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Water Quality

LIME-SODA ASH WATER TREATMENT METHOD

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Lime-soda ash treatment for the reduction of hardness involves the addition of slake lime [Ca(OH)₂] to a hard water supply to remove the carbonate hardness by precipitation with the precipitation being removed by filtration. Non-carbonate hardness is in turn reduced by the addition of soda ash (Na₂C0₃) to form insoluble precipitate which is also removed by filtration.

soda ash This particular method of removing hardness sometimes used by municipal water plants to reduce the amount of calcium and magnesium in a water supply. While it is quite effective in reducing hardness, it is not a complete removal treatment.

Often when a city has a raw water source that has 35 to 40 grain hard water, the local water system will use the lime-soda ash treatment to reduce hardness to between 5 and 10 grains.

Lime-soda ash treatment is especially effective if a water contains bicarbonate (temporary) hardness. Where calcium and magnesium are primarily in chloride or sulfate compounds, this treatment is noticeably less effective.

Slaked lime is used to remove calcium bicarbonate from water. In the water to be treated, the slaked lime ions react with the calcium bicarbonate to form the very slightly soluble calcium carbonate. This precipitated material is usually removed by first settling and then filtering.

Ca(OH) ₂+ Ca(HC0₃)₂ --> 2 CaCO₃ + 2 H₂O

Calcium hydroxide plus calcium bicarbonate reacts to form calcium carbonate plus water

NOTE: The arrow pointing down (¥) indicates the formation of an insoluble compound.

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Many cities across the U.S. have started to ban traditional water softeners from their communities even though they have hard water. These ion-exchange systems use large amounts of salt, which is then flushed down the drain and harms the environment. Sanitary departments are then forced to build treatment plants to remove the salt and they in-turn pass these costs down to the consumer through higher monthly water bills. Thus many cities have decided that it is not worth the cost and effort and have banned the use of salt-based water softeners altogether.

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A good water filtration system installed in your home is the only way to proactively monitor and ensure the quality and safety of your drinking water. Reverse osmosis water purification systems can remove 90-99% of all contaminants from city and well water to deliver healthy drinking water for you and your family.

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