found that out of 50 wells from seven hydrogeologic districts, eight
percent were positive for human viruses, including hepatitis A virus,
rotavirus, and noroviruses. With summer being Wisconsin’s rainy season,
concern this time of year is especially heightened.
Most private and public groundwater
supplies are not filtered or disinfected. The presence of low levels of
human virus genomes in groundwater is common and has been associated
with a 30 percent increase in gastrointestinal illness. Up to 63 percent
of gastrointestinal illnesses in children were attributed to these
tap-waterborne viruses.
It’s a hot day, you’re out in the yard and you need to hydrate. A few steps away is a garden hose …
Should you take a drink?
You probably did when you were a kid. Your own kids may do it now. But is it safe?
We checked with two major municipalities. The short answer: No.
“While using your hose to water plants, fill water balloons or run
your sprinkler are all great ideas, many don’t meet the safety standards
required for drinking water,” the City of Cleveland Water Division says
on its website. “They can contain lead or be made from materials that
leach chemicals into the water, especially when heated by the sun.
“Plus, garden hoses are usually left outside in unsanitary conditions, making them susceptible to bacteria and insects.”
The City of Milwaukee agrees:
“It is not safe to drink from garden hoses. Vinyl hoses are treated
with chemicals so they stay flexible. These chemicals may be toxic,
which is why garden hoses should not be used for drinking purposes.”
Cleveland offers one “but”….
“However, there are faucets and garden hoses that are safe to drink
from if properly maintained. If your garden hose or outdoor faucet is
NSF/ANSI 61 or NSF/ANSI 372 certified, it means the products meet
certain safety standards to be used for drinking water.”
Souce: Family Safety and Health.
Pure Water Gazette comment. Actually, many water hoses are designed for use with drinking water and are perfectly safe for drinking. For example, hoses sold for use with RVs are normally intended for providing drinking water for the vehicle. Just do some research before you buy.
What Kind of Coal is Filter Carbon Made From?
The Three Basic Coal-Based Filter Carbons and Their Special Properties
The heart of most water filtration systems is filter carbon, usually called “granular activated carbon,” or GAC. Activated carbon is the preferred treatment for a large percentage of contaminants on the EPA’s list of monitored water issues. Carbon is an effective treatment for a large percentage of chemical contaminants, including disinfectants like chlorine and chloramine, plus it is very effective at improving the aesthetic qualities of water like taste, odor and color.
Filter carbon is a manufactured product, but it starts from a natural source. It can be made from any carbonaceous raw material. Coconut shells are a common raw material used in carbon making, but by far the most common source material is coal.
Carbons made from lignite tend to have a large pore diameter. The pore diameter is measured by a property know to manufacturers as the “molasses number.” The higher the molasses number the more suited the carbon is to remove colors from liquids.
Bituminous coal activated carbons have a broad range of pore diameters. Since these carbons have both a fine and wide pore diameter, they are well suited for general de-chlorination and the removal of a wider variety of organic chemical contaminants from water, including colors.
Because of its versatility, bituminous carbon is the most commonly used carbon for general water treatment.
In addition to the “molasses number,” qualities that are used to grade filter carbons are the so-called iodine number, the ash content, the abrasion number, the bulk density, the peroxide number, and the phosphorous content.
Water News —May, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) finalized
Congressionally-mandated energy-efficiency standards for a range of
residential water heaters to save American households approximately $7.6
billion per year on their energy and water bills, while significantly
cutting energy waste and harmful carbon pollution. The final standards
for residential water heaters align with recommendations from various
stakeholders, including efficiency and environmental advocates, the
Consumer Federation of America, and a leading U.S. water heater
manufacturer. The standards would require the most common-sized electric
water heaters to achieve efficiency gains with heat pump technology,
helping to accelerate the deployment of this cost-effective, clean
energy technology while also reducing strain on the electric grid. Over
30 years these updated standards are expected to save Americans $124
billion on their energy bills and reduce 332 million metric tons of
dangerous carbon dioxide emissions—equivalent to the combined annual
emissions of nearly 43 million homes. Energy.gov.
On May 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $3
billion from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help every
state and territory identify and replace lead service lines, preventing
exposure to lead in drinking water.
Each year, drinking water systems in the U.S. and Canada experience
about 260,000 water main breaks, incurring an estimated $2.6B annually
in maintenance and repair costs.
“Texas governor Greg Abbott’s strategy to deter immigration isn’t
just harming people and costing billions – it’s ruining the Rio Grande’s
ecosystem.” One scientist said it could take hundreds of years for
nature to repair itself.” The governor has squandered $11 billion in
Texas taxpayer dollars and has nothing but damage to the Rio Grande’s
ecoystem to show for it. The Guardian.
Good News for Groundwater in California. Water
Year 2023 is the first year since 2019 that there has been a reported
increase in groundwater storage. A significant reduction in groundwater
pumping in 2023 also led to favorable groundwater conditions, including a
decrease in land subsidence, or sinking of the land. Some areas that
had previously experienced subsidence actually saw a rebound (uplift) in
ground surface elevation from reduced pumping in the deeper aquifers
and refilling of groundwater storage.
Severe floods in southern Brazil have caused the deaths of hundreds
in what has been called the worst ever climate catastrophe. Streets in
several towns have turned into rivers.
Vermont is poised to pass a measure forcing major polluting companies
to help pay for damages caused by the climate crisis. It would make
Vermont the first state to hold fossil fuel companies liable for
planet-heating pollution. “If you contributed to a mess, you should play
a role in cleaning it up,” one campaigner said.
A study found evidence that termites, when building their nests, are
guided mainly by water evaporation that allows them to identify the
regions of the structure with the largest curvature. How they work this
out is largely a mystery. Nature Italy.
Simple Design, Low Cost, Outstanding Performance
Using basic products to create a high performance result, the whole house treatment array shown above, a customer installation at Lake Livingston, TX, features three 4.5" X 20" cartridge units followed by a Watts OneFlow (ScaleNet) tank. The water stream passes through the 5 micron sediment filter (right canister) then splits in half to to go through two carbon canisters, then comes together to pass through the Watts salt-free conditioner. The two-cartridge carbon split is used to allow more residence time with the carbon for enhanced chemical removal and decreased pressure drop. Homes with up to two or three people will normally do fine with a single carbon filter.
The system needs no drain connection, no electricity, no water for regeneration, and under most conditions only once-a-year attention. The simple design is applied most often to city-water chlorine and/or chloramine removal, but because of the wide range of filter cartridges available for the standard-sized housings, it can be modified to remove iron, increase pH, or remove lead.
