Water that we bring into our homes (offices, restaurants, other commercial uses) has a list of “other” items in it. These items can be broken down into Six main categories: Organic Chemicals, Inorganic Chemicals, Disinfection By-Products, Microbials, Radionuclides and Disinfectants. Understanding each of these categories and how to treat them is what causes so much confusion in water treatment and affects your water quality.
Found in our water:
Organic Chemicals: Acrylamide, Alachlor, Atrazine, Benzene, Benso(a)pyrene (PAHs), Carbofuran, Carbon tetrachloride, Chlordane, Chlorobenzene, 2, 4-D, Dalapon, 1, 2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), o-Dichlorobenzene, p- Dichlorobenzene, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, trans-1,2 – Dichloroethylene, Dichloromethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, Dinoseb, Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD), Diquat, Endothall, Endrin, Epichlorohydrin, Ethylbenzene, Ethylene dibromide, Glyphosate, Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, Hexachlorobenzene, Hexachlorocyclopent-adien, Lindane, Mehtoxychor, Oxamyl (vydate), Pentachlorophenol. Picloram, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Simazine, Styrene, Tetrachloroethylene, Toluene, Toxaphene, 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, Trichloroethylene, Vinyl chloride, Xylenes.
Organic Chemicals exist primarily as discharge from factories, plastics, industrial waste, herbicides, insecticides, rubber, landfills, petroleum runoff, agricultural runoff and waste treatment. All of these have become apart of the water we use and drink.
How to get rid of Organic Chemicals in water – These must be removed with the correct type of Carbon.
Reverse Osmosis is used to get rid of these in your drinking/cooking water.
Inorganic Chemicals: Antimony, Arsenic, Asbestos, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Cyanide, Fluoride, Lead, Mercury, Nitrate, Nitrite, Selenium, Thallium.
Inorganic Chemicals exist as discharge/runoff from factories, crops, fertilizer, petroleum, household plumbing, naturally occurring and battery discharge.
How to treat Inorganic Chemicals is complicated, there is not one type of treatment for household water.
Reverse Osmosis will remove them all for drinking water.
Disinfectants: Chloramines, Chlorine, Chlorine Dioxide.
These types of mass disinfectants are needed to stop pandemic waterborne diseases. However, these leave byproducts, many of which are cancerous.
Please see the next category for these byproducts and their treatment.
Disinfection Byproducts: Bromate, Chlorite, Haloacetic Acids (HAAs), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs).
These are all byproducts from disinfection that are bad for humans and animals.
These can all be removed through Catalytic Carbon (this is a higher-grade carbon than activated coconut or Granular Activated Carbon).
Drinking water needs to be Reverse Osmosis to be rid of these.
Microbials: Cryptosporidium, Giardia Lamblia, Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC), Legionella, E. Coli, total coliforms, Turbidity (bacteria, Cysts, protozoans, parasites), Viruses.
Most Microbes are killed by the Disinfectants (see above).
However, Cryptosporidium, Giardia Lamblia have become disinfectant resistant is certain life stages. To ensure that your water is safe, a whole-house UV Light is a requirement.
Reverse Osmosis is needed for Drinking Water.
Radionuclide: Alpha particles, Beta particles, Radium 226 & 228, Uranium are all cause by erosion of natural deposits.
Various Whole-house filtration can remove some of these (greensand).
Reverse Osmosis will remove them from Drinking Water.
As these contaminants may be our water (varies by region), it is very important to understand what is in your water. Having a water expert test your water and engineer a solution for your problems, is the only way to ensure that you have great household water and pure drinking water.
All drinking water should always come from a properly configured Reverse Osmosis System. This should include your ice, cooking water and water you use to clean your food products.
Central Texas Water Softeners understands your local water and what is needed to make it the best working and/or drinking water. Our mission is find the right water solutions to help your home and business get clean, pure water while providing water knowledge. For more information on water softeners, reverse osmosis, water purity and filtration, contact the experts at Central Texas Water Softeners. We take pride in saying that we supply the best water treatments in the Hill Country and surrounding area.
