| 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. |
- 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 |
- 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.
- Over 10 ppm Fe+ chlorination with sufficient
retention tank time for full oxidation followed by filtration/ dechlorination.
- In warm climates residual aerator and filtration will substantially
reduce iron content.
|
- 2. Precipitate
iron (water will not clear when drawn).
|
Various effects |
- Up to 10 ppm iron removed by manganese greensand filter,
if pH 6.7 or higher, or;
- Manganese treated, non-hydrous aluminum silicate
filter where pH of 6.8 or higher and oxygen is 15% of total iron content.
- 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 |
- Adsorption via special macro-porous Type I
anion exchange resin regenerated with salt (NaCl) up to 3.0 ppm.
- Manganese
greensand or manganese treated sodium alumino-silicate under proper set of conditions.
|
| Milky water |
Cloudiness
of water when drawn. |
- Some precipitant sludge created
during heating of water.
- High degree of air in water from poorly functioning
pump.
- Excessive coagulant-feed being carried through filter.
|
- Various effects
- Aesthetic only
- Various
effects
|
- Blow down domestic or commercial hot water
heater tank periodically.
- Water will usually clear quickly upon standing.
- 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 |
- Excessive salt content.
- High temperature drying
creates chloride concentration accelerating corrosion.
|
Various
effects |
- Use other chloride resistant metals.
- Reduce total dissolved solids by reverse osmosis.
|
More Topics on Water Quality & Treatment: 
Follow us on twitter
Become our fans on facebook
Add us to your circle on google+
= Products of Superior Performance and Dependability 