If we had a nickel for every single time someone asked us what NSF 42, 44, 53, 55, 58, 62 and 177 meant… we’d have a huge pile of nickels and STILL not have enough money for that diamond-plated, gold-encrusted, platinum embossed drinking fountain w/ the GIANT water purification FACTORY attached to it from the other side of the wall.

NSF/ANSI Standard 42: Drinking water filtration systems that are certified to this standard remove chlorine and sediment/particles from water for the purpose of improving its look, smell and taste. The design of these filter do NOT lend themselves to the removal or reduction of health-related contaminants.

NSF/ANSI Standard 44: Water treatment systems certified to this standard typically function as cation exchange water softeners designed to reduce or eliminate water hardness (i.e. calcium and/or magnesium). Water filters designed to remove barium and radium may also certify to this standard.

NSF/ANSI Standard 53: Water purifiers certifying to this standard have designs that remove health-related contaminants such as waterborne organisms and industrial chemicals. Cryptosporidium, giardia, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) and trihalomethane compounds (THMs) fit into one of those categories or the other.

NSF/ANSI Standard 55: Devices rated to this standard function as point of use (POU) or point of entry (POE) ultraviolet microbiological water treatment systems. These water treatment systems feature designs which disinfect microorganisms (such as bacteria and viruses) potentially present in water.

NSF/ANSI Standard 58: Typically one will find reverse osmosis water systems (RO) certified to this standard. Devices in this category will normally have the ability to fully remove organic contaminants, but may only partially remove inorganic compounds and heavy metals.

NSF/ANSI Standard 62: Certified to this standard one will typically find water distillers. The process of distillation removes a wider range of drinking water contaminants than all other methods of drinking water purification. Arsenic, mercury and bacteria all get eliminated through the use of water distillation systems.

NSF/ANSI Standard 177: Water filtration units certified to this standard function as shower head filters designed to remove chlorine from water.

Certified to NSF/ANSI 61 standard, this water softener resin media works for both residential and commercial applications.

How Does the Softener Media Work?

This particular Water Softener Media operates using a widely used cation exchange mechanism like many other resins on the market.

Advantage of This Softener Media?

As a convenience, water softener owners may regenerate this media with either potassium chloride or sodium chloride salt, though use of potassium chloride for the task drastically reduces the amount of sodium content discharged in the softeners’ backwash streams. This matters a lot in states like California which have tried to outlaw water softeners because of their sodium discharges into the environment.

If using sodium chloride to perform media regeneration, backwash must get discharged into a sewer system.

One other perk of this type of media: It also removes up to 4 ppm of iron from the water it treats (if the water contains iron.

Of all the things a person should have to worry about affecting their drinking water, who in their right mind would think that torpedo testing would ever become an issue?

Not us, but folks in the San Gabriel Valley region of California have something to think about… unfortunately.

The San Gabriel Mountains may be an unlikely site for a U.S. Navy torpedo lab, but 17,000 cubic yards of soil contaminated by torpedo tests is going to be hauled away from a lake in a canyon above Azusa, according to reports.

The Navy tested torpedo engines and shapes in the lake behind Morris Dam beginning in World War II. After 50 years, it closed the facility but left behind bad chemical residue.

Perchlorates, a cancer-causing type of rocket propellant, arsenic and other dangerous compounds coat rocks on the 20-acre test site on a peninsula in the lake, which is a domestic drinking water supply for the San Gabriel Valley. ( source )

Yeah… Not too many people will ever have to deal with the residuals of torpedo testing winding up in their drinking water supply, but plenty of other folks — whether they know it or not — really ought to keep a close watch on the quality of their drinking water.

Sneaky contaminants like arsenic, which occurs naturally in the environment, can show up in well water unannounced. Something as simple as a change in the weather can result in increased arsenic levels in well water. Therefore owners of wells owe it to themselves and everyone their wells serve to test for arsenic on a regular basis.

Most health officials suggest that private well owners have a thorough water quality analysis performed at least once a year by a certified water testing laboratory. Whether done by a local lab or a company like National Testing Labs, owners of private wells owe it to themselves and their families to have their water tested on a regular basis.

Why do you see a blog posting dealing with testing for lead in paint on a web site dedicated to water quality and water quality? Simple: The folks responsible for this site care about the health and safety of families and want them to live lead-free lives whenever possible.

Why should a family or person have to wonder whether or not the paint covering their furniture, window sills, radiators, walls, baseboards, etc. contains harmful lead when a simple, easy-to-use test kit for lead in paint like the LEADQuick Paint Home Test Kit contains 25 tests and each test takes only minutes to perform.

Using visual detection method which makes use of a new & improved red-green color development technology, LEADQuick Paint Home Test Kit detects the presence of lead on surfaces including wood, plaster, drywall, and metal.

The LEADQuick Paint Home Test Kit includes:

• 10 – Testing Tubes: Small polystyrene test tubes
• 1 – eXact® Reagent Acid-1 in a dropper bottle
• 1 – eXact® Reagent PB-2 in a dropper bottle
• 1 – eXact® Strip PB-3P bottle of 50 strips
• 1 – eXact® Strip PB-4 bottle of 25 strips
• 1 – Foam Test Tube Holder
• 1 – Instruction Manual
• 1 – Lead Paint Drywall ‘Standard’

While newer homes must pass certification tests prior to sale and may not contain lead-based paints, the law does not always require older homes that have passed down from family member to family member an/or as rental properties that have not changed owners in many years to comply with newer lead regulations.

Testing for Lead in Water

Given all the publicity that lead in water contamination has received in recent years, it should come as no surprise that people have interest in testing their drinking water for lead.

Remember: At one point copper piping joined by solder containing lead went into pretty much every home and office.

Got interest in testing for other metals in your drinking water? No problem. The following test kits will make that task a breeze!

The other day we received an email from ErnieB_121 who had a question about filtering hot water before use in his restaurant.

Hi, I hope you can help me with a problem I’m having in my restaurant. I’m getting ridiculous amounts of buildup clogging the prefilter things on the hot water line of my dishwasher and tell the truth I’m sick of replacing the d#amn things. Not that they cost a lot, but it’s a pain in the #ass to get to them and one day I’m afraid I might strip the fittings and then I’ll REALLY have a problem. So do they make filters for hot water lines? All the filters I’ve seen in stores work for cold water lines only. Thanks. ErnieB_121

Thank you very much, Ernie, for a colorful email. Ha ha. We can totally understand your frustration with having to replace hard-to-reach inline filters.

We believe you may find a filter housing and filter for your application at WaterFilters.Net, an online retailer of commercial and residential water filtration products. When last we checked they carried three different styles of housings for hot water filters and a good assortment of filters to go in them.

One thing you failed to mention Ernie… Where does the residue clogging your lines come from? What does it consist of? Calcium? Iron? Manganese? Radioactive sludge from the planet Mars? Not poking fun at you, just trying to make a point: you need to test your hot water — after it cools — and find out what sort of deposits you have so you can purchase the correct filter for your needs.

The links below will take you to products you may find useful when attempting to determine what contaminant(s) you have in your hot water line:

As with any water quality investigation, if you have reason to suspect contamination of your water supply with potentially harmful compounds and/or chemicals, we highly recommend having your water tested by a certified water testing laboratory such as National Testing Laboratories.

Taking a leak in the swimming pool… now shown to potentially cause harmful cell damage. As if the whole ‘Ewwwww! GROSS!!!’ factor shouldn’t have ALREADY given people incentive not to do it, right?

Well we all know how lazy OTHER people… ahem… can be.

Public swimming pools are more dangerous than you might think, a new study suggests. When sweat and urine, among other organics, mix with the disinfectants in pool water, the result can be hazardous to health.

The findings, announced this week, link the application of disinfectants in recreational pools to genetic cell damage that has been shown to be linked with adverse health outcomes such as asthma and bladder cancer.

Pool water represents extreme cases of disinfection that differ from the disinfection of drinking water as pools are continuously exposed to disinfectants. But with so many people cooling off and exercising in pools and water parks (339 million visits across the United States each year), the disinfectants are a must to prevent outbreaks of infectious disease.

Chlorine and Pee Don’t Mix

The problem occurs when the sanitizers mix with organic matter.

“All sources of water possess organic matter that comes from decaying leaves, microbes and other dead life forms,” said study researcher Michael Plewa, University of Illinois professor of genetics. “In addition to organic matter and disinfectants, pool waters contain sweat, hair, skin, urine and consumer products such as cosmetics and sunscreens from swimmers.”

These consumer products are often nitrogen-rich, and when mixed with disinfectants, these products may become chemically modified and converted into more toxic agents.

Long-term exposure to these disinfection byproducts can mutate genes, induce birth defects, accelerate the aging process, cause respiratory ailments, and even induce cancer, according to the researchers. While the new study did not examine actual effects on humans, it suggests such research might be warranted. ( source )

So listen up, all you nasty bastards and batardettes out there who find it too burdensome to cart your fun -in-the-sun frolicking butts to the bathroom: STOP PEEING IN THE POOL!

Oh, and for all of you who think, “It’s my pee, so it won’t hurt me,” all the other pee rule violators think the exact same thing.

Other Articles of Interest

• Swimmers Disobeying ‘Closed’ Signs Run Risk of Serious Illness
• West Nile Virus and Water Quality
• Myth: Chlorine Kills All Bacteria in Water
• Taylor Test Kits for Pools and Spas

Crystal Quest pitcher replacement filter

Manufacturer: Crystal Quest
Model Number: CQE-RC

4 stages of convenient filtration with a 2,000 gallon capacity.

In stages 1 and 2 KDF55 and KDF85 media reduce iron, mercury, copper, nickel, chromium, other dissolved metals, and harmful bacteria.

Stage 3 features an ion exchange resin that reduces heavy metals (such as lead, copper, aluminum) and lowers water hardness.

The fourth and final stage, a bed of granulated activated carbon (GAC) reduces chlorine by 99.9%, gets rid of bad tastes and odors, reduces pesticides and chemicals that are linked to cancer risks (i.e. benzene, THM’s, toxaphene).

How do you know if you need a water filter?

The answer, quite simply, involves testing your water. You can either test it yourself using a home water testing kit like the Water Quality Test Kit from SenSafe… or you can have a certified water testing laboratory such as National Testing Labs analyze your water.

In cases where homeowners suspect contamination, we always suggest using a certified water testing lab. Better to play it safe than sorry because… It’s your water, your health… and your LIFE!

Ewwwww…… Yuck!

Could bacteria really live in the trusty water coolers at work or in your home? Unfortunately we have to say… “YES.”

Think of it this way: When you swap out the large, cumbersome jugs when the current jug runs out of water, the feeder tube that will stick into the new jug gets exposed to the air… and whatever bacteria, viruses and or airborne biologicals happen to blow around in the room that day.

Over time any of those nasty little buggers that land on the feeder tube and wind up in the fresh jug of water could multiply to dangerously high numbers in the water cooler. Zero disinfectants in the water creates an excellent place for bacteria to start a family!

To make matters worse, the area AFTER the feeder tube down inside the water cooler can also become a nice place for bacteria and other nasties to raise a family… which could one day wind up in your supposedly safe glass of drinking water.

Moral of the story?

If you cannot determine the last time anyone cleaned the inside of the water cooler, you may want to test the water it dispenses for potentially harmful bacteria with a kit like the WaterSafe Water Cooler Test Kit.

While a quality reverse osmosis system DOES provide excellent protection against waterborne contaminants, including various forms of bacteria and cysts (i.e. Giardia and Cryptosporidium), use of a UV sterilizer system on water exiting a reverse osmosis system adds an extra level of protection against organics unmatched by any other readily available water purification method.

Ultraviolet Water Sterilizer Systems meet the most demanding needs of residential and commercial microorganism control — which sometimes proves difficult for traditional disinfectant methods given that microorganisms can range from bacteria and viruses to algae and protozoa. UV treatment systems for water accomplish the goal of disinfecting water faster than chlorine and without without cumbersome retention tanks filled w/ corrosive and potentially harmful chemicals.

Manufactured with axial flow reactors in 304 stainless steel for durability, the Crystal Quest Ultraviolet Water Sterilizer Systems incorporates natural ultraviolet light energy to damage the DNA of microbiological contaminants and in doing so kills them and/or renders them incapable of reproducing.

Applications for UV sterilization systems include post undersink water filters, post whole house water filters, water coolers, pre and post osmosis systems, private wells, camp grounds, hotels, bottlers, aquaculture, hospitals, food, cottages, restaurants, breweries, laboratories, marine, pharmaceutical, dairies and many other applications.

Advantages of Crystal Quest Ultraviolet Water Sterilizer Systems include:

• No need to add chemicals to the water which could form carcinogenic disinfection byproducts (DBP’s) like trihalomethanes (THM’s).
• Eliminates the need to store and handle dangerous chemicals.
• Requires only two water connections (in and out) and a power connection.
• UV sterilization typically does not alter the taste, odor, pH or conductivity or general chemistry of the water it treats.
• Works faster and more effectively against viruses than chlorine.
• Systems can treat hundreds of gallons of water for each penny of operating cost.
• Immediate treatment process eliminates need for holding tanks, long retention times, etc.
• Units operate automatically and require almost no attention.
• Most units require only periodic cleaning, if any cleaning at all, and annual lamp replacement.

Naturally you want to know what a unit like this costs, right? FilterWater.Com carries units rated for 1, 6, 8, and 12 gallons per minute GPM. Costs begin around $150 for the smallest unit and go up to around $543 for the largest unit.

What about replacement bulbs? How much will they cost? Good question! FilterWater.Com carries replacement bulbs for Crystal Quest UV Sterilizer Systems rated for 1, 6, 8, and 12 GPM.

Need a larger, more powerful UV Sterilization System? Take a look at the selection on WaterFilters.Net, another company that carries a great selection of water filter systems and replacement filter cartridges for residential and commercial water filtration applications.

We recently received an email inquiry from Lisa containing a question about water treatment systems for people with compromised immune systems.

My son has just been diagnoses with an immune deficiency, and I should be sterilizing his drinking water -which I am doing by boiling for him. I am wondering if distilled or reverse osmosis, bottled water would effectively remove bacteria from the water, and be a safe alternative. Would one be better then the other.

Thank you for your time,

Lisa

Thank you, Lisa, for your question and it pains us to learn of your son’s condition. We hope that modern medicine can find a way to help your son live a long and healthy life.

Regarding your question about the best way to sterilize water for people with compromised immune systems, the EPA and CDC co-released a document back in 1995 that gives a lot of useful information on the topic entitled Guidance for People with Severely Weakened Immune Systems.

Below you will find excerpts from that document relating directly to the questions you asked:

• Cryptosporidium has caused several large waterborne disease outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness, with symptoms that include diarrhea, nausea, and/or stomach cramps. People with severely weakened immune systems (that is, severely immunocompromised) are likely to have more severe and more persistent symptoms than healthy individuals. Moreover, Cryptosporidium has been a contributing cause of death in some immunocompromised people.

• Although data are not sufficient for EPA/CDC to recommend that all severely immunocompromised persons take extra caution with regards to their drinking water, individuals who wish to take extra measures to avoid waterborne Cryptosporidiosis can bring their drinking water to a full boil for one minute. Boiling water is the most effective way of killing Cryptosporidium.

• Only point-of-use filters that remove particles one micrometer or less in diameter should be considered. Filters in this category that provide the greatest assurance of Cryptosporidium removal include those that use reverse osmosis, those labeled as “Absolute” one micrometer filters, or those labeled as certified by NSF International under standard 53 for “Cyst Removal.” …. Water treated with a point-of-use filter that meets the above criteria may not necessarily be free of organisms smaller than Cryptosporidium that could pose a health hazard for severely immunocompromised individuals.

• Many, but not all, brands of bottled water may provide a reasonable alternative to boiling tap water. …. Any bottled water treated by distillation or reverse osmosis before bottling assures Cryptosporidium removal.

• Neither EPA nor CDC maintains a list of point-of-use filters or bottled water brands that meet the above criteria. NSF International can provide a list of filters that meet the NSF criteria.

We suggest you take a look at the NSF Web Site to see what systems meet their requirements. In a situation like yours, you will want to make certain the product you purchase will accomplish all your objectives — and then some.

One system we came across recently, the Pentek RO-3500 Monitored Reverse Osmosis System,

NSF Tested & Certified Standard 58 for reduction of TDS, Fluoride, Turbidity, Lead, Nitrates, Selenium, Arsenic, Copper, Cadmium, Barium, Cyst, and Radium.

The Pentek R0-3500 features the 3 stage system, one ROM-230TN membrane, a D15 sediment filter, a D20 carbon filter, and one long-reach lead-free faucet. Unit comes with a standard installation kit and instructions.

Another feature of the the Pentek RO3500 which makes it quite nice… an electronic monitoring system that keeps track of the water filters cartridges’ lifespans and informs the owner when they need replacing.

What elements does the RO-3500 Reverse Osmosis System reduce and/or eliminate? The unit has the ability to filter out the following elements as well as many other chemical compounds:

• 90.2% TDS ( test for TDS )
• 98.9% Arsenic ( test for arsenic )
• 90.5% Fluoride
• 98% Phosphates ( test for arsenic )
• 99.99% Cysts
• 99.7% Turbidity
• 98.7% Lead ( test for lead )
• 87.4% Nitrate ( test for nitrates )
• 80.7% Nitrite ( test for nitrites )
• 97.5% Selenium
• 99.9% Copper ( test for copper )
• 97.3% Cadmium
• 86.6% Hexavalent Chromium ( test for chromium )
• 92.8% Trivalent Chromium
• 80% Radium 226/228
• 90.7% Barium
• Chlorine ( test for chlorine )
• Sediment & Particulates

For more information on the Pentek Reverse Osmosis System mentioned above, please read its detailed specifications on FiltersFast.Com.

One final word

Use of a reverse osmosis systems does NOT guarantee the elimination of ALL possible biological contaminants since some biological contaminants have sizes smaller than the membranes in RO units can filter out.

For that reason you may want to consider adding a UV Sterilizer to your filtration setup. These devices render biological contaminants incapable of reproducing by altering their genetic structure with specific wavelengths of light.