Taking The Test

No. of persons in family
The number of people in the family determines daily water usage in gallons. We estimate 50 gallons of water used per day for each person in the family and then add 50 gallons to that total to compensate for a dishwasher and laundry machine. ie: # people x 50 gallons + 50 gallons = daily usage
5 people x 50 gallons + 50 gallons = 300 daily usage

No. of bathrooms
The number of bathrooms in your home determines how fast water can be used in gallons per minute (gpm). The gpm demand is important because it determines how fast your water treatment system has to treat the water.
We estimate 3.0 gallons per minute demand for each bathroom. The estimate takes into account standard flow restricted plumbing fixtures in bathrooms plus a kitchen faucet.# bathrooms X 3.0 gpm = peak flow rate in gallons per minute
3 bathrooms x 3.0 gpm = 9.0 gpm peak flow rate

No. of whirlpools
A whirlpool tub typically has no flow restrictor in the fill spout, which means that it fills at whatever flow rate your piping system allows. That’s important because it may require your water treatment system to process water at a higher flow rate then was estimated from the number of bathrooms in your home.

Water Supply
The type of water supply helps us understand the potential water flow and chemistry for your home. A well water supply’s water output is affected by the well recovery rate (gallons produced), the well pump flow rate capability, the well tank size and the water pipe diameter and length.
A central water supply’s water output is affected by the size of the water pipe diameter and length as well as the water pressure.

City
A city water supply or central water provider supplies water at whatever rate their central piping system and water pressure allows.It’s important for us to know the size of the water meter inlet and outlet, the water main in the home or building and the water pressure on the system.
We need to know this information to assure proper sizing of your water treatment system for treatment and cleaning (backwash) flow rates.

Water Pressure
The water system pressure affects the amount of water that can pass through your piping system in gallons per minute. The higher the water pressure, the higher the potential water flow through your home piping.

Pump Capacity
The well pump output is measured in gallons per hour or gallons per minute. It’s important to know the well pump output because it determines how fast the water will enter your home.We need to know this information to assure proper sizing of your water treatment system for treatment and cleaning (backwash) flow rates.

CO2
Carbon dioxide is a gas found dissolved in almost every water supply. In some cases it is absorbed from the air, in others it is introduced along with a number of organic acids from decaying vegetable matter in the ground.Carbon dioxide reacts with water to form a weak acid, carbonic acid, and the acidity produced is the major objection to its presence. In some water supplies, the alkalinity present is high enough to neutralize the acid effect. However, in certain areas of the country, this is not the case and removal of the carbonic acid is necessary. Carbon Dioxide is removed by an 030 Chemical Feed Pump injecting a high pH solution (Soda Ash & water) into the water supply. A water storage tank should be piped into the service line directly after the point of chemical injection. The storage tank will serve as a retention tank for the pH solution and water. The recommended limit for CO2 is 15 ppm.See literature sheet on the 030 Air Cooled Series Chemical Feed Pumps.

Hardness
Hardness in natural water supplies varies from 1 to 2 gpg (grains per gallon) to several hundred gpg in certain sections of the country. Almost everyone is familiar with the problems caused by water hardness, such as the reactions with soap and synthetic detergents and hard water scale.
Hardness is most efficiently removed from household water supplies by MP or MBA Series water softeners utilizing the ion exchange process. In this process, the hardness is absorbed by an i...e water. When the supply of sodium or potassium in the exchanger is exhausted, it is restored by flushing a strong salt solution through the tank. After the salt and the hardness are rinsed down the drain with fresh water, the softener is ready for another softening cycle. The ion exchanger is not consumed by this process, but can be used over and over again.The recommended limit for hardness is < 4 gpg.
Refer to literature sheets on Residential Water Softeners and The MP Mastermind Water Softeners.

Iron
In some respects, iron in a water supply is a worse problem than hardness, because such small amounts cause such severe staining. As little as 0.3 ppm (parts per million) can cause the familiar brown stains on sinks, dishes, fabrics, etc. Most water supplies have iron concentrations in the zero to 10 ppm range, but 20 to 30 ppm is common in some areas.
Iron may be present in water in either of two basic forms or, in some cases, a mixture of both. A water supply containing soluble iron (Ferrous Bicarbonate) may be perfectly clear when it is drawn from a household tap, but after the water has been exposed to the air for several minutes, the well-known reddish brown sediment will appear. It is this insoluble form (Ferric Hydroxide) which causes the troublesome stains.
MBA Series water softeners are a great tool for removing soluble iron in levels up to 5.0 ppm. When insoluble iron is present, an FES Series combination iron filter and water softener is recommended.
The recommended limit for iron content in water is 0.3 ppm.
Refer to literature sheets on Residential Water Softeners, MP Mastermind Water Softeners, Automatic Filters, Simplus Systems and NS and FES Combination Units.

pH
pH is the measurement of Hydrogen ion activity in the water supply. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, 7 being neutral. Any pH below 6.9 has corrosive tendencies and can deteriorate plumbing fixtures. A pH reading above 7.0 is basic and shows no corrosive tendency.pH correction is accomplished with an MBA-AN Series acid neutralizer using calcite and/or NS-mix when dealing with a pH within a 5.7 to 6.9 range. When correcting a pH below 5.6 an 030 chemical feed pump injecting a soda ash solution must be used. Since the hardness of the water increases when using calcite or NS mix, we recommend that a water softener be installed after the acid neutralizer. The NS Series combination units provide both acid neutralizing and water softening in one unit.
The recommended limit for pH is 7.0 to 8.5.
Refer to literature sheets Automatic Filters, MUN Series, 030 Chemical Feed Pumps and Combination Units.

Sulpher
Trace levels of sulfates are found in most natural water supplies. Sulfates do not generally contribute to taste unless the amount is extremely high. However, at concentrations above 30 to 40 gpg, magnesium and sodium sulfate are quite laxative to those people not accustomed to the water. Sulfates can be reduced only by the Puro Series Reverse Osmosis Units.
The recommended limit for sulfates is 14.62 gpg.
The Reverse Osmosis Unit available to reduce chloride levels is the Puro-35T. See Literature sheet.

When drawn, water is:
Depending on the water chemistry of your water supply, the appearance of the water can change after the water sample was taken. It is important for us to know the water’s appearance when the sample was taken.
Contaminants like iron and manganese can change the water’s appearance after air is introduced to the sample bottle. The water will change from a clear to a cloudy appearance.

Notable Stains
Notable stains are found in the bathtub, toilet, sink and dishwasher. The color of the stain helps us identify the existing water problem that we confirm with our water analysis.Orange/Brown stains indicate the presence of iron.
Blue/Green stains indicate the presence of copper from low pH pipe corrosion.
Black stains indicate the presence of manganese.
Yellow stains indicate the presence of either hydrogen sulfide or tannin.

Taste/Odor
Taste and Odors are obviously apparent when using your hot and cold water. It is important for you to identify or describe the taste or odor because it will probably escape from the water sample bottle before we receive it for analysis.
Rotten Egg odor indicates the presence of hydrogen sulfide. The rotten egg odor is more severe in hot water then cold water.
Chlorine taste and odor is self explanatory.
Musty taste can indicate the presence of iron, manganese or organic material.
Metallic taste indicates the presence of copper caused by pipe corrosion.

chlorine
Trace levels of chlorides are found in most water supplies. Chloride is a component of common salt and creates the familiar salty taste.
High concentrations of chlorides are synonymous with high total minerals. Such water supplies are usually very corrosive. Chlorides can be reduced for drinking water only by the Puro Series Reverse Osmosis Units. Whole house reverse osmosis units are available but require a significant drain field to accumulate the unit’s wastewater.
The recommended limit for chlorides is 14.62 gpg.
The unit available to reduce chloride levels is the
PURO-35T. See literature sheet.