DRO-100 HE PLUS: a brand new all-inclusive under the counter drinking water system is now available from Dime Water, Inc.
This new system is constructed to not only reduce all known water contaminants by 90% or higher but also adds healthy benefits to the water that you drink. Using reverse osmosis, this new system provides cleaner water for drinking, beverages you prepare such as coffee, tea, and foods, like soup for example.
After the reverse osmosis process, our new system utilizes a custom cartridge that allows three important things to occur to further improve your water.
First, pH levels are adjusted to the alkalinity level you prefer ranging from neutral of 7 to over 8.5 depending on the raw water chemistry.
Second, the vital to life electrolytes calcium and magnesium are added to the water from natural sources as well as enhanced taste.
Finally, the DRO-100 HE PLUS stands apart from other filtrations systems by adding molecular hydrogen to the water as a therapeutic antioxidant. A publication in the 2016 National Institute of Health by Dr. Lei Huang, M.D. talks about the health benefits of cleansing the human body of oxidants at a cellular level. A measurable negative ORP of the treated water confirms the antioxidant properties of our water.
All of this is accomplished with the most efficient recovery of treated water available at 76%. This reduction of wasted water is critical to the environment as is the elimination of plastic bottles now that the water is treated in the home.
And did we mention the super production capacity of the DRO-100 HE PLUS is 100 gallons per day! This virtually guarantees you’ll never run out of this delicious & healthy water.
Have questions about purchasing commercial reverse osmosis filter equipment? As business people, you probably wouldn’t buy or lease a building based only on square footage, a vehicle based totally on length or a computer system focusing exclusively on storage capacity. Knowing reasonable details about each of these examples is the norm for long term useful and satisfactory purchases.
Strangely, all too often commercial reverse osmosis filter units are selected from a catalog or on-line provider based solely on how much water it can produce in a day. A few purchasers get lucky but the vast majority come up short on desired water quality, excessive maintenance, poor after-sale assistance and yes, even insufficiently treated water volume for the day.
To design and construct reverse osmosis equipment to meet customer’s needs at a competitive price Dime Water, Inc. processes all inquiries through experienced engineers that listen intently to all application requirements and then feed this information along with water chemistry data as well as ambient conditions into one or more computerized design programs. The result is systems that meet YOUR needs without fail.
In the event that you have acquired a reverse osmosis system after intensive research from a reputed supplier, you may require us to hire moving companies sparks nv (or wherever you live) to transport it to your business location. These companies will be able to assist you in safely and easily transporting your machines.
Prior to that, it seems critical to find an appropriate system for your business. If you are not asked about your treated water quality expectations, raw water source, job site location, storage volume, available space, and power along with control requirements you are in danger of not getting what you need.
If you are in the market for water treatment equipment whether a commercial or industrial reverse osmosis system, filter, softener, deionized or any other process contact us and let us put our decades of experience to work for you.
Bottled Water Cost
Americans will spend $16 billion on bottled water this year. Think about it – millions of us every day will go out and pay to get something that is more or less the same as what comes out of our kitchen faucet.
Of course, it’s that ‘more or less’ detail that makes all the difference.
Bottled water, whether it is labeled as artesian, mineral or spring water, is regulated by the FDA and must meet that organization’s water quality standards. That gives us a sense of confidence that this water is healthier and safer, and it usually tastes better too.
But what if you could achieve those same levels of quality and taste in your tap water? How much money would that add back into your family’s budget?
Is It Just Tap Water?
Believe it or not, even if you buy water from the store you may be drinking someone’s tap water anyway. Pictures of mountains and glaciers on bottle labels help consumers to visualize the purity of a clear stream in the reverse osmosisckies, but that doesn’t mean that is where the contents originated.
Those brands that do put more effort into their product will filter water using reverse osmosis, which removes impurities and particles larger than .001 microns. But that is something you can do as well.
Dimewater Inc. offers several reverse osmosis systems that remove bacteria, pyrogens, viruses, pesticides, dissolved solids, sulfates, radioactive contaminants, pharmaceuticals, and other harmful particles from your water. Choose from our standard product line of reverse osmosis systems or choose to utilize our in-house engineering team to design a custom engineered system based upon your needs.
Call us at 760.734.5787 and get in touch with one of our water experts today.
There are a number of items to consider when contemplating the purchase of a commercial reverse osmosis system. They include:
Commercial reverse osmosis systems are sized and priced based on the volume of treated water required in a 24 hour day expressed as GPD. For longevity of the system, a good duty cycle is 12-18 hours daily run time.
or an atmospheric tank with a re-pressure pump for release at desired flow rates when needed. Be aware of the tank space required.
There is a wastewater stream associated with commercial reverse osmosis units. The ratio of treated water volume to the total water entering the system is called its RECOVERY with this percentage dependent on raw water chemistry and ranges from 50% to 85%.
Systems cannot remove 100% of everything dissolved in the water. The percentage removed is called REJECTION and varies from 95% to 99% based on inlet water chemistry and system design. Custom commercial reverse osmosis units can be custom designed to provide even a higher rejection percentage to often eliminate the need for post-treatment with deionization.
Although we refer to systems as commercial reverse osmosis units the membranes can be replaced with NANO membranes and then called NANO systems that can offer advantages to the user. Advantages include lower operating pressures to save energy and longer system life; increased water efficiency with less drain water. Rejection is reduced to 85-90% but that water quality level may be adequate for your needs.
As a general rule when obtaining a quote or purchasing a commercial reverse osmosis system or NANO systems have full knowledge in advance of what quality water you need, daily peak use, peak flow requirement and source of water to be treated. If you are not prompted to provide this information by the prospective supplier, move on to one that will.
New line of custom-built water treatment products
Wellness enthusiasts and water purists rejoice! Dime Water Inc. is proud to announce our new line of custom-built water treatment products in the wellness industry, which we call WFP (Water for Purists). Since our inception, we evolved with the thought that innovative ideas regarding our drinking water are most welcome, thus, we are always researching and experimenting with products that we believe can bring significant changes to a household’s drinking water quality.
Water for Purists is an idea born considering our human nature and the ever-growing need to know what it is in our water. People are becoming more and more informed and aware of water’s properties as a result of numerous scientific studies and publications. Many authors have contributed to elevate the awareness of the public as to how can water quality be improved, and many people have started taking action and considering various water treatment units for their homes and businesses.
We at Dime Water Inc. have a passion for water. Inspired by renowned scientists from all over the world such as Dr. Batmanghelidj, Wm. D. Holloway, Herb Joiner-Bey, Masaru Emoto, Viktor Schauberger, Dr. reverse osmosis Becker, Bruce Taino, just to name a few of those who contributed to elevate awareness of the mysteries of water, we have developed a new product line, actually series of products that we refer to as WFP (Water For Purists) units.
Dianne Kuypers, President of Dime Water Inc.
5 Series with Incredible Efficiency
These custom-built units are designed to treat a single point of use or the entire house, depending on what our clients request. The series developed by our talented, skillful and experienced team includes:
- WFP-1 Series: Filters
- WFP-2 Series: Oxygenation
- WFP-3 Series: Vortexing
- WFP-4 Series: Frequency Addition
- WFP-5 Series: Ozonation AOP (Advanced Oxidation Process)
WFP-1 Series: Filters
This series includes single and dual counter top cartridge filters. The units we provide are portable, adaptable to faucet spouts and allow selection of treated/untreated water through a diverter valve. They are specially designed to keep under control:
- alkalinity
- chloramines
- chlorine
- electrolytes
- fluoride
- heavy metals
- TDS
- volatile organics
WFP-2 Series: Oxygenation
These custom-built units restore the oxygen level in your drinking water to a level of your choosing. The units can also be added to existing reverse osmosis units or incorporated into other Dime Water Inc. products. Our custom-built systems use 80% pure oxygen. Another advantage is that the presence of oxygen in drinking water assists protective coating formation on the inside of metal water transport pipes.
WFP-3 Series: Vortexing
The WFP-3 Series are available for whole house systems, drinking water-only units but can also be incorporated in Maxicure™, Aquafer™, Aquafer Plus™ and ESF™ units. The vortex phenomenon, which these units are able to recreate, is able to bring back vital life into your water. The Aquafer offers treated water for less than $1 a day.
WFP-4 Series: Frequency Addition
We have designed custom units that impart the frequency of 62-68 cycles per second, which is believed to be a healthy body’s natural intracellular frequency. Users can also adjust the frequency from 8-20,000 cycles per seconds for drinking water-only or for all water in their home.
WFP-5 Series: Ozonation AOP (Advanced Oxidation Process)
Dime Water Inc. has designed and manufactured the WFP-5 Series for drinking water and whole house applications. Combined with UV light treatment, ozone is known to be extremely effective in removing bacteria and organics from the water, leaving your water free from any organic contaminants of concern.
We manufacture all items so you can be assured of excellent value in pricing, quality and durability. If anyone is interested in a process not displayed in our series, we can always be contacted with requests.
Michael Colburn, Vice President and Chief Engineer at Dime Water Inc.
Prices for our custom-built WFP units are all available upon request. Contact us at 760.734.5787 for more information about our products!
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Even the best water purification systems on the market require monitoring for total dissolved solids to ensure the filters and/or membranes are effectively removing the bacteria and unwanted particles from your water. Besides drinking water, where a lower level of TDS (purer water) is preferred, a TDS level is specific for each application and particular usage.
Fish and plants require water with widely varying TDS levels, most of which are higher than what we deem to be healthy drinking water for people. TDS in water supplies originates from natural sources, sewage, and urban/agricultural run-off.
What Are Total Dissolved Solids?
TDS, or total dissolved solids, is the term used to describe the inorganic salts and small amounts of organic matter present in solution in water. The principal constituents are usually:
- calcium
- chloride
- hydrogen carbonate
- magnesium
- nitrate anions
- sodium and potassium cations and carbonate
- sulfate
Total dissolved solids are differentiated from total suspended solids (TSS), in that the latter cannot pass through a sleeve of 2 micrometers and yet are indefinitely suspended in solution. Salts used for reverse osmosisad de-icing can also contribute to the TDS loading of water supplies. Concentrations of TDS from natural sources have been found to vary from less than 30 mg/L to as much as 6,000 mg/L, depending on the solubilities of minerals in different geological regions.
Why Should You Measure the TDS Level in Your Water?
The presence of dissolved solids in water may affect its taste. The palatability of drinking water has been rated by panels of tasters in relation to its TDS level as follows:
- EXCELLENT – less than 300 mg/L
- GOOD – between 300 and 600 mg/L
- FAIR – between 600 and 900 mg/L
- POOR – between 900 and 1,200 mg/L
- UNACCEPTABLE – greater than 1,200 mg/L
Parts per million (ppm) is the weight-to-weight ratio of any ion to water.
The EPA Secondary Regulations advise a maximum contamination level (MCL) of 500mg/L (500 parts per million) for TDS. However, numerous water supplies exceed this level and when TDS levels exceed 1,000mg/L it is generally considered unfit for human consumption. A high level of TDS is an indicator of potential concerns, and further investigation should be done. Most often, high levels of TDS are caused by the presence of potassium, chlorides and sodium.
Water with extremely low concentrations of TDS may also be unacceptable because of its flat, insipid taste. Certain components of TDS can influence corrosion or encrustation in water-distribution systems. Excessive scaling in water pipes, water heaters, boilers, and household appliances such as kettles and steam irons can occur with high TDS levels (>500 mg/L). High TDS levels can shorten the service life of these appliances and others. Reliable data on possible health effects associated with the ingestion of TDS in drinking water are not available.
Measuring Water TDS at Home
TDS handheld meters are a great and generally inexpensive way to test the water quality in your home at any given time. They come factory calibrated and are ready to use out of the box, are designed to stay consistent. A TDS meter is based on the electrical conductivity (EC) of water. Recalibration is necessary after prolonged usage and you will need a commercial standard Na-Cl-based solution. Here are a few tips on how to care for your TDS meter:
- always rinse the sensor pins in distilled water and allow them to air dry before replacing the cap
- clean the electrodes to prevent residue build-up after repeated usage in high TDS water
- do not drop or completely submerge the unit in water or dip beyond the maximum immersion level
- do not store the unit in high temperature or direct sunlight
- if the tip is heavily fouled with organic material, soak it in alcohol or bleach; gentle wiping with a soft, non-abrasive cloth may also be acceptable
- make sure that the battery compartment and probe gasket ring are firmly tightened before submerging in water
- pH and ORP electrodes must be stored in a special storage solution
- TDS electrodes should be stored dry
- the batteries may need to be replaced after extended usage or lifespan
- when necessary, clean the electrodes by soaking the tip in an acid (e.g., vinegar or diluted hydrochloric acid) and then rinsing well in water
How Do You Reduce the TDS in Your Water?
Common water filter and water purification systems that have proven to reduce the TDS in water include:
- carbon filtration
- reverse osmosis (RO)
- distillation
- deionization (DI)
Call us at 760.734.5787 and get in touch with one of our water experts today!
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Simply expressed, water is pressurized and forced through an extremely thin sheet of specially formulated plastic sheet. The higher the pressure, the more water passes through. The thin sheet (membrane) passes water and traps a high (95% plus) percentage (rejection) of everything (dissolved solids) in the water. The trapped items exit the membrane as a waste (concentrate) stream and the balance (permeate) stream is collected. The permeate stream normally represents 50% to 80% (recovery) of the water entering the membrane
There are basic steps in processing water with a commercial reverse system that must be considered in the design and application of the systems. They are:
1. PRETREATMENT. Often overlooked or poorly designed, this step determines system life cycle, maintenance requirements and overall performance. The following must be addressed —
- Turbidity (undissolved solids) reduction to at least 5 microns. The porosity of the membrane down to 0.0002 microns makes it an excellent filter, but unaddressed turbidity will plug membranes in as little as hours.
- Iron and manganese removal to nondetectable or trace amounts. Both severely lower membrane life and/or cause frequent membrane cleaning.
- Hard water scale prevention. Hard water scale rapidly stops treated water flow. There are alternative prevention methods less costly and more environmentally friendly than water softeners. These include our ESF, Aquafer, Maxi-Cure and chemical feed systems.
- Chlorine and organics removal. Both shorten membrane life.
- Biologics removal. Like turbidity, biomasses plug membranes. Chemical feed (chlorine, hydrogen peroxide), ozone or Ultra Violet needs to be employed
2. HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP. It should be selected so that during system operation, the pump motor is not maxed out and is operating near the highest efficiency point.
3. MEMBRANE SELECTION. This should be tailored to your specific needs of optimizing water quality, water use efficiency, specific contaminant removal, etc. There is no universal type.
4. ELECTRICAL CONTROLS. Ultimately, they all do the same thing, so simplicity, cost and serviceability are primary considerations. Being able to by-pass controls while producing water in an emergency is important.
5. DUTY CYCLE. It should not be a surprise that something running 24/7 will require more frequent service and parts replacement than one operating 1/3 to ½ the time. Selecting a larger system also provides business increase wiggle reverse osmosisom.
6. TREATED WATER STORAGE. reverse osmosis units seldom deliver treated water at a required flow rate. To overcome this, storage with re-pressurization is needed. Tanks should be sized in anticipation of occasional system downtime.
Nowadays, many businesses such as car washes are facing water treatment issues that include an ever-increasing demand for high-quality water. You might be surprised to learn that as well as having good quality maintenance carried out on the interior of your vehicle, at somewhere like Landmark which specializes in BMW repair in Bellevue, you also need to look after the exterior of your car if you want it to perform at its best level. This explains why there is now a new demand for car washes to improve the quality of water they use. Treatment and handling regulation compliance are major issues confronting many segments of the market. Water treatment technologies employed for businesses include a wide range of filters, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis systems, sulfate/nitrate removal units, UV systems, and water softeners.
Car washes, for example, are major water-consuming businesses and will require proper water treatment, in order to save water and provide the best results for their clients. A water softener takes less soap to break the bond between the dirt and the vehicle, making it a great water treatment system to consider.
Reverse Osmosis Systems for Car Washes
The wash-rinse cycle is done in 2 steps: the initial rinse and final rinse. The majority of car washes today use reverse osmosis systems to take the minerals out of the water. The final rinse uses water processed through reverse osmosis and by taking the dissolved solids or most of the dissolved solids from the water, they end up with a spot-free water.
In most cases, RO requires a minimum of 3 gallons of waste to 1 gallon of product water. Wastewater is required to carry the minerals away from the membrane so they will not clog up and stop producing mineral-free water. Most car washes blow the excess water with high-velocity air, but there are those who advertise the hand wash and there they have people with towels and shammies that take the water off, and, in both cases, the quality of washes greatly improves. There are other advantages as well, if anything happened to your car, the insurance would cover it. Insurance 4 MotorTrade can provide some insight into how these policies would work.
Industrial water in a car washing installation can be microbiologically contaminated so both personnel and customers need to be protected against a possible health endangerment.
Dime Water’s reverse osmosis systems produce ultra pure water, which can be used to flush away marks in the car wash. Also, reverse osmosis treated water leaves no line marks on the car lacquer while it dries up.
Washing cars out on the street has been restricted for a long time in many communities for ecological considerations. Washing water will end up in soils poses a threat to groundwater because it contains oils and lubricants, heavy metals, suspended matter, tar, and microorganisms.
For the disinfection of the water, the following procedures are most commonly used:
- ozonization
- UV treatment
- peroxide treatment
- thermal treatment
Water softeners, backwashing carbon filters, and backwashing turbidity filters can also be used in the car washing industry. We provide a wide range of award-winning water recycling solutions that are engineered considering our clients’ needs.
We can help you reduce your water and trade waste costs with systems that pay for themselves through savings. Our systems are durable and compact, built to last and provide guaranteed performance for your car washing business. Dime Water has the knowledge to provide any business with a tailored solution. Call us at 760.734.5787 and get in touch with one of our water experts today!
Resources:
- Brown, C. (2000) Water Conservation in the Professional Car Wash Industry
Bottled water has been a subject of high interest in the latest years, not only considering its health advantages, but also considering ocean pollution.
Around 1,500 bottles are consumed per second in the US and, out of the 50 billion water bottles consumed each year in the world, about 30 billion of them are consumed in the US.
Despite well-intentioned recycling campaigns, the bottled water industry and our addiction to drinking bottled water contribute greatly to global pollution.
There can be other causes of water pollution, such as oil spills and leaks, which can cause severe damage to ocean animals and plants. Such incidents, however, can be avoided by adopting new technologies like software solutions for water quality monitoring. By utilizing software to ascertain water pollution levels, production and other relevant practices can be fine-tuned to reduce environmental impact. This helps take a step towards sustainability and pollution reduction.
There are also other technological developments that help businesses and organizations work on their pollution trends. These see the likes of sensors that can provide reliable and accurate information in extreme, harsh environments. Companies similar to Sentech (learn more about Sentech’s work with subsea lvdts) may provide oil businesses such environmental technology.
While oil spills and other industrial water pollution issues can be solved with technology; however, plastic waste in water bodies might only get controlled with the help of every human being participating in the cause.
85% of PET bottles are either thrown away or end up in the oceans! The best estimate is 11 million tons of plastic waste material is entering the ocean every year. Businesses and organizations wanting to play their part in creating a greener world may want to rent plastic balers from phs Wastekit to manage waste effectively and free up valuable storage space while lowering the impact on the environment.
Ocean Pollution: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean and is also known as the Pacific trash vortex, spanning waters from the West Coast of North America to Japan. The patch is actually comprised of the Eastern Garbage Patch, located near Japan, and the Western Garbage Patch, located between the U.S. states of Hawaii and California.
The amount of debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch accumulates because much of it is not biodegradable. Many plastics, for instance, do not wear down but they simply break into tinier and tinier pieces. In the presence of sunlight, many of these plastics break down into petroleum byproducts, which are the natural source of material for producing plastic.
The materials that result from the breaking down of the plastic are ending up in marine life and doing some terrible things to the health of fish and other ocean-dwelling life forms. We’ve all seen shocking images of dolphins playing with plastic bags and sea turtles and other animals What Eats A Jellyfish caught up in plastic rings, so this isn’t a new idea to us. As we eat fish, these materials will ultimately end up as part of our food chain. So, apart from looking like a terrible mess out in the ocean, it is also going to have consequences on our health.
Under Counter reverse osmosis units Replace the Need for Having Bottled Water
We should consider filtration in our homes and that is where we, Dime Water, come in with our under counter reverse osmosis unit. We have a particular under counter reverse osmosis unit that uses less water to waste than any other under counter reverse osmosis unit on the market.
We should stop using bottled water, especially this that comes in plastic bottles! Not only do we protect ourselves but also our entire environment, which will lead to cleaner waters and healthier marine life. Contact us today at 760.734.5787 to find out more about how an under counter reverse osmosis water purification system can help you lead a happier and healthier life.
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Throughout the United States, the process of treating sewage and then throwing the water away into an ocean outfall, or into a river or a lake someplace is becoming obsolete. Because water is so hard to get, the approach is going to be to take the water from whatever source the municipality has and treat it so that it becomes good, potable tap water.
Then, when the water is finally consumed and goes down the sewer, it will be collected, treated and reused as a source of good quality water. Although houses have different types of sewage, the aim is to save and reuse as much water as possible. For example, if you own a septic tank, it is crucial to get regular Colorado Springs septic tank cleaning, or septic tank cleaning wherever you are based, in order to try and preserve as much water as possible once it is clean enough to be recycled. The new way to save water is to treat the water that already exists.
“Indirect Potable Reuse” Got a Bad New Name: “Toilet to Tap Water”
The term that is used quite often is “toilet to tap” and this week in the city of San Diego, which is the 8th largest city in the United States, the city Council approved the “toilet to tap” approach and will be funding the treatment to do that. From the public standpoint there is what they call the “yuck factor”, as people think that they are drinking their own sewage water.
Modern water-purification technology is considered totally reliable, using micro-filtration and reverse osmosis, which pumps water through permeable membranes, and ultraviolet light to remove all contaminants. So the “yuck factor” will only be imaginary. So if you are wanting to see if you can install this water system into your house to start conserving water, you can have a look at sites such as https://bouldenbrothers.com/how-plumbing-services-help-conserve-water/ and others that will give you options to conserve on your water usage.
But from a realistic standpoint, this has been going on forever. If you go to cities like Milwaukee, Wisconsin or Chicago, Illinois, both of them being on the shores of Lake Michigan, they have a water intake in the lake and have been discharging their treated sewage out there for many years, probably 50 years or more. So in reality, “toilet to tap” has been taking place and it is a beautiful thing because we will finally be able to conserve water the way we should be conserving it.
Water Conservation to Help Meet Future Needs
Being in the water business the way we are and the number of years we have been in it, we know the technology is there to do it correctly. I think that the technical people, the Boards of Health and the regulatory agents should come out with a better study on the effectiveness of removing pharmaceuticals from the water. It is being done, but from a personal standpoint I do not know the molecular weight or the physical size of the pharmaceutical compounds that are in the sewage.
Having pharmaceutical distribution experts organizing the medication and ensuring that the deposits are safely stored and not entering water supplies is essential however in this case, I am sure that the technology will take it out but I would like to see the technical people involved in this process make the public more aware that one particular fact is that we know we can kill the bacteria, the viruses, the cysts, we know that we can make the water perfectly clear and clean-looking, we can take care of the taste issues, but the lingering concern from somebody like myself and many others in the industry is: can we prove to the public that the residual pharmaceuticals are coming out of their wastewater prior to being used as drinking water?
Public education campaigns are very important for spreading the news on the benefits of recycled sewage water. For example, every day, the outflow of L.A.’s treated wastewater (about 400 million-plus gallons) amounts to the state’s fifth-largest river running into the Pacific Ocean. In these dry times, it makes perfect sense to stop throwing it away! The secret to successful recycling programs is complete transparency from officials. Transparency and proper public education will lead to minimal opposition from the general public.
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Copper (Cu) is a metal found in natural deposits such as ores and is widely used in household plumbing materials and various industrial applications. If you are interested in buying copper and other metals online then you can visit https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/. Copper and copper alloys have been used for many years to handle water and seawater. The addition of nickel to the copper element improves the strength, wear, erosion and corrosion resistance. Copper-nickel alloys with 10% and 30% nickel are used widely for heat exchangers and seawater pipework, retaining the resistance to marine fouling, which is displayed by copper. Humans can handle proportionally large concentrations of copper, but health problems are sure to appear in this case.
EPA’s Drinking Water Regulations for the Copper Element
The Safe Drinking Water Act passed by Congress in 1974 requires EPA to determine the level of contaminants in drinking water at which no adverse health effects are likely to occur. Maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs) are non-enforceable health goals, based solely on possible health risks and exposure over a lifetime with an adequate margin of safety. Contaminants are considered to be any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substances or matter in water. If you’re unsure about having these things in your house, you should speak to a plumber (like Nance Services, for instance) to help you decide what is safe and what may not be in your home.
EPA has set the MCLG level of protection for copper at 1.3 mg/L or 1.3 ppm, based on the best available science to prevent potential health problems.
Does Copper Have Any Health Effects?
Copper in excess of the action level may cause gastrointestinal distress with short-term exposure, and liver or kidney damage with long-term exposure. We absorb eminent quantities of copper each day by drinking, breathing and eating and the absorption of copper is necessary, as it is a trace element that is essential for human health.
Exposure to copper through breathing is negligible because copper concentrations in air are usually quite low. People who live in houses that still have copper plumbing and have not had them changed out by a plumber (Paul The Plumber) are exposed to higher levels of copper than people who do not have copper plumbing, because copper is released into their drinking water through the corrosion of the pipes. Other effects of copper exposure include:
- headaches
- stomach aches
- irritation of the nose, mouth and eyes
- metal fume fever
- atrophic changes in nasal mucous membranes (industrial exposure to copper fumes/dust/mists)
- Wilson’s Disease (chronic copper poisoning): hepatic cirrhosis, brain damage, demyelization, renal disease, copper deposition in the cornea
When copper ends up in soil, it strongly attaches to organic matter and minerals. It hardly ever enters groundwater, but in surface water it can travel great distances, either suspended on sludge particles or as free ions. Polluted farmland soils are particularly dangerous for animals, as they will absorb concentrations that are damaging to their health. Sheep suffer a great deal from copper poisoning.
Copper in Drinking Water
The major sources of copper in drinking water are the corrosion of household plumbing systems and the erosion of natural deposits. Pipes, fixtures, faucets and fittings can also be a source. The amount of copper in your drinking water depends on these 6 factors:
- the types of minerals in the water
- the amounts of minerals in the water
- how long the water stays in pipes
- the water’s acidity
- the water’s temperature
We cannot see, taste or smell copper dissolved in water, so testing the water is the only sure way of telling whether there are harmful quantities of lead in your drinking water. You should test your water if your home has copper pipes and you notice the following signs:
- frequent leaks
- rust-colored water
- signs of corrosion
- stained dishes or laundry
One of the ways to do this is to hire a professional plumber from reputed companies like Queens Charlotte Plumbing to check for copper content in your water. There could be many reasons for high copper concentration in water, and these queen charlotte plumbing experts might just be the people who could find a solution to your problem.
Antimicrobial Properties of Copper
Copper and its alloys are natural antimicrobial materials and its antimicrobial properties are still under active investigation. According to a comprehensive literature, technology and patent search that traced the history of understanding the “bacteriostatic and sanitizing properties of copper and copper alloy surfaces”, which was conducted in 1973, demonstrated that copper, in very small quantities, has the power to control a wide range of molds, fungi, harmful microbes and algae. In concentrations above 10g/L, copper inhibits:
- Actinomucor elegans
- Aspergillus niger
- Bacterium linens
- Bacillus megaterium
- Bacillus subtilis
- Brevibacterium erythrogenes
- Candida utilis
- Penicillium chrysogenum
- Rhizopus niveus
- Saccharomyces mandshuricus
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Other observations from the research that are noteworthy:
- Achromobacter fischeri and Photobacterium phosphoreum growth is inhibited by metallic copper
- Candida utilis is completely inhibited at 0.04 g/L copper concentrations
- Paramecium caudatum cell division is reduced by copper plates placed on Petri dish covers containing infusoria and nutrient media
- Poliovirus is inactivated within 10 minutes of exposure to copper with ascorbic acid
- Tubercle bacillus is inhibited by copper as simple cations or complex anions in concentrations from 0.02 to 0.2 g/L
An abundance of peer-reviewed antimicrobial efficiency studies plus others directed by the EPA in the past 10 years resulted in the 2008 registration of 274 different copper alloys as certified antimicrobial materials that have public health benefits. There is a variety of techniques used to disinfect fluids and surfaces. Dime Water can provide the following water treatment solutions for disinfection:
- chemical feed system feeding chlorine or hydrogen peroxide
- ultra filtration
- UV
- reverse osmosis
- ozone
Resources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_properties_of_copper
- https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/drinking-water-regulations
Alkaline water is commonly known as ionized water and has a pH level greater than 7. Many people believe that alkaline water features a number of health benefits. It is generally produced with the aid of a faucet-based water ionizer, or alkalizer. Alkaline means you have a low number of Hydrogen ions in the water and a higher number of either Bicarbonate or Carbonate, or Hydroxyl ions, which contribute to a higher pH and thus the definition of “alkaline”.
5 Apparent Benefits of Drinking Alkaline Water
If you read articles on the physiology of the body you will find that once something of a different pH hits the back of your throat, your body will be aware of it. For instance, if you take something that has a high pH or alkaline, your body will sense it almost immediately. However, once the body senses it, it wants to protect the low pH or acid environment of your stomach, by pumping extra acid in the stomach to neutralize that elevated pH. There are 5 benefits to alkaline water that alkaline water supporters believe in:
- better hydration
- detoxifies your body
- works as an antioxidant
- effective disease protection
- protects bone, tissue and teeth
The only advantage of drinking alkaline water I can think of is that it causes a placebo effect to those who consume it, triggering the reaction of drinking more water and less dehydrating material such as coffee or alcohol. Just the very fact that you are finally hydrating with water and getting rid of sodas and coffee, you are going to feel better.
A Cheaper Way to Make Alkaline Water
In my estimation, if you want to make alkaline water, just take a good, high quality reverse osmosis system, produce water that has little to no mineral content to it and add a pinch of baking soda. For low cost, you will have the high purity water and you have the alkaline, if that is what you desire.
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Pharmaceutical Leftovers In Our Water
In the last 10 years, traces of pharmaceutical leftovers and personal care products (PPCPs) have been reported in the water cycle. Surface waters, wastewater, groundwater and to a lesser extent drinking water have been contaminated with PPCPs at levels in the nanograms to low micrograms per liter range.
Although they have an impact on human health, PPCPs have a much greater impact on fish, other aquatic wildlife and the environment in general. But what can we do about it? Proper disposal of PPCPs can prevent misuse of pharmaceuticals and keep the environment free from contamination.
What Are PPCPs and How Do They Get into Our Water?
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products include a wide range of drugs and care products:
- prescription and over-the-counter drugs
- veterinary drugs
- cosmetics
- fragrances
- sun-screen products
- diagnostic agents
- nutraceuticals (vitamins for example)
PPCPs get into our water from many different sources as a result of improper disposal. Pharmaceutical industries, hospitals, medical facilities, households and agricultural areas have a big impact on the environment due to operations involving a wide range of PPCPs. Pharmaceuticals, including sex hormones, antibiotics and antidepressants have been found in at least 41 million American’s drinking water supplies!
There is a growing concern about the pharmaceuticals’ contribution to health problems. Also, biological impacts of exposure to higher concentrations of PPCPs in untreated water can lead to:
- feminization of male fish and masculinization of female fish
- delayed sexual development in fish
- embryo mortality
- abnormal hormone levels
- structural and neurological damages
The animation below was funded by the European Union within the research project PHARMAS and was conceived for a general educated public with no prior knowledge of the PPCPs issue.
How Do I Properly Dispose of PPCPs?
Depending on the source and the ingredients, there are various ways in which the public can properly dispose of pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Often, there are community drug take-back programs that collect drugs at a center location for proper disposal. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) periodically promotes local take-back programs and the program called the National Take Back Initiative.
However, if no program is available, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of National Drug Policy emphasize on following the subsequent measurements:
- take the prescription drugs out of their original containers
- mix drugs with cat litter or used coffee grounds
- place the mixture into a disposable container with a lid (sealable bag for example)
- cover up any personal identification with a black marker that is on the original pill containers
- place these containers in the bag with the mixture, seal them and place them in the trash
Although logistically challenging, removing pharmaceutical traces from drinking water is no impossible task. Reverse osmosis systems are widely agreed upon as the best available treatment method, removing heavier molecular particles common in many pharmaceutical drugs. reverse osmosis systems also filter small impurities and remove contaminants such as arsenic, fluoride, lead, sodium, nitrate and nitrite, cysts, copper, chloride taste and odor, and dissolved solids.
Resources:
- https://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/htm/whats-in-your-water/pharmaceuticals
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_pharmaceuticals_and_personal_care_products
Bottled water has been a subject of high interest in the latest years. Bottled water is healthy water, or so marketers would have us believe with labels and ads showing deep, pristine pools of spring water, mountain peaks and healthy, active people consuming bottled water during their workouts.
The truth is bottled water is just water and in terms of sustainability, it is a dry well. There are about 50 billion water bottles consumed each year and about 30 billion of them consumed in the US, which means we consume reverse osmosisughly 60% of the world’s water bottles.
1,500 bottles are consumed per second in the US and 9.1 billion gallons were sold in 2011, which is 29.1 gallons per person, the highest in sales and volume in history!
There are many reasons why you should stop buying bottled water. Here are the top 5 reasons!
1. Environmentally Unfriendly
The bottled water industry and our addiction to drinking this water contributes greatly to global pollution, despite well-intentioned recycling campaigns. About 85% of PET bottles are either thrown away or end up in the oceans, posing a threat to marine life. Also, the production of bottled water used the equivalent of 17 million barrels of oil, releasing more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2006.
2. Too Expensive
Municipal water costs about 1 cent per gallon. Saying you buy a 20 ounce name brand for $1, that works out to 5 cents an ounce! Bottled water can cost 500 to 3,000 times more than tap water and shockingly, most bottled water is simply just filtered tap water. Some companies filter or radiate the tap water with UV light before selling it to you at several thousand times the cost of municipal tap water. Think twice before buying this glorified tap water!
3. Poor Quality
You should be aware that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has strict guidelines for tap water but does not oversee bottled water regulations. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has weaker regulations and applies the EPA’s regulations only selectively to bottled water. They inspect bottled water only if it crosses state lines, but approximately 70% of it never does,making it exempt from FDA oversight.
4. Harmful Bacteria
A study conducted by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which involved testing more than 1,000 water bottles, including 103 bottled water brands, revealed that a third of the brands contained arsenic, bacteria and synthetic organics exceeding allowable limits. Also, Canada’s C-rest laboratories in Montreal found high levels of heterotrophic bacteria in 70% of the dozen bottled water they tested.
These bacteria can be pathogenic and can cause infectious diseases like E. coli. According to the US Pharmacopoeia, heterotrophic bacteria in drinking water should not exceed 500 colony-forming units (CFUs) per millimeter. The highest recorded level from the sample was 80,000 CFUs per millimeter!
5. Plastic Chemicals
Plastic is not just bad for the planet, it is not good for us either. Most small 16-20 oz bottled waters are made from polyethylene terephtalate (PET), which are known to leach harmful plastic chemicals and hormone disruptors into the water. A study conducted in 2000 found that 8 out of 10 large 5-gallon jugs tested left the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) in the water, which has been linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, reproductive development disorders and diabetes. Leaching of plastic chemicals increases with age and heat, so storing bottled water is not a good idea.
Alternatives to Bottled Water
Before you choose pure hype over pure water, you should be aware of the alternatives to bottled water. Tap water and home water purification systems are cheaper and healthier alternatives in the long run. Tap water is regularly tested for bacteria and toxins, falling under the jurisdiction of the EPA. Chlorine, chloramines, and fluoride are reverse osmosisutinely added to tap water and water contamination can occur at a thousand different entry points during the trip from the water plant to your home. Thus, every family should seriously consider installing a water purification system in their home for drinking water.
Water purity could be a cause for concern as Each year, it is estimated that contaminated drinking water causes 485,000 deaths. With the high risk of contamination, water treatment techniques should be utilized in households. As essential water might be to all, it would be equally essential to drink clean, drinking water. This is where reverse osmosis systems come in handy, being a great water purification choice as they produce an unlimited amount of ultra-pure drinking water, all from the comfort of your own home. Reverse osmosis removes up to 99% of bacteria, chemicals, heavy metals, organics, and radioactive pollution, producing delicious and fresh drinking water at a fraction of the price of bottled water.
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Many of Maine’s communities rely on private well water but the water they use for drinking, bathing, and other activities goes untested and is not subject to any state or federal guidelines. People are advised and encouraged to get their water regularly tested to ensure that worrisome levels of bacteria and naturally occurring minerals have not crept in, but many residents fail to do so. If you think that the water in your well may be harmful, it might be a good idea to check out this well water filter by AquaOx, this will ensure that water in the well is safe and clean.
Maine is well-known for its picturesque waters and breathtaking mountains and views, yet the granite mountains affect the quality of water throughout the state. Excess fluoride is leaching out of granite and into Maine’s drinking water, potentially affecting other New England states as well.
The Effects of High Fluoride Levels In Private Well Water
Newly released data shows that in 10 communities in the state, private well water have dangerously high levels of fluoride, some of them containing more than double the level that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has deemed acceptable. When incorporated into the teeth, fluoride can harden the enamel, making it resistant to demineralization, which is the leading cause of tooth decay and cavities. And it may get worse if not treated on time. That is why, if you notice tooth decay in your mouth, contact the dentists Herndon first and then request a water inspection to determine the level of fluoride content in the water you drink.
Excess fluoride may damage both brain and bone in humans and can lead to pitted teeth and discoloration –which might result in people looking for a dentist near them using sites similar to https://www.1800dentist.com/. It also makes bone become brittle and more prone to fractures. Also, recent studies have also linked high levels of fluoride exposure with IQ deficits. Two dozen relevant studies performed outside the States indicated that high fluoride exposures reduced children’s IQs by an average of about 7 points.
Maine Water Data
In Dedham, data from 37 private wells indicates that 37.8% of the water is above the state’s maximum exposure guideline. Surry, Franklin, Prospect, Sedgwick, Penobscot, York, Harrison, and Stockton Springs have more than 10% of the wells with fluoride levels higher than the state cutoff. Homeowners voluntarily sent water samples into state labs for testing, providing a first snapshot of the problem in Maine.
Many public health advocates argue that the state’s suggested limit of 2mg/liter is far too high. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has proposed adding fluoride to water in concentrations no greater than 0.7mg/liter to avoid any unwanted health effects.
Lowering Fluoride Levels in Private Well Water
People living in areas with high fluoride concentrations can take steps to mitigate the problem. People frequently take no action even if their water is contaminated with far more harmful chemicals. 27% of Mainers did nothing about the high levels of arsenic in their private wells. Reports have shown that people lack concern about arsenic and are reluctant to pay for any mitigation action.
There are 4 common solutions to the fluoride problem: distillation, reverse osmosis, activated alumina and BC-Carbon. Distillation is capable of removing just about anything, except volatile compounds from water. Time and energy consumptive, distillation leave water empty and lifeless. You will need to add minerals back to it and should consider structuring and energetically enhancing distilled water.
Reverse osmosis (RO) can remove between 90-95% of fluoride, depending on the efficiency of the system and on how the well system is maintained. Contaminants are trapped by the reverse osmosis membrane and flushed away in the wastewater. Quality reverse osmosis systems include pre-filters, which remove volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, hard water minerals, and other contaminants. You will have to add salts and reintroduce life force to the reverse osmosis water, in order to bring it back to energetic compatibility with the human body.
Activated alumina has a large surface area with a huge array of tunnel-like pores, and is the most commonly used fluoride removal media today. When used properly, it can remove arsenic and up to 98% of the fluoride in water. Although highly effective, the challenges with activated alumina are many:
- water must remain in contact with the media for a long time
- there is not enough time to absorb all the fluoride in the water when the flow rate is faster than ¼ gallon/minute
- the media becomes saturated with fluoride
- systems using activated alumina must be recharged/replaced often
- aluminum is released into the treated water
Bone-Char (BC) Carbon works similar to the way bones in the human body attract fluoride and has been used for centuries to remove naturally-occurring fluoride from water. BC-Carbon can remove up to 90% of the fluoride in water when used alone, but its efficiency can be improved by adding pre-filters that remove contaminants and heavy metals before exposure to the BC-Carbon.
Resources:
- http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-fluoride-in-private-wells-causing-an-iq-decline1/
- https://dancingwithwater.com/how-to-remove-fluoride-from-water/
According to a new study by researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand, water fluoridation does not lower IQ. The addition of fluoride into drinking water remains one of the hottest topics in the water treatment industry with those for and against the process, equally passionate about their stand on the issue.
Some people claim that fluoridated water is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. reverse osmosisutinely added to drinking water in the US and other countries as a supplement to safeguard against tooth decay, fluoride is added to public water supplies at an average concentration of about 1 part per million (1 ppm) or slightly below. Naturally occurring fluoride concentrations in surface waters depend on location but are generally low and usually do not exceed 0.3 pm. In 2012, researchers from Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, casted doubts on the health benefits of fluoride in water supplies.
Water Fluoridation and the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Study
Researchers from the University of Otago conducted a study, which involved 1,000 people born in Dunedin in New Zealand during 1972-1973, comparing the IQs of study participants who grew up in suburbs with and without fluoridated water. They also took into account to what extent the participants were exposed to fluoride toothpaste or tablets while growing up.
The IQ scores of 992 participants were examined between the ages of 7-13. Of these people, 942 were tested again at age 38. Lead author Dr. Jonathan Broadbent describes the team’s findings:
“Our analysis showed no significant differences in IQ by fluoride exposure, even before controlling for the other factors that might influence scores. In line with other studies, we found breastfeeding was associated with higher child IQ, and this was regardless of whether children grew up in fluoridated or non-fluoridated areas.”
The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Study, by comparison, is world-renowned for the quality of its data and rigor of its analysis. Current optimal fluoride ingestion from all sources for a healthy adult should be 3-4 mg/day. If you wish to reduce fluoride in your drinking water, you have some options:
- Bottled Water. Beware! Many bottled waters come from municipal supplies that may or may not be fluoridated and may only be filtered or passed through UV light, neither of which will remove fluoride.
- Reverse Osmosis. 75% to 95% reduction depending on system design, water pressure and water chemistry.
- Hydorxyl Apatite Media Filtration. 75% to 95% reduction depending on flow rates and equipment design.
- Activated Alumina Media Filtration. Reasonably effective but only in a narrow band of water pH values.
Resources:
- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277240.php
- http://www.livescience.com/37123-fluoridation.html
Reverse Osmosis Systems for High TDS Water
Dime Water was asked to provide a reverse osmosis system to reduce an extremely high TDS water measured at over 5,000 ppm, which also had high sodium and sulfate levels. The pictured reverse osmosis system was designed and constructed for a cattle ranch in South Dakota, with the help of the United State Department of Agricultures’ engineers.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) is a measure of the combined content of all inorganic and organic substances contained in a liquid in molecular or micro-granular (colloidal sol) suspended form. TDS is measured in mg/liter or parts per million (ppm). If the TDS is high, cattle will be reluctant to drink then, drink a large amount at once, causing the animal to become very sick and potentially die. The primary symptom of high TDS water in cattle is diarrhea.
The reverse osmosis system’s advantages:
- anti scale chemical feed to prolong equipment life
- fully automatic multi-tank filter system
- operation is fully automatic and controlled with a microprocessor housed in an environmentally sealed enclosure
- specially constructed for reverse osmosisbustness and exposure to harsh ambient conditions
- treated water quantity is over 16,000 gallons daily
Required for all life processes, water is the most important nutrient for range cattle. The total body water of cattle is usually between 56% and 81% of body weight and a loss of 20% of the body’s water will be fatal. This loss of body water occurs through milk production, fecal and urine excretion, sweat, and vapor loss. Water quality, especially sulfates, can affect animal gain and health. A water analysis is recommended if animal performance is disappointing.
What Is Ground Water Quality?
Groundwater quality is judged by the amounts and types of materials that are present in the water. Water contains a variety of dissolved substances including gases and ions, and it may also contain organic matter and suspended materials. Generally, good quality water is water that is safe for its intended use. A few substances such as lead, nitrate, or arsenic may be harmful to health, but most substances dissolved in water do not adversely affect the smell, appearance taste or hardness of the groundwater. The United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established enforceable and recommended drinking water standards for humans and livestock in the United States.
Dime Water also added a special feature to the system: a blending valve to adjust the final quality, get extra daily treated water volume, and maximize water efficiency.
The existing water chemistry found at the ranch prevented cattle from drinking as they should, which resulted in limited weight gain and a loss in revenue at the time of sale. Estimates showed weight gain may be as high as 50% once good water quality is provided. It is very important to do a TDS analysis for water quality and if the concentration is over 3,000 ppm TDS, then further analysis of sulfates should follow. Knowledge and management of stock water quality can be an important part of an effective ranch plan.
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