The Importance of Water Filtration in Your Home
Just about everyone is talking about the quality of their drinking water. But what is “good” drinking water? We hear about contaminated water supplies, chemical spills, bad tastes and odors but don’t understand what it all means. Unless you’re a water expert, it can be hard to understand what defines water quality. Not to worry! We’ll break it down into an easy to understand guide that will make you a well-informed consumer of drinking water.
Let’s start by defining your water source. If you have a well your water is being pumped from an individual well located on your property. There is no federal or state oversight of your water supply. If you buy or sell the property there may be a requirement to have the well tested. You are responsible for the quality of your well water. All testing, conditioning and filtration is your responsibility.
Municipal water sources are under the oversight of federal and state regulations. The water supply is tested at the treatment facility to maintain the mandated water quality standards. As we’ve discussed in another article, the United States Environmental Protection Agency sets the acceptable levels of certain “primary contaminants” because they are a potential health concern and there is a strong chance that the contaminants will be found in the water supply at levels that will affect public health. The EPA delegates the responsibilities for maintaining these levels to the individual states. Your state can choose to adopt the EPA levels or enforce more stringent levels if they wish. The general categories of primary contaminants include:
There’s a secondary group of contaminants that cause aesthetic problems like mineral scale (hardness), tastes, odors, laundry staining and other annoyances. These are not regulated by the federal or local agencies but can cause many unpleasant water conditions for homeowners. If your water is regulated, you will receive a yearly Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your local water supplier. The report must be mailed by July 1st each year. The report will provide a general overview of the water quality delivered by your water system. The report will list the regulated contaminants that were detected in the water and the level at which they were found during the preceding calendar year. The Consumer Confidence Report is for treated water only. If you receive a CCR but are using a well, the report has no validity regarding your well water quality.
Do I need to filter my water?
We’ve learned that municipal water is regularly tested for specific health concerns and wells must be tested by the well owner. Even if your water meets the federal and state regulations, it often contains substances and characteristics that cause unpleasant tastes, odors and undesirable side effects related to drinking, cooking, bathing and in the laundry. Nearly every water source can be improved with the right water filtration system. WECO water filtration engineers have designed an array of high-quality water filters ranging from small faucet filter to large industrial reverse osmosis systems. For residential applications we have a series of water filtration systems that are effective and efficient, meeting the needs of any water filtration need. Here are a few of the most popular WECO filters and how they can improve your water quality.
WECO UXC-0948 High Efficiency Water Softener
Hard water, high calcium & magnesium, is common with well and municipal water sources. Although hard water is not associated with health concerns, it causes numerous problems around the home. Hard water requires you to use more soap and detergents for cleaning, laundry and dish washing. Calcium reacts with soap, causing a waxy build-up in the bath tub and shower. When hard water is heated, it produces white mineral deposits on glasses and dishes. Mineral scale also forms inside water heaters, reducing efficiency, increasing energy costs and causing early failure of the water tank. The WECO UXC-0948 water softener eliminates hardness problems throughout the entire home. Your skin and hair will be silky smooth. Dishes and glassware will be spot-free. Cleaning chores will be easier and you’ll use less soap and cleaners too.
WECO VGRO-75UV Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filtration System with UV Disinfection
The VGRO-75UV reverse osmosis filtration system is a state-of-the-art drinking water purification system. This compact filtration system uses the same water purification technologies used to purify water in nuclear submarines. The VGRO-75UV removes particles of grit, sand, fragments of insects and other solids that contaminate drinking water. Activated carbon filtration eliminates bad tastes and odors from chlorine, chloramine and natural organics that cause off-flavors. Even pesticides and solvents are removed! The reverse osmosis process removes nitrate, heavy metals and even mercury. The purified water passes through an ultraviolet disinfection unit that kills and inactivates bacteria, parasites, and other microbes that infiltrate well and municipal water systems. If you want the absolute best-tasting pure water in your home, the VGRO-75UV is for you!
WECO CALC-0948 Backwashing Filter with Calcite for pH Neutralization
Many wells suffer from acidic water. As groundwater passes through certain types of rock formations, it can become acidic. This causes the water to become very corrosive to metals. Acidic water will dissolve away the metals in faucets, releasing copper, lead, cadmium, and zinc into the water. It will also dissolve copper pipes, leading to blue stains in the sink, tub and toilet. This corrosive water will also reduce the lifespan of water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines. The CALC-0948 backwashing filter neutralizes acidic water as it enters the home, protecting every sink, toilet, bathtub and appliance in the home. The natural calcite filter media eliminates water cloudiness, red iron stains, blue copper stains and stops acid water damage throughout the entire home.
WECO A300E-0948 Backwashing Filter with A300E Ion-Exchange Resin for Nitrate Removal
Nitrate contamination is a nationwide concern. Nitrate in drinking water poses a special risk to infants under six months of age. Nitrate prevents the infant's blood from carrying oxygen. Death can result if not treated promptly. Many adults also want to limit nitrate in their diet due to possible health effects associated with nitrate consumption. Removing nitrate from well and municipal water supplies is easy with a WECO A300E-0948 Backwashing Filter with A300E Ion-Exchange Resin. The automatic backwashing filter contains a special ion-exchange resin that selectively removes nitrate from your drinking water. This is a whole house filter that will provide every faucet throughout your home with nitrate-free water.
WECO designs and manufactures a wide array of water filtration systems. We can specify a solution to your individual water purification needs. Please contact our technical service department to discuss your water purification needs.
