How Can I Protect My Water Supply?

By D. J. Shannahan

President, CWS-VI, CCO, CI


In my last article, I detailed why residents on Delmarva should be especially concerned about their drinking water quality. Since that time, the atrocities of September 11 and the potential for bioterrorism should have even the most skeptical concerned. Here is some insight on what can be done.

First, each of us needs to understand that it is our responsibility to take precautions about the water we drink. Absolutely no water supply can be guaranteed to be completely safe all of the time. Even municipal supplies that are rigorously tested can fail, as was the case in Milwaukee in 1993 when a "new" contaminant called cryptosporidium killed more than 100 people and caused over 400,000 others to become ill.

In addition to system failure at the water treatment plant, distribution piping can be a source for contamination. Acidic water traveling through lead service lines or copper pipes connected with lead-based solder can leach copper and lead, potentially causing stomach distress and brain damage. Dead-ends in piping will reduce the strength and ability of chlorine to kill bacteria, potentially allowing a breeding ground for these microscopic bugs. These problems are even harder to control and can exist for years without being discovered. Now are you convinced that it's our responsibility?

Residential water treatment equipment is divided into two groups; point-of-entry (POE) and point-of-use (POU). POE equipment is installed where the water first enters the home, and treats all the water regardless of its eventual use. These systems normally focus on removing secondary drinking water contaminants such as iron, manganese, and odor. POU equipment is installed at the location where it will be used, and normally located under the kitchen sink with a special faucet to deliver the product. These systems normally focus on removing primary drinking water contaminants like nitrates, lead, copper, and arsenic. Although both systems have specific uses and benefits, POU equipment treats the most harmful problems, and is therefore frequently referred to as "life support water".

POU equipment can be as simple and inexpensive as a countertop or faucet mounted carbon filter, or as complex as a reverse osmosis or distillation system. Carbon filters do a reasonably good job on municipal water, as they are designed to remove chlorine and treat water of a known quality. Since no one can really be sure of their water quality, we do not recommend these systems. Distillation simulates nature's purification process of evaporation, condensation, and collection. The end result is water that is 99% pure, but also is typically described as "flat". Countertop distillers are available, but they take hours to produce a single gallon of water and use excessive amounts of electricity. Reverse osmosis is rapidly becoming the most popular choice for those of us who are truly concerned. This technology involves the combination of a 5 -10 micron sediment pre-filter, a carbon pre-filter to dechlorinate, a semi-permeable membrane to remove sub-micron sized dissolved solids, a collection and storage tank, and final filtration with carbon for taste improvement. The result is a product that is 95 - 98% pure, is readily available at the touch of your finger, can be distributed to icemakers and other remote locations, and tastes great! Although the price is higher than conventional carbon filters, the water quality is considerably better and is produced for pennies per gallon.

Bottled water is another option that should not be discounted, and will be discussed in detail in my next article. If you have questions or would like additional information, you may contact us at 1-800-439-3853 or visit us on the web at WWW.SHARPWATER.COM