Clean water is vital to human existence. Contamination of our drinking water can have serious consequences. Cooperation between individuals and communities, and communities and government, is necessary to achieve clean ground water.

In rural areas, each individual homeowner must be responsible for appropriate treatment of home drinking water.

The following analysis of point-of-view treatment systems is offered to help individuals make wise decisions about treating contaminated water sources for use in their homes.

Information Prepared by:
Colorado State University, Water Resources Research Institute, Dr. Robert Ward, Director, 12/99

And

Bill Ekstrom
CSU Extension Agent
bekstrom@coop.ext.colostate.edu

Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds
P.O. Box 270
Meeker, CO 81641
(970) 878-4093

Western Annex
17497 HWY 64
Rangely, CO 81648
(970) 675-2417

Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating. Cooperative Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of products named is intended nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.

INDIVIDUAL DRINKING WATER SUPPLY

Small communities and rural areas not served by central sewer and water supply systems have reason to be concerned about their home water quality.

In the Rocky Mountain region, where the bedrock is formed of granite, there is often not enough soil for proper percolation of waste water through leach fields. Leach fields usually need about eight feet of soil through which wastewater travels on its way to the water table. Where there is not enough soil, unclean waste water can reach the water table. Faulty waste water disposal systems are responsible for contamination of the groundwater in many areas of the Rockies. For those using wells as their water supply, this is a serious concern.

The most common and serious contaminates from human sewage in drinking water are nitrates and microorganisms. Infants and pregnant women are at special risk, but all individuals who are exposed are in danger from bacteria, viruses and other microbes entering the drinking water from contaminated ground water.

POINT-OF USE TREATMENT

There are two solutions to this problem.

Point-of-use treatment involves treating water just before use. Two examples of point-of-use treatment are chlorination and filtering. A solution for homeowners to consider is point-of-use treatment for their drinking water or buying commercially. Some point-of-use systems and some methods for choosing them follow.

PURCHASING A SYSTEM

Once the type of system(s) has been chosen, shop around. Always ask dealers if the model they are trying to sell you is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) or Water Quality Association (WQA). These are non-profit, watch-dog organizations which independently test products relating to water quality. Their certification is a good indication of a reliable product. You may also want to check with the local Better Business Bureau before making a purchase from any dealer. For information comparing specific brands, the January, 1990 issue of Consumer Reports contains an article comparing point-of-use treatment systems.

POINT-OF-USE TREATMENTS

Should a contaminant hazardous to human health be found, there are many options. A particular method of treatment should be chosen based on the specific contaminates and typical water usage. Water purification equipment dealers can be found in the Yellow Pages under "Water Purification and Filtration." Local county officials may know of reliable dealers or consultants.

Cost and maintenance of point-of-use water treatment systems are important factors. Cost can often be controlled by choosing to treat only primary consumption lines. For instance, instead of treating the entire flow from a supply well, you might choose only to treat the water at the kitchen and main bathroom sink. Maintenance varies with each system and model. Be sure to ask the dealer what maintenance is required before making a purchase.

Following is a brief discussion of eight types of point-of-use treatment systems that a homeowner may find useful. The table on page 4 show some types of contaminates each system is capable of controlling.

CHLORINATION

Chlorination is a treatment that is very common in municipal water treatment systems. It involves treating water with chlorine to kill microorganisms. This can be done to an entire well by treating the well with liquid or powdered chlorine.

There is also a new method available which uses a pump to drop chlorine pellets into a well automatically. The only maintenance the homeowner has is restocking the pellets periodically. There are small units, which serve just one home or one faucet available.

Chlorine remains in the water so it will keep working in the pipes well after the water had passed the point-of-use treatment device. Unfortunately, this also leaves a residue in drinking water, which many people find unpleasant to taste or smell. Activated carbon filters are an inexpensive way to reduce the chlorine content and improve taste and odor. While chlorine works on most microbiological contaminates, it does not effect the removal of nitrates.

REVERSE OSMOSIS

Reverse osmosis is basically a filtration system. With the proper filter less than (1 micron) it is effective at removing nitrate and microbiological contaminates. However, it requires a great deal of pressure and generally processes water slowly. Like distillation, it requires energy to run. It is also a rather expensive alternative. It is however, the most effective overall treatment system. Reverse osmosis can remove nitrates, micro biologicals and lead. It is partially effective on organic chemicals and chlorine and can improve odor as well.

ULTRA-VIOLET

This process intense ultra-violet light to kill microorganisms, and it is very effective. It does not, however, solve any other contamination problems. An additional drawback is that, unlike chlorination and iodination, it does not remain in the water over time. Thus, treated water may later be exposed to contaminates, reducing the effectiveness of the initial treatment.

OZONATION

Ozonation use involves bubbling ozone (0) through water causing the reformation and/or death of microbiological contaminates. Used more extensively in Europe than chlorine, this process is still undergoing improvements from developers and may not be readily available. It does show some promise for future commercial development in the United States.

ACTIVATED CARBON FILTER

Activated carbon filtration is not effective on the removal of nitrates or micro-biological contaminates. It does improve appearance and taste of water. It also removes radon and can reduce levels of organic chemicals and lead. The filter requires frequent changing, depending on the flow rate of water through it. The activated carbon filter can actually harbor microorganisms. This system is normally used in conjunction with chlorine or iodination, which impact the taste and odor of water at the point of consumption.

IODINATION

Iodination is much like chlorination in its effect and method of application. Like chlorine, it has the additional benefit of remaining in water for a considerable length of time. This enables it to destroy cysts such as giardia, a common organism which cases diarrhea, on which chlorine has no effect. Iodination is not used in public water supplies in Colorado. It is used less commonly than chlorine. The effect of the residue on the taste and odor of drinking water is an issue for some consumers.

DISTILLATION

In the process of distillation, the water is heated until it evaporates and the steam is then distilled removing or killing many contaminates. This method requires substantial time and energy to operate. If hard water is a problem, deposits left from the distillation process will require frequent cleaning in order to avoid clogging of the filter. This method, however, also removes many contaminates in one step.

ION EXCHANGE

Ion exchange is a process that is commonly referred to as water softening. This treatment system has no effect on the removal of microbiological contaminates, but it does remove nitrate and dissolved minerals. It is readily available commercially and is one of the most common point-of-use treatment system in homes.

Comparison of systems       0 = EFFECTIVE       0 = PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE

* These problems are most common with septic ground water
** Chlorine is one of the most common methods to treat biological contaminates, in both commercial and private water treatment.
*** Effective on most biologicals, chlorine does not work on cysts such as Giardia.

MAINTENANCE

Once the system is installed, be sure to follow the recommended maintenance procedures. Most systems cannot work properly if not maintained regularly. For example, carbon filters can harbor microorganisms if not changed according to manufacturers direction. Chlorine only works if it is actually present in water; so, if it is not replenished, no treatment can take place. Reverse osmosis filters can become clogged, slowing their already sluggish production of consumable water. For every system, there is some maintenance required for effective treatment. Bottled water is an option.

COST ANALYSIS

SUBMITTING WATER SAMPLES FOR ANALYSIS

Obtaining a representative water samples is a first step towards determining water quality. Water samples should be placed in plastic containers that can be sealed tightly with plastic caps. Sample containers should be at least four fluid ounces. A four-ounce sample is enough to do major cations (Ca, Mg, Na, K), major anions (CO3, HCO3, CI, SO4, NO3,) pH, and electrical conductivity. If additional testing is required, more samples would be necessary.

If taking a biological test do not rinse the bottle. They have chemicals necessary for biological testing to occur.

Bottles should be rinsed with water prior to taking the sample. If soap is used to clean containers, the bottles should be rinsed thoroughly prior to sampling - since detergent can contain some phosphorus and other minerals, which may contaminate the water sample.

When obtaining samples, there are generally two points at which samples may be taken. The first point is at the primary source such as a well head, spring, or lake prior to entering the household plumbing system or undergoing any on-site treatment. The second point is at the site of consumption such as the kitchen water faucet where the water has passed through the household plumbing. Samples from the secondary site within the household may be influenced by the effect the plumbing has on water quality.

To sample the primary water source, allow water to flow about five minutes from a faucet on the main line, if available, or as near the water source as possible. The five-minute purging process will help remove any sediment that may have settled into the well casing or pipes and allow the sampling of fresh ground or surface water.

The container and lid should be rinsed three times with the water being sampled. With the water flowing, the container should be filled to the top with as little air as possible in the container. Seal the container, label it with a waterproof marker, and place the sample in the refrigerator. To sample water at the point of consumption, it is desirable to obtain the sample first thing in the morning, prior to using any water elsewhere in the house. The sample should be taken from a cold water faucet furthest away from where the water enters the house. Do not allow any water to flow prior to taking the sample. Obtain the sample in a clean container, completely filling the container with sample water. Water that has stood in pipes all night will generally have the potential to contain higher levels of heavy metals such as lead, especially if lead solder or lead pipes were used in the household plumbing. Place the sample in the refrigerator until it can be taken or sent to a laboratory. Do not freeze water samples.

Labels on the sample should include name, address, phone number, and location. An information sheet with the name, address, and type of test desired should accompany the sample. Samples should be sent to the laboratory as soon as possible since some tests have to be done immediately (such as alkalinity) to be accurate.

A correctly taken water sample will help ensure accurate results.

Consult the CSU Cooperative Extension office for a correct sampling container.

WATER QUALITY "DO'S & DON'TS"

• DON'T assume that because your drinking water comes from a well that it is free of contamination.
• DON'T assume that a test done by a salesman is accurate.
• DO know that if you use a well as a drinking water source, it is recommended you test your well annually for nitrates and E-coli. E-coli is an indicator that your well may have other dangerous microorganisms and should be treated for them. Levels of contamination are more critical if infants and pregnant women are involved. If infants or pregnant women will be consuming the well water, it should be tested more often.
• DON'T assume if you tested clean one year you will be clean again next year.
• DON'T assume that if your septic system is completely functional, your water will be clear of contaminates. Ground water is fed not only from existing aquifers but also from seepage from above. Your neighbor's leach field may affect your ground water; your waste water disposal system may affect their well.
• DO maintain your point-of-use water treatment system according to manufacturers recommendations. For most systems, lack of adequate maintenance results in useless or even dangerous system operation.

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CONCLUSION

It is most certainly preferable to ensure that waste water is properly treated at the point of discharge. Only through such action is it possible to ensure that available ground water is kept pure for continued human use. Both government and individual users must assume and enforce responsibility for safe and thorough treatment of water.

Until that is accomplished, however, appropriate "point-of-use" treatment can ensure the ready availability of safe drinking water for rural Colorado families. Qualified testing and appropriate treatment are available. The provision of safe drinking water from a private water source is an individual responsibility. If you don't do it for your family, it won't get done!

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