Drinking Water Treatment – Cation Exchange Units

EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Positively charged ions such as iron, magnesium, calcium or manganese.

NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Negatively charged ions, such as nitrates, bicarbonate, sulfate, selenium, and some compounds of arsenic.

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Drinking Water Treatment – Anion Exchange Units

EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Negatively charge ions, such as nitrates, bicarbonate, sulfate, selenium, and some compounds of arsenic.

NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Positively charged ions such as iron, magnesium, calcium or manganese.

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Drinking Water Treatment – Aeration

EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Aeration water treatment is effective for management of dissolved gases such as radon, carbon dioxide, some taste and odor problems such as methane, and hydrogen sulfide, as well as volatile organic compounds, like MTBE or industrial solvents. It is also effective in precipitating dissolved iron and manganese. Aeration raises the pH of water.

NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Aeration is not effective for removal of heavy metals, or pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms like bacteria and viruses.

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Selecting a Home Water Treatment System

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Home Water Treatment Devices

The table below outlines information on specific home water treatment approaches. Keep in mind that some water treatment can be for aesthetic as well as health factors. If drinking water poses a health risk, the consumer may also consider the cost of purchasing bottled water or tying into a public water system if available as an alternative to treatment.
If you need to contact a water treatment professional to install or repair a home treatment system or to assess a …

Drinking Water Treatment – Reverse Osmosis

EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Inorganic contaminants such as: dissolved salts of sodium, dissolved (ferrous) iron, nitrate, lead, fluoride, sulfate, potassium, manganese, aluminum, silica, chloride, total dissolved solids, chromium, and orthophosphate. Also effective in removing some detergents, some taste, color and odor-producing chemicals, certain organic contaminants, and some pesticides.

NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Dissolved gases, most volatile and semi-volatile organic contaminants including some pesticides and solvents. Alone, reverse osmosis units are not recommended for treatment of bacteria and other …

Drinking Water Treatment – pH Adjustment

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About pH

pH is an indicator of the acid or alkaline …

Drinking Water Treatment – Oxidizing Filters

EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Oxidizing filters oxidize and filter iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide in one unit.

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Uses

An oxidizing filter is an in-line, point-of-entry device (on the main incoming water line) that converts dissolved iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide to a solid form and then …

Questions to Ask Before You Buy A Water Treatment System

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Drinking Water Treatment – Activated Alumina

EFFECTIVE AGAINST: Fluoride, arsenic, selenium, and chromium.

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Uses of activated alumina

Activated alumina can be used as a point-of-entry or point-of-use water treatment device. Activated alumina absorbs contaminants instead of filtering them. The effectiveness of activated alumina depends on the contaminant, characteristics of the …