QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON DECHLORINATING FILTERS

How long will a dechlorinating filter operate?

With a bad iron problem, it may be necessary to service the filter frequently due to the clogging of the filter with precipitated iron. When neither iron nor sulfur is present, a filter continues to operate for long periods of time. How long depends on the amount of turbidity in the water and the design of the unit. With reasonably clear water, a dechlorinating filter should be good for 20,000 gallons of water, more than the average household uses for cooking and drinking in a year.

How can you service a dechlorinator?

Some units can be backwashed. Others are so designed that the homeowner can remove the filter from the container and hose it off. Still others are disposable units.

Typical layout of superchlorination-dechlorination equipment on a private water system. With dechlorinator on the main water line, this arrangement can be used where iron and/or manganese is present in the water.

What happens when a dechlorinator ceases to operate?

The homeowner quickly knows his unit is not working because he will taste chlorine in the water, or the pressure drop will become excessive due to plugging by turbidity. He should then backwash or replace the filter.