Water Quality: Testing, Filters for, and Purification of Drinking, Ground and Pool Water

Question: Do I Really Need a Water Filter System?

Water Testing Blog — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:03:03 +0000

Aquasana Countertop filter	Aquasana Shower filter
Crystal Quest Pitcher	Crystal Quest Shower filter

Two questions we get on a regular basis:

(1) “Do I Need a Water Filter?”
(2) “How Do I Know if I Need a Water Filter?”

Quite frankly, we kinda’ wish someone would give us a penny for each time we’ve gotten that question in an email.. We’d have a ton of cash! But we digress.

As seemingly complicated and daunting as both those questions may seem, they both have the same answer: Only testing of your water, preferably by a certified water testing laboratory, will let you know if you need a water filter…

… And even then you will need to perform occasional water tests just to make sure the quality of your water has not changed since the last test (because it can!) and/or to make certain your water filter continues to function properly.

As with any matter that could possibly have detrimental effects on your health, though, you should always get a second opinion… or in this case read what the EPA says and plans to do regarding water quality in the United States:

The Environmental Protection Agency says most people don’t need to treat their drinking water at home to make it safe. But the agency adds that a home water-treatment unit can improve water’s taste, or provide an extra margin of safety for people “more vulnerable to the effects of waterborne illness” such as infants, the elderly or those with compromised immune systems. The EPA sets standards for about 90 contaminants that can end up in drinking water supplies—from micro-organisms to herbicides and discharge from industrial-chemical factories.

For each, the agency dictates a “maximum” amount allowed, and utilities are required to treat water and issue an annual report to customers about what’s detected. (If you’re drinking from a private well, you’re on your own.)

A home-treatment device may reduce such contaminants even further. Plus, the EPA sets drinking-water standards for just a fraction of the some 15,000 chemicals used in the U.S. In December, the not-for-profit Environmental Working Group released results of a three-year analysis of 20 million tap water quality tests performed by water utilities and found some 202 currently unregulated chemicals in water supplied across the country. That included rocket-fuel component perchlorate and MTBE, a gasoline additive. Other contaminants, such as copper and lead, may be introduced through corrosion of a homeowner’s own pipes or through leaching of brass or chrome-plated faucets and fixtures. There are DIY test kits starting at about $10 that can detect some contaminants, but a thorough analysis will require a professional to collect samples and send to a private lab.

“In almost every case, the utilities comply with federal standards but that doesn’t ensure that the water is safe to drink,” says Jane Houlihan, senior vice president for research for EWG. The EPA is evaluating the health effects of more than 100 contaminants currently unregulated in drinking water, including pharmaceuticals and disinfection byproducts, for possible regulation by 2013. ( source )

So… Do you need a water filter for your tap water or well water? Again, only testing will tell and since even the EPA suspects that it may have more drinking water contaminants to monitor, well, all of us here at Water Testing Blog know that WE will keep an eye on OUR drinking water quality and suggest you do the same, too.

Master Test Strips Kit for Groundwater

National Testing Labs 97 Parameter Test Kit

IBWA Lawsuit Filed Against Zero Water Technologies, LLC

Water Testing Blog — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:40:40 +0000

According to a recent press release from the IBWA (International Bottled Water Association — www.ibwa.org) dated 3/10/2010, a company called Zero Water Technologies, LLC has become the defendant in a lawsuit filed by the IBWA.

Alexandria, Virginia — On March 10, 2010, the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) filed a lawsuit against Zero Water Technologies, LLC, the seller of at-home water filtration devices, for repeatedly engaging in false, misleading and unsubstantiated advertising designed to confuse consumers about its products and about how they compare to bottled water products. IBWA’s complaint, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, notes that Zero Water has improperly disparaged the quality, safety, and cost effectiveness of bottled water in comparison with its own products and has made false and unsubstantiated claims about the capabilities of its products.

Zero Water claims that its products “remove 100% of detectable dissolved solids” and falsely suggests that the absence of all total dissolved solids (TDS) creates a healthier, cleaner, tastier water. In its lawsuit, IBWA points out that TDS is not an indicator of water quality or contamination, as Zero Water insinuates. Rather it is an innocuous collection of minerals commonly found in water. According to IBWA President Joe Doss, “Total Dissolved Solids mainly affect the taste of water and have not been shown to produce adverse physical health effects. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that certain concentrations of TDS may even have beneficial health effects.”

Contrary to their advertising claims, Zero Water filters do not remove all impurities or contaminants from water. Furthermore, Zero Water filters only remove certain organic contaminants for a short period of time before its low-capacity carbon filter is exhausted.

Zero Water’s ads make repeated references to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and FDA definitions for purified water that mislead the consuming public into thinking that Zero Water and its products have been tested, regulated, or approved by the FDA. However, Zero Water’s products are not regulated by the FDA and there is no evidence to suggest that Zero Water’s products have been tested to determine whether they “meet the FDA definition for purified bottled water” as stated in Zero Water’s ads. Rather, water filtration systems such as Zero Water’s are for the most part unregulated. This leaves consumers particularly vulnerable to claims like the ones made by Zero Water: unsubstantiated, false, or misleading statements about the safety, health benefits, and taste qualities of water treated by at-home water filtration systems.

In contrast to Zero Water’s claims, bottled water products sold by IBWA members and other bottled water companies are comprehensively regulated by the FDA to ensure their safety, quality, and proper labeling. Section 410 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) requires that the FDA bottled water regulations be at least as stringent and protective of the public health as the federal Environmental Protection Agency requirements for municipal drinking water. In addition, the FDA mandates that bottled water products comply with comprehensive requirements, including Standard of Identity regulations, which provide uniform definitions for various types of bottled water (such as spring, distilled, mineral, and purified water), and Standards of Quality, which limit the amount of certain substances that can be present in bottled water products. In particular, the FDA Standards of Quality for bottled water set maximum allowable levels for physical, chemical, microbiological, and radiological contaminants.

The cumulative effect of Zero Water’s misleading, false, and unsubstantiated claims in its advertisements is that consumers are deceived as to the quality and efficacy of Zero Water’s products, as well as the claimed superiority of Zero Water filtered water over bottled water products. Moreover, Zero Water misrepresents its products’ capabilities and makes misleading comparisons to purified bottled water products. As a result, IBWA members have been substantially harmed and this lawsuit was necessary to correct this untenable situation.

[Reporters seeking a copy of the full complaint should use the contact information below.]

Contact: TOM LAURIA
703-647-4609 office / 703-887-4056 cellphone (source )

Water Testing Blog’s Opinion

For years the bottled water industry has taken violent beatings from opponents, sometimes over some very good points and other times because public opinion had swayed away from it, but now someone has (allegedly) crossed the line and made some (allegedly) false claims about the bottled water industry — and IBWA now believes payback time has arrived.

We cannot say that we blame the IBWA one bit for filing the lawsuit. If a competitor in ANY industry makes (allegedly) false claims about another company’s products/services and causes that company to lose money, then naturally a lawsuit will follow.

It looks to us like Zero Water Technologies, LLC jumped on the bottled water bashing bandwagon, got caught up in the hype, took some liberties w/ the English Language and/or interpretation of scientific data, and now may have to pay dearly for their marketing indiscretions if the IBWA can make its case in Court.

No matter what side you have taken in the Battle Over Bottled Water, you have to agree that the facts and information destined to come out in Court as this lawsuit moves forward will give us all a great opportunity to learn some things we may not have known about the water filter industry AND the bottled water industry — with all combatants bound by Law to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth… or face perjury charges.

What Does This Mean for the Average Consumer?

Immediately we can expect to see a general ‘cleaning up’ of the language and claims made by water filter manufacturers and distributors in their advertisements. If things go well for the IBWA with this lawsuit, one can safely assume lawsuits against other companies will follow in short order if those companies fail to learn from Zero Water’s (alleged) mistakes.

Water Testing Blog does not expect that either industry will have to fold up shop as a result of this lawsuit, no matter which way it goes, but the less reputable companies in BOTH industries will either clean up their advertising practices or face prosecution. This means, hopefully, that consumers will have better, more accurate information available to them when deciding whether they wish to continue using bottled water or switch over to a water filtration system.

Best of Both Worlds?

What about some kind of bottled water cooler that actively filters the water as it gets dispensed… and doesn’t actually have bottles that need replacing? Sounded like an interesting idea to us so we researched the concept and found a number of office-style water coolers that come equipped with various types of water filtration systems including granulated activated carbon filters and reverse osmosis filters.

Bottleless 4-Stage Filtration | Bottleless 4-Stage Filtration incl. Reverse Osmosis

A person, if so inclined, can also add an Ultraviolet Water Sterilizer to bottleless water coolers. This technology reportedly kills and/or renders bacteria sterile using light of a very specific frequency and results in a 99.99% reduction of bacteria, virus, and protozoa. ( source )

Crystal Quest Ultraviolet Water Sterilizer

Additionally, we also found a Bacteria Test Kit for Water Coolers that may come in handy for offices and factories where cleaning the water cooler does rank as a high priority.

In the End…

Drinking water can get contaminated in so many ways that to count them all would take way longer than any person could reasonably spend — and not lose their mind. For that reason, and because YOUR health matters, take the time to test your tap and well water every once in a while.

You may find out you have great water and don’t need a filtration system or, on the other hand, you may discover that your water contains dangerous levels of arsenic or lead that could shorten your life.

As we always like to say, “It’s your water, your health… and your LIFE.“

Question: Is Well Water Better Than City (Tap) Water?

Water Testing Blog — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:03:04 +0000

We recently received an email from Emma in North Carolina and she wrote,

We’re building a new house right on the edge of where the local water plant stops delivering water and want to know if we will be better off hooking up to the water line or having well put in. Some people say we’re lucky to have a choice, but really it’s just one more decision we have to make and we already have so many! Can you help? Thanks!

Emma

As Emma implied, sometimes having a choice makes for a lot more work – if you choose to research the options properly.

Hooking up to city water offers the security of knowing that the city has to test its water routinely before distribution and must inform you if it has experienced any ‘incidents’ which may put you in danger. On the flip-side, though, you will receive a bill each month to cover the expense of testing, monitoring, filtering and purifying the water going into your new home.

Investing in a well for your new home will rid you of that pesky water bill each month, but it will also make you 100% responsible for the quality and safety of water it produces once it passes an initial test done by the well drilling company.

We honestly do not have an answer, Emma, because some well water comes up cleaner and more pure than any water company could ever distribute… and other well water comes up nastier than backwoods swamp water and/or containing potentially dangerous chemical compounds whose origin even the best scientists in the World have trouble locating.

Pretty much all city water contains some form of disinfectant which can create unpleasant tastes and odors in drinking water. It can also irritate skin, bleach clothing, etc. and some water systems contain obnoxious (and smelly) levels of chlorine which can make water taste absolutely wretched.

While on the topic of chlorine, the most widely used disinfectant for public water systems, produces trihalomethanes (THM’s), a potentially carcinogenic disinfection byproduct, when chlorine molecules attack organic contaminants in water.

Getting back to the well water, commonly occurring events in the environment can change the quality of well water on a daily basis. Heavy rains, a lack of rain, temperature and even air pressure can radically alter the nature of water pulled from well – and let us not forget about pollution from industry which can seep into the ground 100’s of miles away from a well and still, somehow, make its way into that water that well produces at some point.

So, Emma, in the end, and if you want to make the best possible decision regarding where you will get your drinking water, we suggest you have a sample of water drawn from the aquifer your proposed well will access and have it tested by a certified water testing laboratory such as National Testing Laboratories. Contact the well drilling company you think you may use to drill, if you go that route, and ask them for advice on getting sampling and testing done. Do make sure they submit the sample to a certified water lab, though, and not do the testing themselves!

Then contact the local water company and ask for a copy of their latest water quality report, usually referred to as a Consumer Confidence Report and abbreviated as CCR.

With both reports in hand, weigh the pros and cons of each and remember that no matter which option you choose, you may STILL want to consider having a Whole House Water Filter System installed and/or purchasing point-of-use water filter devices for the shower, faucet and countertop.

Safer, Cleaner Water For Babies

Water Testing Blog — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:03:44 +0000

Whether you have just celebrated the birth of a new baby or have already gone through a few sleepless nights with a young one that arrived a few months ago, you know you need to keep your baby safe from danger… so you have car seats, plugs for electrical outlets, gates by the stairway, childproof locks on the lower cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom, etc. You may have even stopped smoking and/or invested in a better air filters for your furnace and/or air filters for your air conditioning unit to make sure your baby has clean air to breathe at home.

Now think about this: The last time you made bottles for your little one, did you give any thought to the quality of the water you mixed in with that nutrient-rich, and usually very expensive, formula or cereal?

Even if you boiled the water before use, which would effectively kill off most microorganisms, contaminants such as heavy metals (i.e. lead and mercury) will remain in the water and actually become greater in concentration.

So if boiling the water first may not make the water safe, then what will?

If you take a stroll down through the baby section of your local Wal-Mart or Kmart you will see that you can buy purified ‘baby water’ in various bottle sizes… which means purchasing the products would a support the bottled water industry and many people do NOT want to do that.

With pretty much all other options exhausted, it looks as though point-of-use water filtration systems such as countertop, faucet, and undersink water filters may provide the most economical, convenient, and environmentally friendly solutions.

Reverse Osmosis Water Filter

Under Sink Water Filter

Faucet Water Filter

Countertop Water Filter

Water Coolers

Whole House Filters

How Do Know If I Have Good/Bad Water?

We get emails asking that question in an email at least three or four times a week and we answer the same way each time: TEST YOUR WATER or HAVE YOUR WATER TESTED.

Another good place to start involves requesting a copy of your local water system’s most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). If your local water system serves more than 100,000 customers the Federal Government requires that it make its CCR for the previous year available on a public web site by July 1st.

Keep in mind, though, that the CCR reports the quality of water as it exited the water treatment facility, not the quality of water as it came out of your tap. Only testing water at your tap will tell you the full story about the quality of your tap water.

For assistance with drinking water testing, take a look at the following links:

Countertop Water Filter Systems

Water Testing Blog — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:03:52 +0000

For the folks who rent an apartment, rent a house, have a summer home, or just don’t feel like going through the hassle of installing a whole house system or an undersink water filter system, you don’t have to go without safe, clean drinking water. They make countertop drinking water filtration systems for situations like yours.

Below you will find a selection of countertop water filter systems from FiltersFast.Net, a leading online retailer of products for water quality improvement.

OmniFilter OCT2 Counter-Top Water Filter
OmniFilter 2-Oct

Your Cost: $35.00
Regular Price: $44.00

“The OmniFilter OCT2 Counter-Top Water Filter sits directly on your counter to give you fresh, clean drinking water at a fraction of the cost of bottled water. Cartridges sold separately. The OCT2 includes Faucet Mounted Diverter Valve, Tubing, Built-In Faucet, and wrench. The OCT2 is NSF/ANSI Tested and Certified and can be used with the TO1, GAC1, CB3, or CB1 OmniFilter Cartridges.Counter Top Unit comes in white only. Dimensions: 4 1/2″ x 11 1/2″”

Doulton HCPS-SC, HCP Counter Top Filter System
Doulton HCPS-SC

Your Cost: $149.00
Regular Price: $189.00

“The Doulton HCPS-SC, HCP Counter Top Filter System comes complete with a Super Carb Ceramic Filter Candle and features durable plastic housing. No plumbing required! Connects to the faucet with an easily attachable divertor valve. That means no permanent modifications to your kitchen or bathroom sink necessary! Also known by part number W9331031. With over 150 years experience in water filtration, Doulton is an established brand name in the water filtration industry, known for producing some of the best products on the market. HCPS-SC Specifications: 99.99% Cyst Reduction (Giardia Cryptosporidium) 97% Chlorine Reduction Class I Particlulate Reduction (dirt, sand, sediment) NSF Standard 42 53 Tested Certified International Standards BS EN ISO 9001:2000 1000 Gallon Filter Capacity .5 GPM Flow RateThe above claims are based on usage with a Doulton SuperCarb ceramic cartridge (10″ S). This filter should be changed every year or 1000 gallons. ”

Doulton HCPS-UC, HCP Counter Top Filter System
Doulton HCPS-UC

Your Cost: $159.00
Regular Price: $199.00

“The Doulton HCPS-UC, HCP Counter Top Filter System comes complete with an UltraCarb Ceramic Filter Candle and features durable plastic housing. No plumbing required! Connects to the faucet with an easily attachable divertor valve. That means no permanent modifications to your kitchen or bathroom sink necessary! Also known by part number W9331032. With over 150 years experience in water filtration, Doulton is an established brand name in the water filtration industry, known for producing some of the best products on the market. HCPS-UC Specifications: 99.99% Cyst Reduction (Giardia Cryptosporidium) 97% Chlorine Reduction 98.3% Lead Reduction Class I Particlulate Reduction (dirt, sand, sediment) NSF Standard 42 53 Tested Certified International Standards BS EN ISO 9001:2000 600 Gallon Filter Capacity .5 GPM Flow RateThe above claims are based on usage with a Doulton UltraCarb ceramic filter candle. This filter should be changed every 6 months or 600 gallons. ”

Doulton W9361122, SS-2 Gravity Fed Filter System
Doulton W9361122

Your Cost: $179.99
Regular Price: $209.00

“The Doulton W9361122, SS-2 Gravity Fed Filtration System is used by many of the world’s leading relief organizations to provide clean water in times of emergency. The SS2 with its compact size and superior performance is perfect for Disaster Preparedness, Apartments, Boats, RV’s and travel use.To use simply pour untreated water into the top reservoir. The water will then pass through the ceramic filter candles where it is then forced by gravity to the lower reservoir. Once water is in the lower chamber simply use the tap on the front of the system to obtain your filtered water. The Doulton SS2 “Pour-Through” Gravity Fed System Features: High Grade Stainless Steel Construction for Durability No External Plumbing Required! Compact and Easy to Operate Easy Conversion to the SS-4, SS4 — simply remove the 2 rubber plugs insert 2 additional 7″ Super Sterasyl Ceramic Filter CandlesThe Doulton SS-2 Specifications: Dimensions: Assembled 8″ x 19″ / Stored 8″ x 13.5″ Capacity: 12 GPD (with 2 filters) 24 GPD (with 4 filters) Upper Reservoir Holds 2.11 Gallons ( 8 liters ) Untreated Water Lower Reservoir Holds 2.11 Gallons (8 liters ) Treated WaterComes with (2) 7″ Super Sterasyl Candles which will reduce: 99.99% Chlorine 99.99% Cysts 99.99% Organic Chemicals 99.99% Parasites 99.99% Particulates 99.99% Pathogenic Bacteria (ie E. Coli, Cholera, Typhoid, ect) 99.99% Rust Sediment Never find yourself unprepared in times of emergency! Purchase your Gravity Fed SS2 today! Please note that the ceramic filters can be cleaned for repeated use but it is recommended that you change the filters at least once every 6 months for optimum performance and to prevent bacteria growth in the activated carbon core. ”

Don’t Forget to Test the Water First!

While buying and installing a countertop water filter seems like the perfect, easy way to guarantee that you have safe, clean drinking water, failure to test your water before selecting a filter system may cause you to purchase a filter for no reason or purchase a filter not capable of removing specific contaminants in your water.

As an example, most countertop water filter systems use only a carbon filter which cannot remove harmful nitrates, toxic metals, fluoride, or high levels of sodium.

If you test your water and find that you have any of the aforementioned drinking water contaminants, you should consider a countertop reverse osmosis water filter instead.

You won’t know what type of water filter you will need, though, until you test your drinking water.

Easy Way to Measure pH and Alkalinity

Water Testing Blog — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:03:03 +0000

For those who would like a definition of pH and an explanation of why testing for pH matters, take a look at one of our previous blog entries: “Testing for pH Levels and Why pH Matters“.

Since we have not, as of yet, posted a blog entry specifically about alkalinity, we figure we will take care of that matter right now by including a basic definition of alkalinity in this blog entry:

In a nutshell, alkalinity refers to water’s ability to resist sudden changes to its pH and to measure alkalinity we measure the amount of CaCO₃ in the water. In nature CaCO₃ typically comes from rocks and soil that water passes over in its travels.

Pool and spa owners will add CaCO₃, sometimes referred to as “Alkalinity Increaser, to counteract the basic (high pH) nature of liquid chlorine and/or the acidic (low pH) nature of most chlorine tablets and sticks.

Since pH and alkalinity have such a close relationship, and it would make sense to measure one if you planned to measure the other, the makers of the WaterWorks brand of water quality test strips created the pH and Total Alkalinity Test Strip which measures both water quality parameters simultaneously and gives accurate, repeatable results in under 30 seconds.

Directions:

Dip 1 test strip into a water sample for 10 seconds, then remove.
Immediately match pH color, then match alkalinity test pad color.

Detection Levels:

pH: 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0
Total Alkalinity: 0, 80, 120, 180, 240, 360 ppm (mg/L)

Municipal Water Systems Cannot Gurantee Safe Water at Your Faucet

Water Testing Blog — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:03:54 +0000

Most of us take for granted that we will have safe, clean tap water coming out of our faucets and think nothing of the dangers presented by not filtering and/or purifying our water prior to use.

Cryptosporidium, a gastrointestinal parasite, contaminated the municipal drinking water of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1993 and caused one hundred deaths. ( source )
A deadly strain of e.coli bacteria found its way into the municipal water supply of Walkerton, Canada in 2000 causing hundreds of residents ill and eventually taking the lives of seven people. ( source )

It sounds shocking that such horrible water quality tragedies could happen in modern times given the frequency of municipal water testing, but two very important facts stand out if you take the time to think about the way in which municipal water systems operate:

Municipal water systems test for a set number of water quality parameters and sometimes rare, unusual, and often not-tested-for water vermin like Cryptosporidium can easily slip past even the most stringent water testing programs. Example: Milwaukee, WI in 1993.
Municipal water systems test water at the point of distribution, not use. This means the water leaves water treatment facilities fully tested and approved for consumption… but keep in mind that the water must travel through many miles of piping and plumbing with literally thousands of joints and welds where harmful contaminants could find their way into the water if only one of those places has cracked or otherwise become deficient.

So as you can see, even the best water treatment plants in the world with the best records for drinking water quality cannot issue a 100% guarantee that your tap water will contain no unwanted contaminants. Once water leaves their grounds its quality can change for innumerable reasons and in innumerable ways… so ultimate responsibility for making sure you have safe, clean tap water falls on… your shoulders.

Installing the correct point-of-use water filtration and/or purification system (i.e. countertop, undersink, whole house, shower, etc.) can negate pretty much all the possible risks associated with water contamination between the distribution point and your favorite glass.

Take the time to learn about the different point-of-use water treatment options you have available and, of course, don’t forget to test your drinking water periodically, even after installing a filtration/purification system, to make sure it continues to function properly!

Drinking Water Test Kits

Countertop Water Filters

Undersink Water Filters

Drinking-Water-Test-Kit.Com — Simple and to the Point

Water Testing Blog — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:03:10 +0000

We recently learned of another vendor, WaterFilters.Net, that offers drinking water water test kits on their web site.

Culligan TK-2 Water Test Kit	WaterSafe All in One Test Kit	WaterSafe Well Water Test Kit

Complete Home Water Test Kit	WaterSafe Science Fair Project Kit	Well Drillers Test Kit

National Testing Labs 27 Parameter Test Kit	National Testing Labs 83 Parameter Test Kit	National Testing Labs 97 Parameter Test Kit

Arsenic in Water Test Kit	Bacteria in Water Test Kit	Water Cooler Bacteria Test Kit

Radon in Water Test Kit

Bass in Juniata Reservoir Test Positive for Mercury

Water Testing Blog — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:03:06 +0000

A while back we posted an article about the extent of mercury contamination in freshwater streams and rivers in the United States and in that article we told you how fish from ALL 291 bodies of water tested came up positive for mercury. Therefore an article which recently appeared on the Denver Post web site about smallmouth bass in the Juniata Reservoir coming up positive for mercury contamination did not surprise us.

How certain government officials proposed to DEAL with the problem, however, DID shock us.

GRAND JUNCTION — A reservoir that provides drinking water for Grand Junction is closed for fishing because smallmouth bass there have tested positive for mercury contamination.

Steve Gunderson, director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s water- quality division, says the mercury levels in Juniata Reservoir are extremely low, but mercury accumulates in fish. He says state health officials are meeting with city officials about keeping the reservoir off a list of bodies of water that don’t meet water- quality standards, if they can get rid of all contaminated fish or isolate the reservoir. ( source )

Sounds to use like the officials seem more concerned about keeping this body of water off the ‘contaminated list’ than they do about the actual underlying problem: Mercury in the water!

Granted the article only gave a brief overview of the situation at Juniata Reservoir, but we really find it strange that the proposed method of ’solving’ the problem involves removing (killing) all the smallmouth bass… and/or keeping those fish from migrating to another body of water.

No matter how you look at it, once again it seems that certain government bodies care more about regional revenue from tourism, revenue from sport fishing, and revenue in general than they do about finding the underlying cause of all the problems… and this means, to some extent, that the general public must keep a vigilant eye on issues involving contamination of lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, and any other bodies of water because government agencies have their own agendas which may or may not include keeping toxic materials out of the water.

Testing for Metals in Water

A quick and efficient way of testing for the presence of metals in your water involves the use of a water testing product such as the SenSafe Water Metals Check which provides users with semi-quantitative water metals levels in under three minutes.

SenSafe Water Metals Check requires no iodine indicator solution, no meter, and no specialized training. Just dip the strip for 20 seconds, wait two minutes, and match color on the end of the strip to the color chart provided on the bottle.

Metals detected by SenSafe Water Metals Check include, but are not limited to, copper, cobalt, zinc, cadmium, and nickel.

SenSafe Water Metals Check has a low detection limit of 10ppb (parts per billion), much lower than any comparable product on the market.

What About Testing for Mercury in Water?

Simple test kits exist for testing mercury levels in drinking water as well. SenSafe manufactures two different Mercury in Water Test Kits and both, like SenSafe Water Metals Check, require no meter or special training to use and yield results in a matter of minutes.

Mercury in Water Test Kit
Detection Range: 0.002ppm to 0.08ppm

Mercury in Water Test Kit
Detection Range: 50ppm to 1,000ppm

Replacement 20″ x 2.5″ Big Blue Carbon Water Filters

Water Testing Blog — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:17:36 +0000

If you have a home water filter system that requires a 2.5″ diameter 20″ Big Blue Carbon Filter, then the following list will definitely come in handy. Below you will find replacement Liquatec, Pentek and KX Matrikx 20″ x 2.5″ replacement carbon filters for big blue filter housings.

KX Matrikx +Pb1 06-250-125-20 Filter
KX Matrikx 06-250-125-20

Your Cost: $30.00
Regular Price: $35.00

“The KX Matrikx +Pb1 06-250-125-20 Filter is a KX Matrikx “Premier Performer,” reducing lead, cysts, chlorine, taste odors, and sediment from your water. All KX +Pb1 filters are made of extruded activated carbon that reduces soluble lead using an ion-exchange filter medium with high specificity for soluble lead. Particulate filtration is used to intercept insoluble lead-containing particles. Therefore making these filters very powerful in many residential and commercial applications. The KX Matrikx 06-250-125-20 also meets NSF/ANSI Standard 53, Turbidity and Cyst Reduction, including Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Entamoeba and Toxoplasma although it has been tested and verified by an independent laboratory. The +Pb1 Specifications: Dimensions: 20″ x 2.5″ .5 Micron Nominal Filtration 1 Micron Absolute Filtration No Release of Carbon Fines NSF 42 Test Certified for Material Requirements High Absorbtion and Capacity Flow Rate: up to 1.5 GPM Capacity for Chlorine Reduction: 12,000 @ 1.5 GPM Capacity for Lead Reduction: 5,000 @ 1.5 GPM Max Temp: 125 FThe +Pb1 0625012520 Reduces: Lead Cysts (Gairdia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba, and Toxoplasma) Chlorine Taste Odor Bad Taste Odor Particulates This filter should be changed every 6 months to 1 year depending on water quality and usage. This filter will fit into Pentek, Ametek, US Filter, Kleen Plus, American Plumber and other brand housings that require a 20″x 2.5″ Filter Cartridges. This includes but is not limited to the Culligan 20-ST Housing, and the Pentek 150544 and 150576 Housings. +Pb1 Series Manual ”

KX Matrikx +CR1 19-250-125-20 Carbon Filter
KX Matrikx 19-250-125-20

Your Cost: $27.00
Regular Price: $30.00

“The KX Matrikx +CR1 19-250-125-20 Carbon Filter is manufactured using a patented, solid-state extrusion process, which in turn allows this filter to reduce cysts and large volumes and concentrations of chlorine taste and odor from your water. This makes the +CR1 filter ideal for use in food service applications. The KX MATRIKX + CR1 meets NSF/ANSI Standard 53, Turbidity and Cyst Reduction, including Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Entamoeba and Toxoplasma although it was performance tested certified by independent laboratory testing. The +CR1 19-250-125-20 Specifications: Dimensions: 20″ x 2.5″ .5 Micron Nominal Filtration 1 Micron Absolute Filtration No Release of Carbon Fines NSF 42 Test Certified for Material Requirements High Absorbtion and Capacity Flow Rate: up to 5 GPM Capacity: 20,000 Gallons Max Temp: 125 F Max Pressure: 250 psiThe +CR1 Reduces: Cysts (Gairdia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba, and Toxoplasma) Chlorine Taste Odor Bad Taste Odor Turbidity Particulates This filter should be changed every 6 months to 1 year depending on water quality and usage. This filter will fit into Pentek, Ametek, US Filter, Kleen Plus, American Plumber and other brand housings that require a 20″x 2.5″ Filter Cartridges. This includes but is not limited to the Culligan 20-ST Housing, and the Pentek 150544 and 150576 Housings. View Product Manual For +CR1 Series ”

Pentek / Ametek EP-20 20″ Carbon Block Filter
Pentek EP-20

Your Cost: $18.00
Regular Price: $18.90

“The Pentek / Ametek EP-20 Carbon Block Filter is designed to reduce and remove Chlorine taste Odor as well as dirt, sand, and sediment from your household water.As part of the “EP Series” the EP-20 uses “Endurawrap”, a unique polyolefin bilaminate pre-filter that actually increases the filters life by trapping sediment more effectively, maximizing the filters absorbtion capability. Pentek part number 155529.The EP-20 Specifications: Dimensions 20″ x 2 7/8″ diameter Micron Rating 5 Flow Rate: 2 GPM @ 3 psi Temp Range: 40 – 180 F Capacity: 12,000 Gallons Reduces: Chlorine Taste Odor, Sand, Rust, Dirt, and SedimentThe EP20 fits most undersink housings that require 20″ filters including, but not limited to, Pentek, American Plumber, Culligan, Omnifilter, Ametek, US Filter, and Cuno. Filter Life depends on water quality and usage. The EP-20 Product Manual”

Pentek GAC-20 20″ Granular Activated Carbon Filter
Pentek GAC-20

Your Cost: $17.70
Regular Price: $21.30

“The Pentek GAC-20 Granular Activated Carbon Filter Cartridge effectively reduces chlorine taste and odor and bad taste and odor from your drinking water. The GAC-20 features a 20 micron post filter that captures suspended carbon fines before they exit the filter. Part Number 155111-43.The Pentek GAC-20 Specifications:20 Micron Rating Reduces chlorine taste and odor Reducesbad taste and odor Dimensions: 20″ x2 7/8″ Capacity: 10,0000 Gallons Flow Rate: 2 GPM @ 16 psi Temp Rating: 40 – 125 F NSF Certified for Material RequirementsThe GAC20 fits most whole house and reverse osmosis systems that require a 20″ filter including systems by Cuno, Aqua Pure, Omni, American Plumber, GE, Flotec, Honeywell, and Sears. View Full Product Sheet ”

Liquatec CB-250-20-05 Carbon Filter
Liquatech CB-250-20-05

Your Cost: $16.75
Regular Price: $19.42

“The Liquatec CB-250-20-05 carbon Filter can be used to reduce chlorine, taste odor, sediment, and certain VOC’s from your water. Great cost-to-performance value! This filter is NSF/ANSI tested for material requirements only. The CB-250-20-05 Specifications Based on Independent Laboratory Testing: 5 Micron Nominal Filtration Dimensions: 2 1/2″ x 20″ Inner Diameter: 1.25″ Flow Rate: 2 psi drop @ 2 GPM Reduces: Chlorine, Taste Odor, Sediment, and Certain VOC’s Capacity for Chlorine Reduction: 9,000 @ 2 GPM Solid block design eliminates channeling, by-pass or release of carbon fines FDA Listed MaterialsThe CB-250-20-05 will fit Pentek, Ametek, US Filter, American Plumber, Culligan and other brands of filter housings that require a standard size 20″ Cartridge (not Big Blue). This filter should be changed every 3-6 months depending on water quality and usage. Product Manual”

Liquatec CB-250-20-10 Carbon Filter
Liquatec CB-250-20-10

Your Cost: $16.00
Regular Price: $16.79

“The Liquatec CB-250-20-10 Carbon Filter can be used to reduce chlorine, taste odor, sediment, and certain VOC’s from your water. Great cost-to-performance value! This filter is NSF/ANSI tested for material requirements only. The CB-250-20-10 Specifications Based on Independent Laboratory Testing: 10 Micron Nominal Filtration Dimensions: 2 1/2″ x 20″ Inner Diameter: 1.25″ Flow Rate: 2 psi drop @ 2 GPM Reduces: Chlorine, Taste Odor, Sediment, and Certain VOC’s Capacity for Chlorine Reduction: 9,000 @ 2 GPM Solid block design eliminates channeling, by-pass or release of carbon fines FDA Listed MaterialsThe CB-250-20-10 will fit Pentek, Ametek, US Filter, American Plumber, Culligan and other brands of filter housings that require a standard size 20″ Cartridge (not Big Blue). This filter should be changed every 3-6 months depending on water quality and usage. Product Specifications”

KX Matrikx +10 /2 10-250-190-20 Filter
KX Matrikx 10-250-190-20

Your Cost: $19.00
Regular Price: $25.00

“The KX Matrikx +10 /2 10-250-190-20 Filter is a high performance filter used to reduce chlorine taste odor from your drinking water. Can be used as an economical replacement for lesser performing GAC or PAC water filter cartridges. 20″ Filter Cartridge. Filter features 2 blue end caps. The KX Matrikx +10 /2 10-250-190-20 NSF/ANSI Tested and Certified for Material Requirements only. This filter was performance tested verified by Independent Laboratory Testing. The KX +10 10-250-190-20 Specifications: 3 Nominal Filtration Greater than 99.5% reduction of 10 Micron Particles Flow Rate: 2 psi drop @ 2 GPM Dimensions: 20″ x 2.5″ Max Operating Pressure: 250 psi Max Temp: 125 FMedia: Extruded Carbon to prevent channeling, fluidizing, release of carbon finesThe KX Matrix 1025019020 will fit the Culligan, American Plumber, Aqua Pure, Pentek, Ametek, US Filter, and other brands of housings that require a standard 20″ Filter Cartridge such as the Pentek housings 150544, 150568, and 150576. This filter should be changed every 3 to 6 months depending on water quality and usage. Product Manual ”

Pentek EPM-20 Carbon Briquette Filter Cartridge
Pentek EPM-20

Your Cost: $13.00
Regular Price: $13.55

“The Pentek, Ametek EPM-20BB Carbon Briquette Filter Cartridge is designed to reduce and remove Chlorine taste Odor as well as dirt, sand, and sediment from your household water. Part Number 155635-43.As part of the “EP Series” the EPM-20 uses “Endurawrap”, a unique polyolefin bilaminate pre-filter that actually increases the filters life by trapping sediment more effectively. The EPM-20 Specifications: Cartridge Dimensions: 20″ x 2 7/8″ diameter Micron Rating 10 Max tempature: 180 F Capacity For Chlorine Reduction: &gt6,000 gallons @ 2 GPM Tempature Range: 40 F – 180 F Flow Rate: 1 psi drop @ 2 GPMThe EPM20 Filter Cartridge Manual “