According to the U.S. Department of the Interior USGS division, 70% of all fresh water worldwide is consumed in growing crops. Some countries such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and states like California, Florida and the Dakotas, have higher percentages. With drought conditions predicted in 2021 and 2022 for much of the world and the western US in particular, treatment opportunities for water professionals should be significant.
The problem associated with much of the accessible irrigation water is brackishness that slows or stops water from adequately following the xylems (capillary network) in plants. This results in the need to over water and if not over watered, plants and their nutritional value are significantly reduced. Needless to say, this excess water is subtracted from available supplies for homes and industry.
Historically, the brackishness is countered by continued over watering (until sources are exhausted) or by employing R.O. systems which in addition to high capital and operating costs is counterproductive because of waste streams. Much of the World has found relief by employing magnetic devices especially in Russia, Eastern European countries and Israel where resources are scarce. One of the best university studies is available through Research Gate www.researchgate.net/publication/284724980 “Impact of Magnetic Water on Plant Growth” coauthored by Jaime da Silva of Japan and Judit Dobranszki of Debrecan University in Hungary. Typical reported results document water savings in the 10% range which could ease drought conditions by billions of gallons in the US.
All published effectiveness reports on magnetic water treatment for irrigation come up short on the issue of why the process works, which understandably creates skepticism at a professional level. The answer may be found in a recently published research book by Gerald H. Pollack, PhD Engineering titled The Fourth Phase of Water. Numerous and well-documented experiments on the properties of water were carried out by Dr. Pollack and his research assistants at his laboratory at the University of Washington. His work reveals that energy (infrared and EMF) applied to water causes a particular hexagonal structuring of water molecules while simultaneously releasing hydrogen ions that create hydronium (H 3 O) molecules in close proximity water. Further tests in the book postulate enhanced capillary action and a unique look at why this occurs.
We believe that a magnetic field can be the energy that changes the water structure to that described by Dr. Pollack. As an explanation of this phenomenon, think of how an electrical generator works: In its simplest form, an outside energy source such as an engine or a turbine moves a conductor (wire) in an electro magnetic field which results in movement of electrons in the wire which defines electricity. The quantitive expression of this is FARADAY’S LAW or EMF = v x B x L x sin A where:
EMF = Electro Motive (or Magnetic) Force or Volts (V) output
v = the velocity of the conductor in meters/sec. (Velocity is a vector which must include direction as opposed to speed which doesn’t require a directional component.)
B = magnetic field strength in Gauss units as opposed to Tesla units
L = length of conductor in meters
A = the angularity of the conductor relative to the magnetic field which defines velocity vs. speed. It is 90 0 in a pipe configuration with magnets on the circumference as most existing systems are constructed. The sin of 90 0 = 1, so it does not affect the voltage value.
In our math modeling of a system, the outside energy to run the “generator” is the water pump feeding the irrigation line, the wire (conductor) is water which of course is conductive unless it is D.I. or distilled water, the velocity is the result of flow rate, length of conductor is the length from in to out of device and field strength is the result of typically permanent magnets along with their type, quantity and placement. By applying the right-hand rule, the positive pole is on the inlet of the device. Knowing the resistance of the water column within the device by either measurement or using a TDS/CONDUCTIVITY CHART resistance can be determined and using OHM’S LAW V=IR with voltage from above I (amps) can be solved for as I = V/R. Finally, we can determine the energy going into the water which is derived from WATT’S LAW P=VI where P = Power in watts, a universal expression of energy. Through algebraic manipulation of ohms law, P in watts can also be expressed as P = I 2 R. Trial calculations show volts, amps and watts in the milli range.
This presentation is an expression of DC (Direct Current) power. Multiple magnet fields will produce a pulsing DC voltage and by axially changing magnetic field polarization from field to field, AC (Alternating Current) power will be produced. Hopefully this presentation will overcome some of the stigma associated with magnets and provide a plausible explanation for their efficacy in agricultural water applications.
We encourage people in the traditional water conditioning industry to align themselves with one of the many suppliers of agricultural magnetic systems. By offering such devices, we believe many millions of gallons of irrigation water can be diverted to residential and commercial uses which is especially important during drought conditions. For further interesting information on water properties, we recommend purchasing and studying Dr. Pollack’s book.
Before going into detail on how magnets affect water, it is important to understand the water molecule (H2O or H-O-H).
The water compound molecule has two physical characteristics that separate it from virtually all of nature’s other compound molecules. (1) It expands when frozen and (2) there is a 104.45o inclusive angle between the 2 hydrogen atoms as opposed to a 109.50 angle (called the BOND ANGLE) that theoretically is “correct”. These 2 characteristics are related because the bond angle encourages water to cluster in hexagonal clusters (see our white paper on Structured Water) and when freezing occurs, these clusters create voids which take up more space than liquid water. When reading in detail about bond angles and freezing it’s not unusual to encounter the word phenomena.
The studies published in The Fourth Phase of Water by Dr. George Pollack and a 2016 publication by the Oak Ridge National Lab titled The Fourth State of Water both explaining the effects applied energy has on the properties of water. In Dr. Pollack’s work, energy was applied via heat, light, electricity and infrared and the water super hexagonal clustered (structured), released protons (hydrogen), created hydronium (H3O) in adjacent water and became denser. The Oak Ridge experiment applied synthetic emerald forming ultra-high pressures to water. This resulted in a quantum physics change to the hydrogen/oxygen bond referred to as tunneling – a proof of energy response but as a topic it is beyond the understanding of this author except to say that this water also formed in hexagonal clusters. Perhaps the most understood experiment involving energy applied to water is hydrolysis. This is often conducted in high school physics classes by placing 2 wires spaced about ½ inch apart and covered by inverted glass test tubes into a beaker of tap water. When a DC voltage in excess of 1.5 volts is applied, the water begins to separate into their distinct atomic components of oxygen and hydrogen which are both gasses and collect in their respective test tubes—oxygen at the positive (anode) wire and hydrogen at the negative (cathode) wire. This experiment is also used in demonstrating the electrical conductivity of water.
With knowledge based on numerous experiments that water reacts to various forms of energy input, let’s explore what affect permanent magnets can have on water.
A permanent magnet has a field that eminates from one end (pole) and circles around in elliptical lines to the other end (pole). These are called lines of flux and the stronger the magnet, the more lines there are and the further out from the magnet they can be measured. The 2 poles of a linear magnet are named North N and South S and it’s known that with 2 magnets in proximity to one another N & S are attracted to one another while N to N and S to S placements repel one another. Further, it’s known that by placing 2 magnets each with N and S poles and placed N to S and held apart with minimal spacing a strong field of magnetic force field exists between the two. Additionally, by encompassing the outside of the magnets with a ferromagnetic material, the field between the two magnets can be 8X as strong as that of a single magnet.
Although there appears to be no actual test of water after dangling a permanent magnet in a volume of water, intuitively we would suspect that little if anything to happen to the water. Therefore, let’s explore passing the water between the magnetic field described above. To do this one needs to review a basic premise in electrical engineering and physics that by rotating a wire (electrical conductor) between N & S magnets (magnetic field), electrons in the conductor material are induced to move in a prescribed direction which by definition is an electrical current – energy. The moving water replaces wire and becomes the conductor in what is essentially a direct current (DC) generator – wouldn’t Nikola Tesla be happy. A more powerful generator, either AC or DC, relies on 2 energy sources. One is the motor or turbine spinning the wire (conductor) and the other is the magnetic field supplied by permanent magnets or coils powered by battery or parasitic power from the generator itself. The 2 powers making our low power generator work are whatever (pump or gravity) moving the water (conductor) and the permanent magnet field. Both are converting mechanical energy to electrical energy.
The energy from a generator is expressed by Faraday’s law as EMF = v x B x L x sin A where
EMF = Electro Motive (or Magnetic) Force or Volts (V) output
v = the velocity of the conductor in meters/sec.
B = magnetic field strength in gauss as measured with a gauss meter
L = length of conductor in meters
A = the angularity of the conductor relative to the magnetic field. It is 900 in our units and sin 90= 1
Volts represent potential energy and in many discussions, volts are simply called potential.
If we applied the well established RIGHT HAND RULE to the conductor (water) in a sketch of the system, we will determine that current flow (I) is from the inlet (becomes the positive pole) to the water in the magnetic field to the outlet (becomes the negative pole) of the water in the magnetic field. We now have a kinetic electrical circuit.
By applying Ohms law which is V=IR and determining the R (resistance) of the water column in ohms by measurement with an ohmmeter or by calculation using a TDS meter we can solve I = V/R for the value of I in amps.
To then determine power supplied to the water in watts (W) using the formula W=VA. We know the measurement will be in the milliwatt range.
If approximately 1.5 volts (V) = (current (I) x resistance (R) breaks the hydrogen / oxygen bond completely (see hydrolysis above), it’s hypothesized that the small current and resulting voltage in the described process will disrupt the bond to some extent liberating hydrogen and forming hydronium. This actually describes EZ water as identified and explained in detail by Dr. H. Pollack in his book referenced above. We refer to it in our literature as Structured Water.
The energy effect is amplified as the energy level increases which is proportional to the conductivity of the conductor (water). Effect is therefore minimal at low conductivity water such as distilled water (actually a good insulator) and is best with brackish water.
One of the primary applications for magnetically treated water is crop watering with brackish well water. This water poorly penetrates plants resulting in low growth and poor yields. The reason the untreated water is behaving poorly is failure of much of the water and nutrients to reach the extremities of plants through the internal capillary channels in plants called the xylem system. The capillary action is actually more involved than the descriptions in many texts and is reliant on the transfer of protons (hydrogen) from the water and the creation of hydronium as discussed above. As an aside, while studying the topic, I learned that Isaac Newton is said to have postulated the effect of static electricity on capillary action in the 18th century. Once treated, the water produces a demonstrable improvement to crops even with less water being used.
Interestingly, there are many available university level studies on magnetically treated water and improvement of crops with almost all conducted in China and other Asian countries. Also, though the studies document crop improvement and changes in water properties, none found ventured what actually changed the water as we have attempted to do.
Next is a release of a line of devices to magnetically treat water based on science and engineering by Dime Water, Inc.
1. WHAT IS BORON?
It is a naturally occurring element with the chemical symbol B. The Periodic Table of the Elements refers to it as element number 5 which is its atomic number or AN. This tells us that there are 5 positively charged protons with an assigned weight of 1 each in the core of a Boron atom surrounded by 5 negatively charged, weightless electrons in orbit around the core. The like number of positively and negatively charged particles cancel one another so the boron atom, as all atoms in the table, have a zero electrical charge. Joining the protons in the core are 6 neutrally charged particles aptly called neutrons. They have an assigned weight of 1 each or 6 total which when added to the 5 of protons gives a total weight of 11 for boron. This is referred to its molecular weight or MW.
Boron is a very sparse element in the earths crust and is found primarily as boric acid {B(OH)3} or borate {B(OH)4-} compounds and never in its elemental form. Once laboratory isolated into elemental form, boron is an extremely hard, black material not totally unlike its chemical cousin carbon with its AW of 6 and MW of 12. Major accumulations of boron mineral compounds are found in Turkey, Russia and Northern California. Boron compounds are very soluble in water so after eons of time, sea water now contains an average of 4.5 mg/l (4-1/2 pounds in 110,000 gallons). As a result of seawater evaporation and intrusion into ground water over the ages, boron can be found in trace amounts virtually everywhere with typical values in water of 0.5 mg/l or less. Higher values are seen in areas with high ground mineral deposits.
2. WHAT IS BORON USED FOR?
- Making high temperature, dimensionally stable glass
- Making extremely strong rare earth magnets
- Making high power density, rechargeable batteries
- Strengthening metal alloys
- Making certain cleaning and bleaching compounds
- As a soil additive for certain crops
- As dietary supplement
3. HOW DOES BORON IN WATER REACT WITH HUMANS?
Boron is an essential micronutrient necessary in our systems as it works in concert with vitamin D to increases our bodies ability to assimilate calcium for bone, tooth and brain tissue health. The best natural sources are dark green leafy vegetables, non-citrus fruits, dried fruits and tree nuts. There is also a correlation between boron levels in the body and the levels hormones especially of estrogen and testosterone which ultimately slows bone deterioration due to osteoporosis. Currently, the NIH is studying links between boron and effective cancer treatment by certain protocols.
Most information on the topic suggests a maximum intake of 3 milligrams daily. The USEPA does not have a mandated maximum level in drinking water, but has a suggested maximum level of 3 PPM for healthy adults and 2 PPM for children. The World Health Organization (WHO) has an established maximum of 2.4 PPM. California has a state-mandated limit of 1 PPM (expressed as 1,000 ug/l) and a number of other state drinking water regulations call for limits from 0.6 to 1.0 PPM.
Excess boron will affect people differently, but common reactions include nausea, indigestion, vomiting, headache and diarrhea. High levels over a long time can lead to rashes, hair loss and kidney damage. Fatal doses occur at 15-20 grams (15,000 to 20,000 mg)
4. HOW DOES BORON REACT WITH PLANTS?
Apparently, there is carryover of boron (as boric acid) in air over oceans and seas and this becomes the Jonny Appleseed propagation of boron in soil at a rate estimated in millions of tons annually. Typical soil levels of boron in soil vary from 5 to 80 PPM and are location and sea proximity dependent.
The extremely low level of boron required for optimum plant vitality is a classic example of Liebig’s Law of Minimums which in plant applications states that unless a minimum level of a key micronutrient is provided, growth is compromised regardless of feeding excess amounts of other nutrients. With adequate boron levels in the soil combining with microorganisms, calcium and phosphorus in particular are more effectively used by plants. Boron in the irrigation water is additive to the boron in the soil. Overall, proper boron levels combined with other minerals, nutrients and adequate water will produce plants with healthier cell walls, non-browning leaves, more rapid growth, better water transport throughout the plant and more productive seed and flower growth.
In some cases, higher levels of boron in the soil and/or irrigation water becomes too much of a good thing. The plants exposed to excess levels of boron for their species exhibit slower, stunted growth, browning of leaves and flowers and poor-quality fruit. It’s known that photosynthesis is inhibited by excess boron, but beyond that, the precise reason for plant damage by excess boron remains elusive in 2021.
5. IF BORON LEVELS ARE TOO HIGH FOR PLANTS, WHAT CAN BE DONE?
If it is a soil contamination issue, leach with low/no boron water from a river or lake repeatedly until soil samples from beneath the crop root level tests low enough to be satisfactory.
If boron is in the water above a safe level for the intended species of plant, Dime Water, Inc. can be of help. Boron has a very low surface energy which makes it virtually impossible to remove with standard reverse osmosis, so variants of seawater (desal) R.O. units must be employed with varying levels of success. The water waste, high energy use, high CAPEX and OPEX makes this a less than acceptable method in most cases. We therefore have developed a unique, regenerable filter with a medium that is selective to boron, is 90% plus water efficient and has a fraction of CAPEX and OPEX.
The agriculture market is confronting water treatment issues related to an ever-increasing demand for irrigation water, compromised water quality, declining availability and expanded government regulations. The vegetable and fruit processor’s segment of the market also faces water treatment issues and regulations that involve vegetable/fruit washing and waste water recycling.
As for the dairy and CAFO segments of the agricultural producer market, manure storage, treatment, and handling regulation compliance are major issues that need to be addressed. Each of these issues needs to have adequate support to ensure they are meeting the requirements set. This may mean speaking to a metal building contractor for proper storage solutions, as well as keeping up to date with compliance guidelines. Water treatment technologies employed for the agriculture markets include:
- Filtration
- Mixing/Aeration
- Reverse Osmosis
Dime Water, Inc. provides customized water management solutions and project/application-specific integrated water treatment, helping agriculture businesses thrive through reuse and recycling:
- Nanofiltration Units
- Sulfate/Nitrate Removal Units
Water sources traditionally used in this field and its applications include surface water, groundwater, properly treated municipal and industrial wastewaters, and liquid manures stored in lagoons onsite large dairy and swine farms. As the commercial agriculture consumes more and more water, both wastewater streams and regulatory requirements increase. To ensure profitability, commercial agriculture operations must reduce water usage, bacteria growth rates and reduce waterborne diseases, among other requirements. Commercial growers looking for the latest technology in horticulture cultivation should check out the products available from Agron – learn more.
Wastewater treatment solutions for agriculture should be chemical-free in order to implement effective wastewater management, which has become one of the cornerstones of running a successful agriculture business. Our equipment delivers cost-effective and chemical-free solutions for the treatment and reuse of large amounts of wastewater generated from agricultural operations. Furthermore, hiring companies like urban-gro to help create a controlled environment agriculture design can better organize the way that they are using the land and water usage.
Wastewater from livestock farms and feedlots for example is highly odorous and toxic, containing high nitrate and phosphorous content, pathogenic bacteria, and antibiotics. Vineyards and wineries require special wastewater treatment, which includes solids removal, bacteria control, membrane biofouling, and pH neutralization. To achieve the correct water treatment solution, it might be worth visiting https://www.veoliawatertech.com/en/expertise/applications/wastewater-treatment, for example. That company should be able to implement a custom-tailored system that should treat any water, making it safe to use again.
Dime Water, Inc. relies on a variety of computer programs to design systems tailored to our client’s specific water supply and application needs. Our technology can solve the most challenging agricultural water treatment challenges and meet the needs of each unique customer.
Water Treatment Process
- Water availability issues. For all of recorded time, crop growth and watering of livestock has depended on available rainfall, lakes, rivers, streams and natural reservoirs. All are classified as surface water. Some advanced societies diverted natural sources to locations where needed and soon thereafter hand dug wells tapped into shallow level aquifers. Water withdrawal was by bucket and rope. By the mid nineteenth century, hand pumps were available and soon after, windmills powered the pumps. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that reliable submersible electric pumps enabled large volume water withdrawal for irrigation and other applications. Too much of a good thing has forced ever lowering of ground water levels and dropping pump levels. Unfortunately, rain water has not been able to percolate through the ground to replenish the aquifer levels as quickly as it is being withdrawn so two things are happening – we are running out of available water and the quality is getting worse. Since 2014, the scientific community has been pursuing the possibility of there being as much as 3 times as much fresh water as there is sea water deep within the earth. Deep is an understatement because depth estimates range from 200 to 400 miles. The discovery and ongoing interest are based on seismic studies and our ever-increasing knowledge of tectonic plate physics. The water exists in a phase that is neither liquid, solid or vapor but in a 4th state (possibly as hydroxyl-OH) absorbed in a mineral called ringwoodite. This mineral is formed from magnesium silicate (Mg2SiO4) under high temperature and pressure. Sounds farfetched, but so did fracking for oil 30 years ago.
- Number of agricultural wells in USA Latest (2018) USDA numbers are:
- 231,000 farms irrigated 56 million acres with 83.4 million acre-feet (27 trillion gallons) of water. This equates to 12,000,000 gallons per farm.
- Five states account for 50% of all agricultural wells
- California – 15% 35,000 farms
- Nebraska – 14% 32,000 farms
- Arkansas – 8% 18,000 farms
- Texas – 7% 16,000 farms
- Idaho – 6% 14,000 farms
- Well water problems related to agriculture
- Crop production. 90% of problems are related to high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) which is expressed as Parts Per Million (PPM). If a gallon of water were boiled until all wetness is gone and all that was left is typically a white to tan powder or scale, this Solid material would be everything from the periodic table of elements that were dissolved in the water. By weighing the Total of these solids and using arithmetic to determine their weight in a million pounds (120,000 gallons) of water. Distilled water has a TDS value of 0 and sea water is 32,000. Well water values are all over the range, but 350 PPM to 16,000 PPM are commonly found in agricultural well water tests. DS values above 750 PPM inhibit plants from freely up taking water from the soil and circulating it in the xylem system to deliver necessary nutrients. At higher levels and with certain chemical ratios such as that of sodium and calcium (SAR) can actually come close to stopping flow. The primary problem with high TDS is its directly proportional effect on the water’s surface tension which lowers its ability to climb in the plant due to capillary attraction. Also, there are often concentrations of one or two elements among the dozens or more in a particular well that inhibit growth or quality of a crop. State and/or county agricultural departments, working in concert with research universities, publish lists of water parameters for virtually all possible crops. One element in water that negatively affects both plants and animals is boron.
- Animal use. Unique to virtually all species of all farm animals is their ability to sense high TDS in the drinking water offered to them. Simply put, they will drink only enough to sustain life and will become dehydrated. Cattle and dairy farmers sell the weight of their product as a carcass or as a liquid both being over 90% water. Lower water intake and retention significantly reduces profitability. There are certain elements in water that are dangerous to animals that they do not sense.
- Sulfates. They act as a cathartic leading to diarrhea. Extreme fluid lost and rapid digestive transit time lowering nutrient uptake.
- Nitrates. Body changes nitrate to nitrite which lessens the blood’s ability to transport oxygen and leads to weakness and frailty.
- Insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, etc. Neurotoxins causing difficult-to-diagnose behavioral and physical issues.
- Current technologies for treatment of agricultural well water
- Reverse Osmosis (R.O.)
This water treatment process has matured significantly since its inception in the 1960’s. In the last 10 years, changes in technology have been incremental, so the process is stable and results predictable. The technology revolves around a thin sheet of plastic material not unlike Saran Wrap through which water containing the dissolved elements discussed above. This material is referred to as a membrane and has the unique ability to pass water molecules and hold back or reject elements when the water/element combination is pressurized. The process is not 100% effective, so typical results are 70 to 99% removal of the dissolve elements based on element concentration (TDS), applied pressure, temperature, specific membrane chemistry and other equipment subtleties. The primary benefit of the RO is to lower the water surface tension to improve water transit through plant to deliver nutrients. Performance ranges are:- Applied (pumping) pressures. 150 PSI at moderate TDS levels to 800 PSI at high TDS levels.
- Energy consumption. Using 35,000 gallons per day use of treated water and 65% recovery (35% of all water to drain) as a base line, electrical power required would be 5.7 kWh on the moderate TDS levels and 26 kWh for the high TDS levels
- Waste water. The rejected elements need to be carried away in a waste water stream that represents 25 to 50% of water delivered to the system. This water is almost always too bad to have any use.
- Equipment cost. CAPEX. Using the parameters from (2) above, the end user should expect to pay slightly over $100,000.00 installed on a prepared site and $300,000.00 for a high TDS system.
- Operating cost. OPEX. Plan on 5% annually of original purchase price PLUS cost of electricity over a 15-year effective system life for consumables, membrane cleaning and/or replacement, anti-scale chemicals, replacement parts, etc., etc.
- Ion exchange.
This is a process dating to the late 1920’s where one to 3 contaminants such as nitrates, alkalinity, calcium, etc. can be removed from a well stream by substituting the offending element for chloride, sodium, hydrogen, hydroxide, etc. Although effective, there is a waste stream with chemicals that may percolate through the soil and contaminate the aquifer or it may need to be removed as hazmat. Depending on the specific ion exchange (resin) used and its regenerating chemical, drain volume will run from 2 to 10% of total water requirement. The TDS reduction is minimal if at all so that there is seldom a measurable
lowering of the surface tension. - Absorption media holds on to contaminant, but adds nothing in exchange. Primary function is to remove selectively elements that are discarded. When media capacity is full, chemicals and/or backwashing take place or media is discarded. Classic uses are for iron, manganese, arsenic and boron. None reduce the TDS or the surface tension.
- Catalytic/magnetic and Magnetic.
Both processes run a conductor (water) through a strong magnetic field. Faraday’s Law causes a voltage to be developed. This energy is known to lower the surface tension on many (but not all) high TDS water supplies. TDS is not reduced.
- Reverse Osmosis (R.O.)
- THE FUTURE
Worldwide, water withdrawal from aquafers is estimated at 75 trillion gallons annually with replenishment at <2% from rainfall. Unfortunately, withdrawal in coastal areas is causing seawater intrusion that progressively makes the well water less acceptable and requiring even higher levels of treatment before use. There are no supportive numbers on the number of wells drying up, but it is happening. 8+ billion people on earth need to be fed but because of water scarcity many may die of starvation. We have established in this presentation that reverse osmosis is the go-to technology to obtain water with acceptable chemistry for plants and animals in spite of unrealistically high CAPEX and OPEX. Let’s pause for a moment and truly think of what is going on. Water containing only ½% by weight of minerals (5,000 PPM) is unsatisfactory for irrigation or animals, but the RO process uses energy-consuming pressures and expensive hardware to literally pull the 99-1/2% water away from the ½% minerals. Wouldn’t it make more sense to reach into unpressurized water and pull out the small weight of minerals? Basic arithmetic says this could reduce energy needs by as much as 99-1/2% and a high percentage reduction of hardware cost depending on the technology used. That technology is available as DIME IMPROVED CAPACITIVE DEIONIZATION (DICDI).Dime Improved Capacitive Deionization - DICDI equipment involves the use of a relatively large volume of a custom adsorbent assembly (cell) immersed in unpressurized high TDS water. A low voltage, low amperage (low power) current flows through the water and adsorbent causing minerals in the water to cling into the adsorbent thus removed from the water and resulting in a significant reduction in TDS and surface tension. Power requirements are low enough to be handled by a small solar array. When the adsorbent becomes saturated with minerals, electrical polarity is reversed for a short time and adsorbed minerals are discharged into a low volume of water to drain. The DICDI adsorbent is made of 3 low-cost sustainable materials and processing involves 2 steps and some easy to fabricate, low-cost fixtures. Scaling from a system producing 500 gallons daily to 5,000 or 50,000 gallons is nothing more than increasing the number of adsorbent cells and increasing the support frame size. The DICDI process can reasonably expect to lower the ex-factory equipment cost by 75% and operating cost by 90% when compared to Reverse Osmosis. The systems are designed and constructed to improve well water quality for growing edible crops and to help animals thrive on the water they drink by treatment of water with a TDS range from 750 to 18,000 PPM. At this stage it not intended to treat 32,000 PPM sea water though future iterations may be adapted for this use.
In a previous blog, I indicated the apparent lack of a university or government published a study on the efficacy of using irrigation water exposed to a magnetic field for improved crop yields and/or the reduced amount of water required. Such studies regarding magnetic water treatment do exist.
In a controlled test by the University of Western Sydney Australia, Richmond Campus conducted in 2007 and 2008 showed a comparative crop yield increase of 23% while simultaneously reducing water use by 24% on 3,000 PPM (5.8 ms/m electrical conductivity) water. The crop was a high water requiring celery and the dates coincided with terrible drought conditions in Australia. Duplicate tests were run on tap water, recycled wastewater, and water with TDS values of 500, 1000, and 1500 PPM. The TDS values were closely controlled and monitored after injection of sodium chloride – salt. Of particular interest was the test yields and water use reduction were better the higher the TDS and the resulting water conductivity.
Looking at a section of pipe with relatively high conductivity water going through it and surrounded by an axially oriented north-south field should remind us of a wire exposed to a moving magnetic field i.e. a simple generator putting out an alternating electrical current similar in principle to the early days of Tesla and Westinghouse in their contest with Edison.
Other than empirical results on effectiveness, there seems to be little or no information on why it works. Studies on human cells (and can they be correlated to plant cells) conducted by Dr. William Pawluk, MD, MS (not to be confused with Gerald H. Pollack, Ph.D. whom we often quote in our structured water documents) point to improved cell cleansing and nutrition when water that is treated by magnetic water treatment is provided to either the body or the drinking water. He refers to the magnetic energy imparted as PEMF or pulsating electromagnetic forces. His online information is quite convincing as are his educational and experience credentials.
Magnetic water treatment is provided by the following Dime Water products:
- ESF
- ESF PLUS
- Maxi-Cure
- Maxi-Cure PLUS
- AQUAFER – Treated water for less than $1 a day.
- AQUAFER PLUS
Jeremy Hinton is an eighth-generation Kentucky farmer and concerned with the EPA’s, “Waters of the US” legislation. He and his wife Joanna own Hinton’s Orchard and Farm Market in Hodgenville, Kentucky – the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. “Our family came to LaRue County the same year that the Lincolns did, but we just stayed a lot longer,” he joked.
Today, Hinton and his wife grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables which they sell at their two retail markets – one on the farm and one in nearby Elizabethtown. They are able to grow this wide variety thanks to all their up-to-date equipment, which they procure from places like Costex so that they can efficiently grow and provide crops for their shops. They are also actively involved in agritourism, hosting school tours and festivals as well as building their own corn maze. And, as if he doesn’t already have enough to do, Hinton sells crop insurance to farmers in the area. Such farming processes generally require advanced machinery like tractors, mowers, and harvesters. Furthermore, these vehicles often require servicing and maintenance in order to work to their full potential. For example, new farm tractor tires might be required due to the wear and tear caused by overutilization of tractor.
Along with the use of reliable and advanced farm machinery, farmers could also be updated on the various kinds of technology and agriculture software solutions that could help streamline their business further and implement the policies made by the State more effectively. As Hinton also knows firsthand how policies emanating from Washington impact farmers and other small businesses in Kentucky, he might be able to help the locals in this regard. He believes that some of the policies of the previous administration, if gone to fruition, “could have been very detrimental to our business and lots of others.” “There was a good bit of concern about the waters in the US,” he said. Other policies, like the previous administration’s changes to worker protection standards, “could have been very difficult to implement on a farm like ours.”
But the EPA’s regulatory reform efforts under Administrator Scott Pruitt have “increased optimism about the future,” stated Hinton. He also believes that there is a new, more friendly and cooperative attitude at EPA toward farmers – one that appreciates the environmental stewardship they practice day in and day out. As Administrator Pruitt likes to say, farmers are among our nation’s first environmentalists and conservationists and protectors of the waters of the US.
“Our operation, like any farm, wants to do the best that we can to protect our natural resources,” Hinton said. “That’s our livelihood.” He and his wife raise their three children on the farm and hope that someday they will become the next generation of Kentucky farmers.
This week, EPA is recognizing and celebrating National Small Business Week. Small businesses, like the Hinton’s Orchard and Farm Market, are the heart of our nation’s economy. EPA is committed to advancing policies that protect the environment and provide small businesses with the regulatory clarity and certainty they need to thrive and support local communities around the nation.
Improving Water Education:
21 federal grants were recently awarded to universities for the purpose of supporting critical water education programming in agricultural watersheds and rural areas across the country. The grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, through the institute’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative “Water for Agriculture” challenge and the National Integrated Water Quality Program.
The University of Wisconsin- Madison has received one of those 21 grants, and their portion of the more than $10 million in agricultural water grants is $900,000. These grants represent the first year of funding for the Water for Agriculture program.
“Think Water”
“Water is our most precious resource, one that is essential for both human survival and well-being, and for our ability to grow our crops and livestock,” said Sonny Ramaswamy, institute director. “By funding research, extension and education for citizens and the agriculture community, we are able to proactively create solutions to water-related issues like drought and its impact on food security.”
The University has a long tradition of providing leadership in multiple areas of agriculture and, with the new grant, educators will broaden the project’s water-education focus beyond youth to include water education for adults and research specifically focused on crucial agricultural water-use and –impact issues.
What is ThinkWater? NEW from Cabrera Research on Vimeo.The UW was initially awarded a $2.6 million federal grant in 2011 for their project, which focused on improving water education for youth to create greater understanding and caring with regard to water issues.
Why Should We Be Concerned About Agricultural Water?
Agricultural water is water that is used to grow fresh produce and sustain livestock. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), water used for irrigation accounts for nearly 65% of the world’s freshwater withdrawals, excluding thermoelectric power. There are 330 million acres of land used for agricultural purposes in the United States that produce an abundance of food and other products. Agricultural water is used for:
- irrigation
- pesticides
- fertilizer applications
- crop cooling
- frost control
Poor planning of industrial sites, animal farms, and barnyards and feedlots can easily affect the water quality. Poor water quality can affect the quality of food crops and lead to illness in those who consume them. Agricultural water can become contaminated through a variety of ways and can potentially spread bacteria, viruses, and parasites to crops and animals. Agricultural activities that cause nonpoint source pollution include:
- overgrazing
- overworking the land (for example, plowing too often)
- poorly managed and ineffective application of pesticides, irrigation water, and fertilizer
- poorly managed animal feeding operations
Certain microorganisms such as Cryptosporidium, blue-green algae, or Staphylococcus, can be toxic to animals and cause symptoms like diarrhea, lack of coordination, labored breathing, or death. Ill animals can then release millions of infectious microbes into the soil that can further contaminate other water sources. Disease-causing organisms can rapidly spread if animals are drinking from the same trough, so it is important that livestock are provided with adequate amounts of quality water, free of contamination. Also, irrigating crops with contaminated water can lead to contaminated food products, which will lead to illness when eaten.
Water Treatment Solutions for the Agriculture Market
Agriculture-related operations produce a range of wastewaters requiring a variety of treatment technologies and management practices. Water treatment technologies employed for the agriculture markets include:
- biological treatment
- disinfection
- filtration
- mixing/aeration
- reverse osmosis
- ultrafiltration
At Dime Water Inc., our engineers are always prepared to help you choose the right water treatment technology to meet your needs. Contact us at 760.734.5787!
Resources:
- https://www.agriview.com/news/crop/agriculture-water-issues-uw-receives-federal-grant/article_831956f7-b146-5fc7-ae36-b51855fb8771.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/other/agricultural/index.html
- https://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture/impacts/water_use/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_wastewater_treatment
