FAQ

What is the difference between a filter and a purifier?

A filter will remove 99.9% of Protozoa (Crypto & Giardia) in the water, a purifier must remove 99.9% of Protozoa, 99.99% of Viruses and 99.9999% of Bacteria. The reason those numbers are important is because of the size of the various contaminants and how many of each can make you ill. Protozoa are anywhere from 1 to 100 microns in size. Bacteria are between 0.1 and 1 micron. Viruses range from 0.01 to 0.1 micron. There is not a filter small enough to filter out the viruses. Populated areas of developing countries have a high risk of protozoa contamination, a moderate to high risk of bacteria contamination from both human and animal carriers and a moderate to high risk of virus contamination.

What is iodinated resin and how does it work?
Our purifiers use a pentaiodide resin which is a highly concentrated form of iodine. It is a unique purification technology based on the natural process of electrostatic attraction. The resin has a positive charge that attracts negatively charged contaminants in the water. When the contaminant comes into contact with the resin bead, sufficient iodine is released to penetrate the microorganism. By this 'fatal attraction' bacteria, viruses and protozoa are neutralized and killed. This technology was developed by Kansas State University in the early 1970s. Proven to be a highly effective and practical means of purifying water, NASA chose to use the iodinated resin technology in the Space Shuttle program.

What are the advantages of this demand-release technology?
Iodinated resin releases the iodine necessary to kill the microorganisms that are actually present in the water. Because penetration of the microorganism is so effective, contact time is minimal and iodine concentration levels remain low. The level of residual iodine in the water is typically 1 to 1.5 parts per million (ppm). In comparison, using straight iodine leaves 60 ppm of residual iodine in the water.

How will we know when to change our purification cartridge or filter?
Most of our systems have an effective life indicator that will shut off the water supply when it is time to change your filters.

How do you calculate how much water you use?
A good rule of thumb is to figure a gallon per person per day for cooking and drinking purposes. This will need to be adjusted for warm climates, higher altitudes, activity levels, etc.

Are water softeners the same as water purifiers?
No, not in any sense of the word. As a matter of fact, the majority of softeners are water contaminators. The public has been misled into thinking water softeners are purifiers. It has been proven that water softeners do not kill bacteria or take out mineral impurities but do add additional salts to the water, as the treatment is based on a salt operated unit.

My water is dirty, and has a color. Why is it dirty and how can I make it clean?

If your water is coming from a well and the water is rust colored, then the problem is probably iron. If the water color is black it could be either sulfur, which has a smell like rotten eggs or manganese. All of these can be treated with an ion exchange water treatment system. A bigger problem is if the water has a very fine dirt content which may indicate the presence of colloidal clay. A good indication if you have a clay problem is if water in a glass stays cloudy after sitting for 60 minutes. If this is the case a coagulation filter system may be required.

My water tested positive for coliform bacteria. What does this mean and what can I do about it?

Coliform bacteria can be an indicator that the well may be susceptible to bacteria contamination. There are several option that you have. Our Water on Demand' or Distiller will solve this problem.

How safe is international municipal water? Will the water from my tap make me ill?

Unfortunately, we receive many reports of tainted municipal tap water If you are concerned about the quality of your tap water have it checked by an approved lab. If the lab report indicates that there are contaminants in your tap water, please contact us. If you would like to treat your water due to an undesirable taste or odor, we have a variety of good water treatment choices available to you.

There is chlorine in my water. Is chlorine bad for me?

Chlorine in itself does not appear to be a problem other than the aesthetic concerns of undesirable taste and odor it creates. There has been a lot of research on the effects of chlorine with evidence showing that the biggest concern being its reaction with natural organic materials like leaves and humus forming disinfection by-products, which are considered carcinogens. Installing a point of use water treatment system that incorporates the use of carbon filtration can be very effective in correcting this problem.

What is activeated carbon and what does it do?

Carbon used in filtration applications is produced by grinding a carbon source - like bituminous coal, peat or coconut shells and heating the material in the absence of oxygen to 1000 degrees to bake off impurities. The material is then subjected to 1600-degree steam to “activate” the carbon. The steam leaves carbon granules filled with cracks and pores, enabling them to store large amounts of chemicals. One pound of activated carbon (the amount in a standard ten-inch filter cartridge) has the equivalent surface area of a 160 acre farm. Carbon removes contaminants in two ways: through adsorption , contaminants are attracted to the surface of the activated carbon and held to it in much the same way a magnet attracts and holds iron filings; and by acting as a catalyst to change the chemical composition of some contaminants. Activated carbon is ideal for removing chlorine, organic chemicals such as many kinds of pesticides, THMs like chloroform and many VOCs that are components of gasoline, solvents and industrial cleaners.