What should a residential water purification system do? Most of us are connected to a municipal facility, so why should we worry? Read on.

There is only so much that a municipal water filtration system can do. They protect us from diseases like typhoid. They remove mud, dirt, raw sewage and other more offensive foreign objects like dead animals that fall into reservoirs and lakes. They remove heavy metals, rocks and a lot of minerals. They test the water to make sure that the level of contaminants is not toxic. But, there are problems with the public water filtration system that can only be solved by a "point of use" or "in the home" unit.

Most public water works use chemicals to kill bacteria and to disinfect. Chlorine is most commonly used. The chemical disinfection process releases byproducts into drinking water that are hazardous to a person's health. In the case of chlorine, the byproducts are referred to as THMs. They are known as carcinogens which mean they cause cancer. Environmental Protection Agency standards limit the THM content to 80 parts per billion. Beyond that level, THMs are considered toxic and can cause nerve damage and other health conditions. The public water filtration system cannot remove the by-products. They can only test the water to see if the level is too high.

That brings us to the second problem. Just because it is tested by our public officials doesn't always mean its safe.  The "safe" requirement does not take several things into account. The toxic level is aggregated for an adult that weighs 175 pounds, so if you weigh less, there is a greater threat. Tests are performed before the water enters the pipes that lead to your home, so the concentration of the byproducts could be higher by the time it reaches you.

There is no way that you can go without a good point of use water purification system that removes chlorine and blocks THMs. But, you have to shop carefully, because some are advertised as purifiers, when all that they do is block chlorine and odor. There would be no protection from THMs in that case.

When you look for a water filtration system, you should ask for performance certifications and other industry standards. Certifications are not mandatory, but the reliable companies will have them. Hopefully, this has helped you understand what an in-home water purification system should do and why you need one.

Commercial water purifiers

Very few managers and employers realize that purified water can have an enormous effect in boosting productivity, performance, morale and maintaining good health among workers. For staff members to receive the maximum benefits from the healing, rejuvenating power of purified water there should be a constant supply of fresh water while they are working.

We all know that water is ?good? for us, but few people realize how essential it is to your overall well being, performance and vitality in the workplace. Purified water is the recipe to good health and performance at work. When your body does not receive adequate amounts of pure water during the day, you may end up with symptoms of dehydration which if prolonged, will cause disease. Water is the sure thing to boost your brainpower. Without sufficient amounts of water, your thought and feelings may become distorted and you will be unable to work with a clear head and balanced emotions.

You and your staff will enjoy the following benefits by drinking purified water:

• Have more energy
• Enjoy drinking water again as purified water satisfies
• Lose weight
• Boost your immune system
• Maintain a less edgy and irritable atmosphere in the office through purified water consumption
• Coffee, tea, and sodas are expensive and they contain dehydrating agents. A Glacier water purifier are affordable and easy to install and will actually save you money

Pure water is what the human body needs, wants and is crying for!

Water plays many critical roles within the field of food science. It is important for a food scientist to understand the roles that water plays within food processing to ensure the success of their products.

Solutes such as salts and sugars found in water affect the physical properties of water. The boiling and freezing points of water are affected by solutes, as well as air pressure, which is in turn affected by altitude. Water boils at lower temperatures with the lower air pressure which occurs at higher elevations. One moleof sucrose (sugar) per kilogram of water raises the boiling point of water by 0.51 °C, and one mole of salt per kg raises the boiling point by 1.02 °C; similarly, increasing the number of dissolved particles lowers water's freezing point. Solutes in water also affect water activity which affects many chemical reactions and the growth of microbes in food. Water activity can be described as a ratio of the vapor pressure of water in a solution to the vapor pressure of pure water. Solutes in water lower water activity. This is important to know because most bacterial growth ceases at low levels of water activity. Not only does microbial growth affect the safety of food but also the preservation and shelf life of food.

Water hardness is also a critical factor in food processing. It can dramatically affect the quality of a product as well as playing a role in sanitation. Water hardness is classified based on the amounts of removable calcium carbonate salt it contains per gallon. Water hardness is measured in grains; 0.064 g calcium carbonate is equivalent to one grain of hardness. Water is classified as soft if it contains 1 to 4 grains, medium if it contains 5 to 10 grains and hard if it contains 11 to 20 grains.- The hardness of water may be altered or treated by using a chemical ion exchange system. The hardness of water also affects its pH balance which plays a critical role in food processing. For example, hard water prevents successful production of clear beverages. Water hardness also affects sanitation; with increasing hardness, there is a loss of effectiveness for its use as a sanitizer.

Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually consumed or used in food preparation. Typical uses include washing or landscape irrigation.

Over large parts of the world, humans have inadequate access to potable water and use sources contaminated with disease vectors, pathogens or unacceptable levels of toxins or suspended solids. Such water is not wholesome and drinking or using such water in food preparation leads to widespread acute and chronic illnesses and is a major cause of death and misery in many countries. Reduction of waterborne diseases is a major public health goal in developing countries.

Water has always been an important and life-sustaining drink to humans and is essential to the survival of all organisms. Excluding fat, water composes approximately 70% of the human body by mass. It is a crucial component of metabolic processes and serves as a solvent for many bodily solutes.

Water passes through a series of filters. After which the water passes through a semi permeable membrane that has the ability to remove and reject a wide spectrum of impurities, bacteria and contaminants from the water, producing ultra pure product water.

Reverse Osmosis systems typically have the following components: A supply pump or pressurized raw water supply, pre filtration in one or more stages, chemical injection of one or more pretreatment agents may be added, a pressure pump suited to the application, sized and driven appropriately for the flow and pressure required, a membrane array including one or more membranes installed in one or more pressure tubes (also called pressure vessels, Reverse Osmosis pressure vessels, or similar), various gauges and flow meters, a pressure regulating valve, relief valve(s) and/or safety pressure switches, and possibly some form of post treatment. Post treatment should usually include a form of sterilization such as Ultra-Violet (U-V) or Ozone. Other types of post treatment may include carbon filters, pH adjustment, or mineral injection for some applications. Pre-filtration is of the utmost importance to prevent fouling of the membranes, different pre-filtration cartridges are available to suit local water conditions.

Reverse Osmosis systems are available in different configurations to suit individual needs.

Reverse osmosis was developed as a water treatment method more than 40 years ago. The process first arose as a technique of desalinating seawater. Once the method?s decontaminating capabilities were recognized, reverse osmosis systems began to be commercially produced for home water purification purposes. Such systems were installed in homes as early as the 1970s. Reverse osmosis systems seemed a viable option to the more costly and energy-wasteful distillation units. 

The Process:
The Reverse Osmosis process depends upon a semi-permeable membrane through which pressurized water is forced. Reverse osmosis, simply stated, is the opposite of the natural osmosis process of water. Osmosis is the name for the tendency of water to migrate from a weaker saline solution to a stronger saline solution, gradually equalizing the saline composition of each solution when a semi-permeable membrane separates the two solutions. In reverse osmosis, water is forced to move from a stronger saline solution to a weaker solution, again through a semi-permeable membrane. Because molecules of salt are physically larger than water molecules, the membrane blocks the passage of salt particles. The end result is desalinated water on one side of the membrane and a highly concentrated, saline solution of water on the other side. In addition to salt particles, this process will remove a select number of drinking water contaminants, depending upon the physical size of the contaminants. For this reason, reverse osmosis has been touted as an effective drinking water purification method. 

Pros and Cons:
Reverse osmosis is a valuable water purification process when mineral-free water is the desired end product. Most mineral constituents of water are physically larger than water molecules. Thus, they are trapped by the semi-permeable membrane and removed from drinking water when filtered through a reverse osmosis system. Such minerals include salt, lead, manganese, iron, and calcium. Reverse osmosis will also remove some chemical components of drinking water, including the dangerous municipal additive fluoride. 

Reverse osmosis(RO) is a membrane technicalfiltrationmethod that removes many types of large moleculesand ionsfrom solutions by applying pressure to the solution when it is on one side of a selective membrane. The result is that the soluteis retained on the pressurized side of the membrane and the pure solventis allowed to pass to the other side. To be "selective," this membrane should not allow large molecules or ions through the pores(holes), but should allow smaller components of the solution (such as the solvent) to pass freely.

In the normal osmosisprocess the solvent naturally moves from an area of low solute concentration, through a membrane, to an area of high solute concentration. The movement of a pure solvent to equalize solute concentrations on each side of a membrane generates osmotic pressure. Applying an external pressure to reverse the natural flow of pure solvent, thus, is reverse osmosis. The process is similar to other membrane technology applications. However, there are key differences between reverse osmosis and filtration. The predominant removal mechanism in membrane filtration is straining, or size exclusion, so the process can theoretically achieve perfect exclusion of particles regardless of operational parameters such as influent pressure and concentration. Reverse osmosis, however, involves a diffusive mechanism so that separation efficiency is dependent on solute concentration, pressure, and water flux rate.[1]Reverse osmosis is most commonly known for its use in drinking water purificationfrom seawater, removing the saltand other substances from the water molecules.

Reverse osmosis is one of the most common and effective means of purifying water for drinking and many high purity water today. In fact, Ampac USA Reverse Osmosis is commonly used by most major bottled water manufacturing companies to purify water from sources before bottling. A reverse osmosis system will remove the majority of common impurities, making water look and taste Pure and Fresh.

To understand Reverse Osmosis we must first understand Osmosis. During natural osmosis, water flows from a less concentrated solution through semi permeable membrane to a more concentrated saline solution until concentrations on both sides of the membrane are equal.  A reverse osmosis membrane has a thin micro porous surface that rejects impurities, but allows water to pass through.  The membrane rejects bacteria, pyrogens, and 85%-99% of inorganic solids. Polyvalent ions are rejected easier than monovalent ions. Organic solids with molecular weight greater than 300 are rejected by the membrane.  Reverse osmosis is a percent rejection technology. The purity of reverse osmosis product water is much higher than the purity of the feed water

Ultra Violet rays achieve disinfection with complete elimination of viruses when the rays are applied to a thin layer of water. The lamps must be strong enough and may require renewing before there is a notable decrease in the UV radiation output. The water should be transparent, without cloudiness or colour, iron free and clear of organic colloids or plank tonic micro organisms. Water contaminated in this way will lead to sediments being formed on the tubes reducing the penetration of the rays.

If the above steps are applied to all living cells, in active or spore form, they will be destroyed or at least be unable to reproduce.

Comprehensive treatment is only obtained with an installation with wide dimensions, which are properly controlled and maintained and used with water, which has a consistent quality. Difficulties will be encountered in treating large volumes of water.

Ultraviolet radiation from UV water treatment systems is used as a pretreatment or polishing step to sterilize and disinfect water. UV water systems are typically used to pre-treat a water supply that is considered biologically unsafe (lake or sea water, well water, etc). The ultraviolet water treatment system process is a non-chemical method for destroying microorganisms by altering their genetic material, and rendering them unable to reproduce.

UV irradiation systems disinfect by inactivating pathogenic micro- organisms, such as viruses, bacteria?s and parasites. In the UV-C light spectrum (200-280 nm), the wavelength 254 nm has been proven to be the most efficient wavelength to inactivate micro-organisms by damaging the nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), which disrupts the organism?s ability to replicate.

The normal applications, UV has the advantage that no chemicals are added to the process and that no disinfection by-product are formed. Owing to the small footprint, the UV equipment can be easily integrated in to most existing installations