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[Article Title]Common Water Quality Problems
[Artical Suimmary] Methods of Treatment
[Article Contect]
C. Sense of Taste
| Impurity or Contaminant | Symptom | Cause | Health Effects | Means of Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Taste |
Salty or brackish. | High sodium content. | Aesthetic only | 1. Deionize drinking water only with disposable mixed bed - anion/cation resins; or
2. Reverse osmosis; or 3. Home distillation system. |
| Alkali taste. | High dissolved mineral containing alkalinity. (Stained aluminum cookware.) | Aesthetic only | Reduce by reverse osmosis. | |
| Metallic taste. | 1. Very low pH water (3.0-5.5).
2. Heavy iron concentration in water above 3.0 ppm Fe. 3. Leaching of lead and copper |
Various -- depends on cause | 1. Correct with calcite type filter (see Acid Water).
2. (See Iron Water). |
D. Sense of Sight
| Impurity or Contaminant | Symptom | Cause | Health Effects | Means of Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Turbidity |
Dirt, salt, clay. | Suspended matter in surface water pond, stream or lake. | Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms | "Calcite" or Neutralize (media) type filter - up to 50 ppm |
| Sand grit, silt or clay substances. | Well sand from new well or defective well screen. | Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms | Sand trap and/or new well screen | |
| Rust in water. | Acid water causing iron "pick-up." | Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms | Neutralizing calcite filter to correct low pH acidity and remove precipitated iron | |
| Gray string-like fiber. | Organic mater in raw water algae, etc. | Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms | Constant chlorination followed by activated carbon filter to dechlorinate. | |
Acid water |
Green stains on sinks and silver, porcelain bathroom fixtures. Blue-green cast to water. | Water which has high carbon dioxide content (pH below 6.8) reacting with brass and copper pipes and fittings. | Could lead to health effects if acid water causes leaching of lead and copper | 1. Neutralizing calcite filter down to pH of 5.5, or
2. Calcite/ Magnesia - oxide mix (5 to 1) for higher flow rate and to correct very low pH water. 3. Soda ash chemical feed followed by filtration. |
Discolored water red, "Iron" water |
Brown-red stains on sinks and other porcelain bathroom fixtures. Water turns brown-red in cooking or upon heating. Clothing becomes discolored. | 1. Dissolved iron in influent (more than 0.3 ppm Fe+) water appears clear when first drawn at cold water faucet. Above 0.3 ppm Fe causes staining. | Various effects | 1. Can remove 0.5 ppm of Fe+ for every grain/gal of hardness to 10 ppm with water softener and minimum pH of 6.7.
2. Over 10 ppm Fe+ chlorination with sufficient retention tank time for full oxidation followed by filtration/ dechlorination. 3. In warm climates residual aerator and filtration will substantially reduce iron content. |
| 2. Precipitate iron (water will not clear when drawn). | Various effects | 1. Up to 10 ppm iron removed by manganese greensand filter, if pH 6.7 or higher, or;
2. Manganese treated, non-hydrous aluminum silicate filter where pH of 6.8 or higher and oxygen is 15% of total iron content. 3. Downflow water softener with good backwash, up to 1.0 ppm Fe. Above 1 ppm to 10 ppm use calcite filter followed by downflow water softener. Calcite media type filter to remove precipitated iron. |
||
| Brownish cast does not precipitate. | Iron pick-up from old pipe with water having a pH below 6.8. Organic (bacterial) iron. | Various effects | 1. Treat well to destroy iron bacteria with solution of hydrochloric acid then constant chlorination followed by activated carbon media filtration and dechlorination.
2. Potassium permanganate chemical feed followed by filtration. |
|
| Reddish color in water sample after standing 24 hours. | Colloidal iron. | Various effects | Constant chlorination followed by activated carbon media filter dechlorination. | |
| Yellow water | Yellowish cast to water after softening and/or filtering. | Tannins (humic acids) in water from peaty soil and decaying vegetation. | Various effects | 1. Adsorption via special macro-porous Type I anion exchange resin regenerated with salt (NaCl) up to 3.0 ppm.
2. Manganese greensand or manganese treated sodium alumino-silicate under proper set of conditions. |
| Milky water | Cloudiness of water when drawn. | 1. Some precipitant sludge created during heating of water.
2. High degree of air in water from poorly functioning pump. 3. Excessive coagulant-feed being carried through filter. |
1. Various effects 2. Aesthetic only 3. Various effects |
1. Blow down domestic or commercial hot water heater tank periodically.
2. Water will usually clear quickly upon standing. 3. Reduce coagulant quantity being fed, service filters properly. |
| Very high chloride content in water | Blackening and pitting of stainless steel sinks and stainless ware in commercial dishwashers | 1. Excessive salt content.
2. High temperature drying creates chloride concentration accelerating corrosion. |
Various effects | 1. Use other chloride resistant metals.
2. Reduce total dissolved solids by reverse |
