The Information Source for Water Treatment Professionals

www.watertechonline.com Volume 34 • Number 4 • April 2011

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Chromium reality check ............ 16
Perk up coffee sales ..................... 32
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TABLE OF CONTENTS: Volume 34 • Number 4 • April 2011

Cover Story 35 Contaminant of the Month: Copper

Copper, which can be discharged from
12 Physical water treatment wastewater treatment plants, does not
science and pseudoscience break down in the environment.
The author discusses the need of scientific support for
physical water conditioning devices.
Column
Features 38 Professor POU/POE
This month’s topics: Mercury removal,
10 WQA Aquatech post show review/ metals in city water, GAC before softener,
Trade Show In Print cartridge filters.
Highlights from WQA Aquatech USA 2011 and an over-
view of some exciting new products.
Product Center
16 Hexavalent chromium in the press again
Recent news about hexavalent chromium in drinking 40 Products & Services
water may just be media hype. A showcase of manufacturers’
products and services. This month:
20 Residential UV alkaline water jug; ground water
UV disinfection has several advantages over traditional disinfection; commercial filtration;
12 chemical methods. and much more.
22 Ensuring optimal POU filtration
system performance
Customers should take ownership of the quality of drinking Departments
water entering their home. 4...............................................................Upfront
24 The power of a well known brand 6........................................ Around the Industry
A brand name can signal value, tradition and conjure 34.................................Reader Service Center
other positive thoughts. 36............................. Certification Action Line
41...................................................Marketplace
26 Mood of lenders in 2011 44......................................................Classifieds
Lenders are ready to increase financing for water treat-
ment products in 2011.
Cover design: Erika Talbot, NTP Media
28 Scale control using PWT devices
Examples of financial and environmental benefits.

32 The love-hate of water and coffee brewing

Part one of a two-part series on water’s effect on coffee Go to:
16 http://twitter.com/WaterTechOnline
and brewing equipment.

Exclusive expertise... a closer look at the authors in this issue.

Stephen Lower is a retired Pauli Undesser, CWS-VI, is Robert W. Schabes carries an Roy E. Parker is the senior mar-
physical chemistry professor WQA’s director of regulatory economics degree from Vanderbilt keting manager for Commercial
at Simon Fraser University, and technical affairs and toxicol- University and an MBA from Products, Global Foodservice
Burnaby, BC, Canada. ogy manager for WQA’s Gold the University of South Florida. and Pentair Foodservice –
Seal Certification Program. RW has been employed within Everpure, SHURflo. Parker
Previously, she was product cer- the ISPC corporate family since oversees global strategic and
tification supervisor. January 1990 and was named tactical marketing planning for
president of ISPC in January 2011. Everpure.

To find editorial topics planned for upcoming issues, go to: www.watertechonline.com, click on the “Advertising” pull-down menu and select
“Editorial Calendar.” Water Technology accepts professional, unbiased and informative articles: Contact Rich DiPaolo at: rdipaolo@ntpmedia.com.

Water Technology ® (ISSN 0192-3633) is published monthly (plus an additional issue in December) by NTP Media, 19 British American Blvd. West, Latham, NY 12110, to serve the water treatment industry and its suppliers. Periodicals post-
age paid at Latham, NY, and at additional mailing offices. 2011 subscription rates for US, Canada and Mexico: one year, $74; two years, $111. Foreign subscription rates: one year, $150; two years, $248; single issue, $15; issue containing
surveys, $25; Buyers Guide, $37. © Registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office, Copyright 2011 Grand View Media Group. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher is
prohibited. The publisher reserves the right to reject any and all materials not in keeping with the publication’s standards, whether such standards are written or not. The publisher makes no judgments as to claims of products or services
advertised. Postmaster: Send changes of address to Water Technology®, PO Box 2174, Skokie, IL 60076. Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

2 • Water Technology® • April 2011

Circle 216
UPFRONT

Product innovation Vice President of Business Publishing 205-789-0968

Tracy Aston-Martin

and education tracy@grandviewmedia.com

Associate Publisher
Don Morgan
205-408-3718

dmorgan@watertechonline.com

impress crowd Editorial Director

Rich DiPaolo
rdipaolo@watertechonline.com
516-404-4532

Assistant Editor 205-408-3723

Nick Phillips
nphillips@watertechonline.com
Attending Water Quality Association (WQA) members got their money’s Technical Editor
David Bauman
worth at last month’s WQA Aquatech 2011 tradeshow, which was held in dp-bauman@sbcglobal.net
Account Executive 518-640-9170
San Antonio, Texas, on March 8-11. WQA representatives Lisa Williman
lwilliman@watertechonline.com
assured us that membership is strong and growing, which Classified Advertising 518-640-9173
Pat Harrington
allows the organization to reinvest in our industry, educa- pharrington@ntpmedia.com
Art Director
tion and opportunities for all. According to WQA’s President Erika Talbot
etalbot@ntpmedia.com
Bob Hague, members who attended the show could get the Director of Business Operations 518-640-9156
Michael Perkins
most bang for their buck when they invest time and effort not mperkins@ntpmedia.com
Materials Manager 518-640-9164
only on the tradeshow floor but also in the meeting halls Rebecca Wilson
By Rich DiPaolo rwilson@ntpmedia.com
Editorial Director where several important presentations and educational
Editorial, Advertising & Publishing Offices
Water Technology® Magazine sessions were held. NTP Media, division of

Water Technology staffers would like to thank all of 19 British American Blvd. West, Latham, NY 12110-1405
Phone: 518-783-1281 Fax: 518-783-1386
the people who took the time to stop by and compliment For Subscription information,
Outside the United States: 847-763-1867,
the quality of our publication and its importance to industry knowledge. We Toll-free: 866-721-4807
or email watertechnology@halldata.com
sincerely appreciate your commitment to our product and appreciate all of Subscribe/Renew/Change of Address:
http://www.watertechonline.com/subscribe
your feedback. For more information on what you may have missed at this
Corporate
year’s show, please turn to page 10 for post-show coverage.
General Manager
There was no shortage of green marketing at this year’s show. For example, Barry Lovette
barry@grandviewmedia.com
one area of innovation — physical water treatment (PWT) systems — was Vice President of Operations
Brent Kizzire
on display and drew interest from attendees. According to experts that we brent@grandviewmedia.com
Chief Marketing Officer, Publishing Services Group
spoke with at the show, there seems to be a fair amount of miscommunication Hank Brown
hank@grandviewmedia.com
regarding the benefits and capabilities of these systems. Vice President of Business Publishing
Tracy Aston-Martin
In this month’s cover story, “Physical water treatment science and pseudo- tracy@grandviewmedia.com
Vice President of Finance
science,” author Stephen Lower, who is a retired physical chemistry professor, Brad Youngblood
brad@grandviewmedia.com
sorts through some of the recent studies and history on this topic. Are PWT Director of Circulation & Fulfillment
Delicia Poole
devices right for your customers? delicia@grandviewmedia.com
Associate Director of Circulation
“The lack of credible scientific support for the efficacy of present-day PWC Brandy Pate
brandy@grandviewmedia.com
devices stands in stark contrast to claims,” writes Lower. “Still, science is Circulation Manager, Electronic Products
Stacie Murphree
never complete, and if qualified investigators could be motivated to follow up smurphree@grandviewmedia.com

on some of the more well-founded leads that have appeared in the literature,
it is possible that some of these PWC technologies could be shown to be effec-
tive.” Turn to page 12 to read Lower’s complete account of these devices. WT
Water Technology Advisory Board
David Chew, Fairmount Water Solutions, Chardon, OH; Stephen
Grandeau, CWS-V, AQUASCIENCE of New York, Clifton Park,
NY; Cang Li, Ph.D., Selecto Scientific, Inc., Suwanee, GA; Gary
Lindsey, CWS-VI, CI, Waterplus of Pinellas, Inc., Seminole, FL; Norm
Marowitz, Atlas Watersystems, Inc., Waltham, MA; Steven Richards,
CWS-VI, CI, CSR, CCO, The Aqua Source Group, Inc., Honeoye, NY;
Gary Schreiber, CWS-VI, The Purolite Co., Bala Cynwyd, PA.

www.watertechonline.com

4 • Water Technology® • April 2011

Circle 212
AROUND THE INDUSTRY
Culligan International to sell
company owned dealerships
in North America
Last month, Culligan International
Company announced a major initiative to
sell many of its company owned dealer-
ships in North America. More than 100
total dealerships are available, many of
which are located in large metropolitan
markets, such as Los Angeles, Dallas,
Milwaukee, Toronto and Denver.
According to a press release, “This
refranchising initiative is being undertaken
as part of Culligan’s strategic priority to
focus exclusively on strengthening its posi-
tion as the best franchisor in the water
treatment industry. The company intends
to redouble its efforts to deliver best-in-
class products, brand marketing, sales
training and operational support.”
Results of detergent
savings studies released
Consumers can cut back on dish and
laundry detergent use by 50 percent or
more and lower washing machine tem-
peratures from hot to cold just by using
softened water, according to two new inde-
pendent studies released in March.
Conducted by the independent testing
firm Scientific Services S/D of New York
and funded by the Water Quality Research
Redesigned WaterTechOnline.com
site recently launched
Water Technology is proud to announce
the launch of its newly redesigned website,
WaterTechOnline.com. Visitors to the new
site will enjoy all of the benefits from the older
site as well as some new features, such as
podcasts and newsletters. The staff of this
publication is very excited about the capa-
bilities of the redesigned site and we owe a
special thank you to the following for their
hard work in preparing for the transition: Paul
Welch, Matt Gallinger, Cynthia Rein, Nick
Phillips, Rich DiPaolo and the entire Water Technology team.
6 • Water Technology® • April 2011
Foundation (WQRF), the studies reveal
that softened water might not only save
consumers money, but could also be envi-
ronmentally friendly.
According to the studies, washing
machine detergent use can be reduced by
50 percent and energy saved by washing in
60 F cold water, instead of 100 F hot water,
achieving the same or better stain removal
and whiter clothes compared to results in
hard water. And in dishwashers, residents
living in areas with very hard water can cut
detergent use by more than 50 percent after
softening and get the same results.
EPA proposes third
Unregulated Contaminant
Monitoring Regulation
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) has proposed 30 currently
unregulated contaminants for monitoring
in water systems. The Safe Drinking Water
Act requires that EPA identify up to 30
unregulated contaminants for monitoring
every five years. This current proposal is the
third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring
Regulation (UCMR 3) and includes require-
ments to monitor for two viruses and 28
chemical contaminants that could be pres-
ent in drinking water and do not cur-
rently have health-based standards. EPA is
requesting public comment on the proposed
list of 30 contaminants until May 2, 2011.
AWWA advocates federal invest-
ment in water infrastructure
The American Water Works Association
(AWWA) sent a letter to the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee
advocating for the value of drinking water
infrastructure.
The letter, dated March 2, stressed the
need to invest in water infrastructure, espe-
cially through the State Revolving Fund
(SRF) program.
“Customer rates and other local charges
are and will remain the primary means of
paying for water service and infrastructure,
but the scope of needs in many communities
requires additional assistance,” the letter stat-
ed. “In addition to demonstrating leadership
by encouraging good asset management and
appropriate rate setting, the federal govern-
ment can also increase access to capital while
limiting the cost to the federal government.
This requires continued investment in the SRF
programs for drinking water and clean water.”
Daytona Beach, Fla., wins
first place in municipal
water tasting competition
Daytona Beach’s city water won first
place in the Municipal Water category at
the Berkeley Springs International Water
Tasting, which was held Feb. 24-27 in
Berkeley Springs, W.Va., The Daytona Beach
News-Journal reported.
Daytona Beach competed against 34
other municipal waters from 13 states and
Canada. The city also took home the gold
medal in 2005.
Arrow Industries
launches new website
Arrow Industries has announced the
launch of their corporate website — www.
arrowindustries.com. The new website has
been redesigned from the ground up and
features entirely new content.
Apart from learning more about Arrow, vis-
itors can now download all or part of Arrow’s
catalog, request a quote and see Arrow’s terms
of service at a glance. Further website advance-
ments, such as the ability to upload a file to
Arrow, photo galleries and access to all mar-
keting collateral, are in the works.
Circle 210
AROUND THE INDUSTRY

MIOX Corporation
receives NSF research award
MIOX Corporation, a manufacturer of
water disinfection technology, has received a
Phase II Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) award from the National Science
Foundation (NSF) in the amount of $497,746.
This funding, obtained by the MIOX science
team in collaboration with Professor Shane
Snyder at the University of Arizona and Dr.
Benjamin Stanford at Hazen and Sawyer,
provides a two-year extension for a previously
awarded NSF SBIR Phase I project investigat-
ing the use of aqueous chlorine as part of an
Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP).
AOPs are advanced water treatment pro-
cesses where hydroxyl radicals, extremely
powerful oxidizing agents, are generated
by several processes including reacting a
chemical oxidant with ultraviolet (UV) light.
The generated hydroxyl radicals are capable
of completely oxidizing organic chemicals
that are challenging to remove from water Sacramento on Feb. 22-23, allowing members
through any other treatment process. the opportunity to discuss water issues face-
to-face with many California lawmakers.
The visit coincided with the introduction
PWQA members of several bills that will provide opportuni-
meet in Sacramento ties for the PWQA. Senate Bill 877, spon-
The Pacific Water Quality Association sored by Senator Joel Anderson (R-Alpine),
(PWQA) held its “Legislative Days” in would allow the use of POE/POU devic-
Upcoming industry events
For more information about these and other events, go to: www.watertechonline.com.
• April 4-5, 2011: WEF/AWWA “Water Matters” Fly-In, Washington, D.C. Contact:
www.wef.org/governmentaffairs/default.aspx.
• April 19-21, 2011: Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association
(WWEMA) Washington Forum, Washington, D.C. Contact: www.wwema.org.
• May 2-5, 2011: Wasser Berlin International, Berlin, Germany. Contact: www1.
messe-berlin.de, e-mail: wasser@messe-berlin.de.
• May 23-25, 2011: Sixth International Conference on Sustainable Water Resources
Management, Riverside, Calif. Contact: www.wessex.ac.uk, e-mail: wit@wessex.ac.uk.

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8 • Water Technology® • April 2011


es to provide quality drinking water to
communities of up to 2,500 connections
when a centralized treatment plant is not
economically feasible. Another bill intro-
duced by Assemblymember Nora Campos
(D-San Jose), AB 403, will regulate the maxi-
mum levels of hexavalent chrome in drink-
ing water. Assemblymember Jose Solorio
(D-Santa Ana) has proposed AB 275, the
Rainwater Catchment Act of 2011.
Artemis Project Top 50 winners
to be honored in May
The 2011 Artemis Project Top 50 winners
will be honored at the H2Ontario Global
Water Leadership Summit on May 17-18 in
Toronto.
One of the goals of the Summit is to
address the promise of water technology
as a new engine for economic growth.
The competition brings together leading
experts in the water industry to evaluate
1 INSTRUMENT, 9 PARAMETERS
water technology solutions, their value in
application and the companies’ core team.
Hach acquires Accurate
Detection and Accurate
Measurement
Hach Company has acquired Accurate
Detection and Accurate Measurement, dis-
tributors of analytical and detection instru-
mentation in Australia and New Zealand.
The acquisition gives Accurate’s customers
9
access to Hach’s water quality products
and service support. Hach will continue to
supply Accurate’s leak detection and pipe
and cable location equipment to Australian
and New Zealand customers.
PEOPLE
• Aqua America Inc. has announced the
promotion of Thomas Bruns to president of
Aqua Indiana Inc., an operating subsidiary
that provides water and wastewater services
CONDUCTIVITY
RESISTIVITY
TDS
ALKALINITY
HARDNESS
SATURATION INDEX
ORP/FREE CHLORINE
pH
TEMPERATURE
bluDock™ WIRELESS DATA TRANSFER AVAILABLE
Circle 218
AROUND THE INDUSTRY
throughout Indiana. Since
October 2006, Bruns has
been vice president and
regional manager for Aqua
Illinois’ Vermilion Division
and Aqua Indiana’s
Indianapolis Division,
Thomas Bruns
overseeing utility manage-
ment, regulatory affairs and marketing and
acquisition efforts in the two-state region.
• Water technology firm Voltea
announced that Dean Spatz, former
chairman and CEO of Osmonics Inc.,
has joined the company’s board as chair-
man. Spatz is a Registered Professional
Chemical Engineer and past or present
member of the American Institute of
Chemical Engineers, American Membrane
Technology Association, American Water
Works Association, North American
Membrane Society, International Desalting
Association and American Society for
Testing and Materials. WT
9P comes in complete kit with all necessary
accessories to measure 9 parameters.
MYRONL.COM
www.watertechonline.com • 9
FEATURE
By The Water Technology editorial staff

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): WQA, Aquatech, tradeshow.

Post show report:

Aquatech USA 2011
Here are some products, companies and information that you may have missed.
The setting for this year’s WQA Aquatech USA 2011 was beautiful San Opening General Session
Antonio. Held in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, the Water The Opening General and Keynote Session,
Quality Association’s annual tradeshow and exhibition drew attendees and which was held in the Lila Cockrell Theatre,
exhibitors from all over the world. Those who attended were exposed to a offered somber introductory remarks about
week chock-full of education, awareness, news, important announcements the past few years. Then, WQA’s President
and updates, networking, product technology and so much more. Robert Hague discussed the industry’s
promising future as well as new opportuni-
Warm welcome back ties that will be afforded to all.
This was the first Aquatech USA tradeshow to be held in the area for nearly “[The year] 2009 was the bottom of the
two decades. But, according to wqa.org, “San Antonio was an ideal location recession according to most economists,”
for the water industry to come together to network, learn and discover new noted Hague, who added that the industry
ideas, opportunities and resources.” welcomed more than 100 new members in
Beyond the tradeshow floor, the city offered a multitude of social opportuni- 2010 compared to 2009. “[And,] I am very
ties for attendees. From Fat Tuesday through the end of the week, Riverwalk optimistic about 2011.”
attractions, bars, nightclubs and restaurants were packed
and lively. This energy and excitement carried over to A.J. Antunes & Co.
the exhibition hall and educational sessions. VIZION by A.J. Antunes &
Presentations and breakout sessions, including the Co. uses three technologies to
deliver better-tasting water
Opening General and Keynote Session, How to Use the throughout the whole house.
NEW Detergent Savings Study and the 2011 Consumer The multi-bore ultra-filter
reduces 99.999 percent of solids and substan-
Opinion Study in Your Marketing and the Industrial
tially reduces microbiological contaminates.
Water Forum/Networking Event, helped to provide an The carbon cartridge provides tasteless
appropriate balance of industry education and aware- and odorless water. The template-assisted
crystallization reduces lime scale by 96-98
ness to the droves of product and equipment seekers of percent without chemicals or wasting water.
the tradeshow.
www.ajantunes.com
Our editors reported from the convention on several
of these events and here is a brief recap of a few. Click here for more information

H2O International Inc. HM Digital

HM Digital, a leading manufacturer of water testing

H2O International, Inc. manufactures POU and POE GAC/KDF® systems
and 100 percent KDF® shower filters. The company also distributes more than 45
brands of products, which include ready-to-install systems as well as a variety
of components to suit the needs of every water treatment dealer.
H2O is a Platinum Sponsor of Wishing Well International Foundation, a
non-profit organization bringing clean safe drinking water to developing areas.
Click here for more information www.h2owaterwarehouse.com
instruments, proudly introduced its new PH-80 at the
WQA San Antonio show. The PH-80 is a streamlined,
fast-acting, digital pH meter. Though economically
priced, the PH-80 doesn’t skimp on quality or fea-
tures. This must-have is waterproof, has digital
calibration, onscreen temperature display and a
resolution of 0.1 pH.
www.hmdigital.com
Click here for more information

10 • Water Technology® • April 2011

 TRADE SHOW IN PRINT

Hague, reflecting on recent news about
water contamination, such as hexavalent
chromium, lead, arsenic and fluoride issues
and associated potential health effects,
noted that this news has helped grow con-
sumer awareness in recent years. “Ladies
and gentleman,” urged Hague, “you cannot
buy advertising like that. [Furthermore],
people are telling us they want to do some-
thing about their water [quality] and, fortu-
nately, we have the solutions.”
New Detergent Savings Study:
A valuable marketing tool
During one of the keynote addresses
at Aquatech 2011, WQA’s Director of
Regulatory and Technical Affairs Pauli
Undesser and Eric Rosenthal, senior vice
president of marketing for Culligan, dis-
cussed the findings of the Water Quality
Research Foundation’s (WQRF) new
Detergent Savings Study.
The study, which was conducted in 2010
in conjunction with Scientific Services S/D
Inc., compared the performance of dish-
washers and washing machines using hard
water to those using softened water.
Among its many findings, this new
study concluded that, by using softened
water, consumers can cutback on dish
and laundry detergent use by 50 percent
or more and lower washing machine tem-
peratures from hot to cold, thus providing
another weapon in the arsenal for those
in the business of selling water softeners.
During the presentation, WQA unveiled
four new customizable advertisements that
water softener dealers can use to market
their products.
Rosenthal stressed to the audience the
importance of making sure customers are
familiar with the WQA before introducing
them to the study. “We need to rethink
how we present the study. [Dealers need to]
setup WQA upfront so people know it’s an
objective body [and that the study] repre-
sents objective, quantifiable data,” he said.
Roundtable ignites CI
ideas and networking
On Thursday, March 10, the associa-
tion’s popular Industrial Water Forum/
Networking Event was held at the
Industrial Gallery. Technical Advisory
Board member Gary Schreiber, CWS VI,
of The Purolite Co., was on hand and also
encouraged by this year’s turnout and
ideas that were generated.
“The goal of the event is to get indus-
trial system suppliers together to help
water treatment dealers [augment sales
in] the commercial and industrial busi-
ness,” notes Schreiber. “The turnout was
excellent, similar to the past two years,
and the association is doing a terrific job
to grow awareness in this area of our
industry.”
Individuals shared information and
ideas at two roundtables. At one table, par-
ticipants discussed how to configure a DI
installation and, at the other table, proper
methods to handle the waste stream were
addressed.
Next year, the show heads to Las Vegas,
Nev., which is always a popular location
for tradeshow conventions. Start planning
now and be ahead of the competition for
the years ahead. WT

John Guest USA Inc. LaMotte Company

JG’s Standard Line of Push-In Products now
comes with new low lead brass male connectors,
male stem and female stem adapters and angle
stop valves. These new low lead versions, contain-
ing less than .25 percent weighted average
lead content on wetted surfaces, comply with
the new California Health & Safety Code
116875-116880 (formerly AB 1953) and the lead
free law in Vermont – S. 0152.
www.johnguest.com.
Click here for more information
LaMotte Company introduces
the ColorQ DW, a new handheld
Photometer kit for on-site test-
ing of drinking water. The
ColorQ DW (Code 2059)
digitally measures seven
factors important to the
drinking water professional
including hardness, pH, iron,
nitrate, free chlorine, total chlorine and sulfide. The large digital display elimi-
nates the guesswork with traditional visual color matching methods. A sturdy
blow-molded case contains the ColorQ DW meter, test solutions and illustrated
instructions.
Click here for more information www.lamotte.com

Myron L Company Shelco

The new Ultrameter III™ 9P titration kit by Myron L Company is a powerful The Shelco MicroVantage™ Series
comprehensive water quality analysis tool is the premier choice when absolute
that features fast, one-touch retention is essential to the process.
measurements for conductivity, These high-grade pleated cartridges
resistivity, TDS, ORP, free are designed specifically to meet the
chlorine, pH and temperature. most stringent applications. For criti-
The 9P can also perform cal and demanding applications that
in-cell alkalinity and hardness require purity and durability, Shelco’s
conductometric titrations either as Sanitary Housings are the solution.
stand-alone measurements or as
part of an LSI calculation. www.shelco.com

www.myronl.com

Click here for more information Click here for more information

www.watertechonline.com • 11
COVER STORY

The lack of scientific support

stands in stark contrast to claims.

W
hen rain falls through unpolluted air, it picks up carbon dioxide, a small por-
tion of which reacts with the water to form carbonic acid. Thus, pure water in
contact with the air becomes acidic, eventually reaching a pH of around 5. If the
rainwater permeates into the soil, it can become even more acidic owing to the additional
CO2 produced by soil organisms.
Rocks and soil sediments contain carbonates, mostly of the “hardness ions” calcium,
magnesium and iron. Limestones, which underlie soils in many regions, consist entirely
of carbonates. Carbonates act as bases and, as such, react with acids. Thus, the portion of
the global water cycle that transports carbon from the air into natural waters constitutes a
gigantic acid-base reaction that yields hydrogen carbonate ions, commonly referred to as
bicarbonate. The natural waters that result have pH values between 6 and 10 and are essen-
tially solutions of bicarbonates.

By Stephen Lower
MORE INFORMATION
For more information on this topic,
go to www.watertechonline.com
and enter keyword(s): PWT, ion
exchange, magnetic water treat-
ment.
When bicarbonate-containing solutions become too
concentrated, their contents tend to deposit on surfaces.
But calcium and similar bicarbonates cannot exist as
solids, so what happens instead is that the hardness
ions join up with carbonate ions (always present as
minority species in such solutions) to form carbonate-
containing scale deposits.
The other problem with such water is that the hard-
ness ions react with soaps to form unsightly scum
deposits on laundry and in bathtubs.
Conditioning of water can refer to any treatment that
alters its composition in order to render it appropri-
ate for a specific use. Softening is essentially the same
thing, usually implying that the condition-
ing makes the water suitable for general
domestic use. Most commonly, this means
removing ions such as calcium and mag-
nesium that tend to form carbonate scale
deposits on surfaces, either through simple
contact (as within pipes) or as evapora-
tive residues (boilers, tea kettles, shower
walls, etc.). This can be accomplished in
various ways, the simplest and best-known
being conventional ion exchange or reverse
osmosis treatments.

12 • Water Technology® • April 2011


Physical and “saltless”
water conditioning (PWC)
These terms refer to treatment methods
(usually other than reverse osmosis) that
involve no direct chemical processes and
which in most cases can be provided by a
device that is installed in or attached to a
water-supply line.
Although a wide variety of these devices
have been available for some time and one
might think that the question of their effi-
cacy would now be clearly settled, this is
unfortunately not the case:
• Most reports of the successful use of
PWC have been anecdotal and lacking in
quantitative data and proper controls.
• Most scientists who have looked into
PWC remain very skeptical — as they tend
to be of any field for which there is no obvi-
ous theoretical model and in which quan-
titative and reproducible results are hard
to come by. Many scientists are put off by
the stigma the field has acquired due to the
claims made by some of its promoters and by
the widespread promotion of various ques-
tionable applications involving magnets.
• Most water treatment engineers who
have investigated magnetic water treat-
ment (PWC) in controlled industrial set-
tings report negative results.
• The very small number of reports that
might lend credence to PWC are most-
ly relegated to obscure, non-mainstream
journals and conference proceedings.
Scientifically-validated studies of demon-
strably successful PWC performance are
virtually unknown.
• Few PWC vendors specify the param-
eters of water composition, magnetic field
strength, treatment geometry and flow rate
required for satisfactory performance; many
fail to offer any quantitative performance
data. The few “case studies” cited are rarely
thoroughly researched to engineering stan-
dards, and are frequently difficult if not
impossible to verify. Explanations of how
the devices work are commonly simplistic
and scientifically untenable.
A common claim made by PWC device
managers is that the hardness ions are
made to precipitate within and be car-
ried along by the water before they have
an opportunity to form adherent scale
deposits. Some evidence for this in a heat-
exchanger application has been published,
but it has not been established generally.
The presence of suspended solid carbon-
ates would require the carbonate ion con-
centrations in the treated water to remain
at saturation levels, so that the water would
still be subject to scale formation on heated
surfaces and it would form soap scum and
evaporative deposits on shower walls and
in teakettles.
Among the small number of scientists
who have given some thought to PWC,
there is no consensus about the possible
mechanisms. This is not surprising; the
entire process by which ions form pre-
cipitation nuclei is poorly understood and
there is the additional complication that the
bicarbonate ions present in hard water do
not form solid precipitates, but deposit as
carbonates instead. “Bare” ions do not exist
in solution, but are protected by a hydration
shell of loosely-attached water molecules
and surrounded by an electric double layer
of counter-ions which makes formation of
incipient crystallization nuclei unlikely.
“Supporting” literature
Scientific and engineering studies of
PWC have done little to support the vari-
ous technologies involved:
• A 10-year study at the 3M Corporation
involving a variety of magnetic, electronic,
catalytic and electrostatic devices showed
no significant effects in reducing the scale
formed in side-by-side steam-heated tube
shells.
• In 2001, a task force organized by the
Water Quality Association (WQA) report-
ed on a survey of 106 technical papers
dealing with PWC. Of these, only 34 were
judged to meet the scientific criteria estab-
lished by the group. Most of these articles
dealt with the effects of various factors that
might influence softening or scale control;
none of them directly addressed the ques-
tion of whether or not PWC “works,” nor
was this judgment made by the Task Force,
whose main objective was simply to bring
together scientifically useful information
that might inform further research in the
field. A reading of the abstracts of these
papers suggests some possibilities, but
offers little support.
• The situation was nicely summed up
COVER STORY
in an article published by Mike Powell. The
author provides a few references, mostly
to non-refereed journals and conference
proceedings of dubious quality. Powell
observes that “the utter lack of published
data is revealing. If it actually worked as
claimed, it seems likely that it would by
now be commonplace. It is not.”
• Similarly, in a conference technical
paper, the author states that “in contrast
to the testimonials common to NCD [non-
chemical devices] marketing literature, the
many controlled studies undertaken by
various government and industrial orga-
nizations have resulted in a consensus
opinion that NCD are not capable of pro-
ducing the effects claimed in the literature.
In general, the theories advanced by the
NCD suppliers to explain operation of their
devices show a lack of agreement with
accepted scientific principles. In spite of
an extensive history of installation failures,
findings of no effect in controlled studies
and no acceptable theory of operation, new
NCD are accepted in the market on a rou-
tine basis, often obtaining significant sales
before the inevitable disasters result in that
particular device being discredited.”
• An unfortunate report issued by the
U.S. Department of Energy did little to
clarify the issue. It presented a suspiciously
uncritical case for both magnetic and elec-
trostatic water treatment. It provided no
references to support the claims made and
the explanations of how these devices are
supposed to work were scientifically naïve.
Although this flawed report was eventually
withdrawn, copies of it are still widely dis-
tributed by some PWC device promoters.
(Continued on page 14)
www.watertechonline.com • 13
 COVER STORY

Permanent magnets
Devices in which one or more perma-
nent magnets produce fields that cut per-
pendicularly across the direction of water
flow have been known for over 60 years
and are now widely marketed as “mag-
netic water treatment” (MWT) appliances.
Much of their more recent popularity can
be attributed to a presentation made to a
Unparalleled
conference by Klaus Kronenberg in 1985,
in which he observed that evaporation
of calcium carbonate solutions that had
passed through a succession of up to 16
fields produced crystalline deposits whose
physical forms suggested that they would
be less adherent than ordinary scale.
Water molecules are diamagnetic
and are insensitive to fields of ordinary
strengths. It is widely claimed that MWT
works by forcing oppositely-charged ions
to move in opposite directions in the water,
causing them to recombine and precipitate
out. This simplistic mechanism is unten-
able for a number of reasons. An analogous
effect, known as magnetohydrodynamics,
occurs in plasmas (ionized gases) but has
never been observed in liquid solutions.
Dissolved ions with their hydration shells
are too large to diffuse rapidly through the
hydrogen-bonded structure of water.
Despite the paucity of scientific support
for MWT, many users of these devices
claim to be satisfied with their perfor-
mance — far more commonly than with
other forms of PWC. It is always difficult
to evaluate anecdotal reports of these kinds
in the absence of reliable information both
on the composition of the supply water and
the criteria by which the results are judged.
Still, scientific understanding is never
complete, and there may be conditions

customer service and under which MWT may well be effective.

In this context it is worth calling attention

technical support to a study published in a South African

technical journal that describes a series of
experiments in which one of two parallel
heaters was fitted with a permanent mag-
net device showed scale formation reduc-
tions varying over a rather wide range (17-
70 percent), with an average of 34 percent.

Alternating or pulsed
electromagnetic fields
Electromagnetic scale-control devices are
probably now more widely marketed than
any other kind. They usually employ a
solenoid coil that surrounds a non-ferrous
tube through which the water passes. The
coil is excited with an alternating current,
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Stocking most of the major manufacturers in the industry. stream. Many of these devices purport to
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800-591-1094 but this has never been satisfactorily docu-

mented.
www.aqua-wholesale.com Many of the claims about how these
Sarasota, Florida devices work are similar to those made
for permanent magnet devices, and they
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Circle 201 of the greater number of electromagnetic

AQUA-WT (0411-Half).indd 1 3/9/11 4:22 PM

14 • Water Technology® • April 2011
 COVER STORY

PWC devices on the market, the number
of anecdotal reports that attest to their
efficacy is very small, and there is virtually
no published scientific support. In several
very detailed case histories published by
chemical engineer T. Keister on his web-
site, he remarks that, in every instance,
the observed reduction in scaling could be
attributed to changes in operating proce-
dures or to other aspects of water chemis-
try, particularly the presence of phosphates.
“Catalytic” devices
Most of the products in this category
employ “precious metals” that are purport-
ed to “neutralize” Ca2+, Mg2+ and HCO3
–
(bicarbonate) ions by supplying or remov-
ing electrons as required. The problem
with this is that it is thermodynamically
impossible to accomplish either of these
in the presence of water, since water itself
is more easily oxidized or reduced than
any of these ions. The use of the term
“catalytic” in this context is misleading:
A catalyst can only influence the rate of
a chemical process, not its final outcome,
which depends entirely on thermodynam-
ics. There is absolutely no scientific support
for any of these claims.
If a truly catalytic scale-precipitation
process exists, it might be one involving
epitaxial crystallization. This is based on
the principle that nucleation (formation of
the first tiny crystallite) is aided when the
solution is in contact with a surface whose
crystal structure is built up from units hav-
ing lattice spacings similar to that of the
substance to be deposited. There is a fairly
extensive scientific literature relating to
the use of epitaxial crystallization in semi-
conductor fabrication, corrosion control
and self-assembling structures, but not on
precipitation from aqueous solutions.
Although no detailed studies support-
ing epitaxial technology for PWC have
appeared in the scientific literature, some
makers of these devices do claim positive
lab test results.
Conclusion
The lack of credible scientific support for
the efficacy of present-day PWC devices
stands in stark contrast to the claims made
by most vendors (and even some users) of
these products. Given the potential economic
benefits of a widely-applicable chemical-free
softening process, especially in arid regions,
such as the U.S. southwest, one would expect
much more scientific and engineering sup-
port for the claims that have been made.
Still, science is never complete, and if
qualified investigators could be motivated
to follow up on some of the more well-
founded leads that have appeared in the
literature, it is possible that some of these
PWC technologies could be shown to be
effective, although almost certainly under
very constrained conditions. WT
Stephen Lower is a retired physical chemistry
professor at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby
BC Canada. He can be contacted through his Web
page: http://members.shaw.ca/slower/SteveChem/.

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www.watertechonline.com • 15
FEATURE
By Pauli Undesser, CWS-VI

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Chromium, EPA, drinking water.

Hexavalent chromium
in the press again
For the POU industry, this problem does not seem to be as big a deal as the
media is making it out to be.

Chromium is a naturally occurring metallic element that is found in 50 ppb since 1977. The U.S. Environmental
various elemental states in rocks, soil, plants and animals. Various forms Protection Agency (EPA) followed the
of chromium are used or produced in industrial products and processes, such same level until 1991 when total chro-
as steel production, metal plating, leather tanning, paints, dyes and wood mium was increased to 100 ppb. Moreover,
preservatives. Of the various states of chromium, the most common are tri- knowledge of the harmful effects through
valent (chromium 3, or III), hexavalent (chromium 6, or VI) and metal form ingestion specific to hexavalent chromium
(chromium 0). Hexavalent chromium is considered the most harmful of the was widely dispersed through a recent piv-
various forms. otal toxicity study released by the National
The detrimental effects are mainly through the route of inhalation, but the Toxicology Program in 2008 and the scien-
effects through ingestion are becoming intensely scrutinized as well. Depending tific assessment for hexavalent chromium
on the conditions, hexavalent chromium can be readily converted to trivalent released by the EPA in September 2010.
chromium, a nutrient present in the body and consumed in food. Some toxicolo- People outside of the water treatment
gists declare that this fact alone reduces the toxicity of hexavalent chromium industry are aware of hexavalent chromium
through ingestion because the stomach should because it was sensationalized in the 2000
provide the conditions movie “Erin Brockovich.” Hexavalent chro-
necessary to con- mium was used to address corrosion in a
vert it to trivalent cooling tower. The hexavalent chromium
chromium. This is dissolved from the cooling tower and was
a heavily debated discharged to unlined ponds. The contami-
declaration and a nant leached into the groundwater at levels
consensus amongst several fold above the regulated limit, affect-
toxicologists has ing an area near the plant approximately
not been reached. two miles long and nearly a mile wide.

Regulation Recent study

For members of
the water treatment
industry, chromium
and its various forms
are known because
they have been regu-
lated in California at
Making recent press releases is a new
study conducted by the Environmental
Working Group (EWG) in December 2010
which announced that hexavalent chromi-
um was detected in 31 out of 35 city water
supplies tested. Compared to the 100 ppb
EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL),
which is the health protective standard to
be met by public water systems, the high-
est level detected in the study was ~8 times
lower and the average concentration was
~550 times lower.
Regardless, 25 out of 35 municipal waters
tested in the study contained hexavalent
chromium above the Public Health Goal
(PHG) of 0.02 ppb being proposed by

16 • Water Technology® • April 2011

 FEATURE

The Innovation,Support
the California EPA. A Public Health Goal
(PHG) is the concentration of a drinking
And DistinctionYou Need
water contaminant that poses no signifi-
cant health risk if consumed for a lifetime.
To Break Away From
This value is different than an MCL, which
accounts for management issues such as, The Pack.
but not limited to, detectability, treatability
and costs of treatment.
The catalyst for the media hype is the
fact that the California EPA proposed PHG
value of 0.02 ppb for hexavalent chromium
is 5,000 times lower than the EPA MCL
for total chromium. With such a drastic
difference in the PHG and current MCL, it
is logical for people to think that the MCL
for total chromium is outdated and is not
health protective based on new studies.
To address the hypersensitivity of
the issue, EPA is trying to expedite the
assessment of hexavalent chromium and
discussions regarding MCL revisions.
Unfortunately, where regulations are
mainly based on science they will always
lag behind because the science justifica-
tion comes first. To avoid extreme gaps
between science and regulations, contami-
nants go through a cyclic review process
within the EPA to ensure that regulations
are periodically updated with new infor- It takes much more than the best equipment to succeed in today’s
mation. The most current studies spurred
competitive market. You need cutting edge products to outsell
your competitors, technical support to solve your unique
the revised PHG in California and the
local water problems and marketing assistance
expedited review by the EPA. to grow your business.
For the point-of-use industry, where
manufacturers currently certify products If you’re not getting all this and more from your current supplier,
for the reduction of hexavalent chromium, give Watts a call. as the industry’s largest single source
this problem does not seem to be as big a supplier of innovative equipment, Watts Water Quality
deal as the media is making it out to be.
is dedicated to partnering with you for success.
The simple solution is to install the best
available technology certified for hexava-
lent chromium reduction. Although, if you
Get More, Get Watts.
look closely at the details, the solution may to view our current catalog, visit watts.com and click the
not be as simple as it appears. Water Quality Products tab or, email wqp@watts.com
for a FREE Catalog and CD.
Testing requirements
NSF/ANSI 53, 58 and 62 standards have
testing requirements for hexavalent chro-
mium reduction. The main criterion to pass A Watts Water Technologies Company
the test is to reduce an influent challenge
of 300 ppb hexavalent chromium to less 800-659-8400
(Press 2 for sales)
than 100 ppb. This ensures that the current
EPA regulation for total chromium is met.
Brea, CA • Dunnellon & Tampa, FL • Houston & San Antonio, TX • Peoria, AZ
However, since the passing level is 100 ppb,
certification alone does not guarantee that ©Watts 2011

(Concluded on page 18) Circle 203

www.watertechonline.com • 17
FEATURE
(Continued from page 17)
the 0.02 ppb proposed value would be met.
To employ point-of-use devices to
achieve reduction of hexavalent chromium
to 0.02 ppb, one also needs to review the
average percent reduction and influent
hexavalent chromium concentration. For
example, a product that reduces hexava-
lent chromium with an average percent
reduction of >99 percent, the influent
would need to be ~2 ppb or less in order
to achieve 0.02 ppb. To ensure this level is
met, confirmatory testing of effluent water
shall be conducted. Furthermore, when
testing the influent or effluent concentra-
tions, the detection limit is crucial to know
because the lab results may return as “non-
detect,” but if the detection limit is 20 ppb,
then you may have up to 20 ppb hexava-
lent chromium present without it being
detected. This parameter alone may be the
deciding factor in choosing an appropriate
analytical laboratory.
18 • Water Technology® • April 2011
This product selection and compliance
evaluation approach is not trivial or easy,
but it is the best option to help sensitive
consumers meet the proposed health goal
in California. In the future, an MCL will
be set by the California EPA and U.S. EPA
taking into account feasibility to achieve
and monitor the contaminant to the MCL.
At that time, the NSF/ANSI standards
shall be updated with new methods to
ensure that the revised limits are achieved.
Until regulations catch up to science,
members in the water treatment industry
shall remain calm despite the media hype
and use the tested and certified products
to the best of our ability to maintain pub-
lic health and safety. At some point in
the future, we need to nationally address
whether the current method of contami-
nant reduction is the proper approach
to treat all municipal water when only 1
percent is consumed as drinking water and
the remaining 99 percent is flushed down
Circle 220
the drain through irrigation, fire fighting,
showers, laundry, etc.
For more detailed information about
water contaminants, how contaminants can
be addressed and listings of manufacturers
of certified water treatment products, please
visit the Water Quality Association (WQA)
website at www.wqa.org. Note that some
information may be restricted to WQA
members only. You can also learn how to
support research projects through WQRF,
become a member of WQA and find contact
information for local water professionals
that are members of WQA. WT
Pauli Undesser, CWS-VI, is WQA’s director of
regulatory and technical affairs and toxicol-
ogy manager for WQA’s Gold Seal Certification
Program. Previously, she was product cer-
tification supervisor. Undesser holds a MS
degree in biochemistry from Northern Illinois
University and a BS Degree in chemistry from
the University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign.
SAVE THE DATE!

LAS VEGAS • NV

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06 MAR -09 MAR

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’’
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Member since 1946 !

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Culligan Water Conditioning
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Join WQA Today!
Call us at 630 505 0160
or visit www.wqa.org
Water Quality Association
International Headquarters & Laboratory
4151 Naperville Road
Lisle, Illinois 60532-3696 USA
A-not-for-profit organization

When it counts. Where it matters. WQA is there.

LEAD GENERATION • TECHNICAL SUPPORT • EDUCATION • NETWORKING • PRODUCT CERTIFICATION
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Circle 213
FEATURE
By Nick Phillips, Assistant Editor

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): UV, disinfection, chlorine.

Residential UV: Pros and cons

Experts discuss the advantages of UV over traditional chemical disinfection
methods.
Studies show that one in four wells in the U.S. will test positive for coliform be checked from time to time to make sure
bacteria. This alarming statistic underscores the importance of proper dis- it’s clean. “[We tell new users] to check
infection and accurate, periodic water testing. Ultraviolet (UV) light has been the sleeve after a month and clean it and if
used since the early 20th century to disinfect water, but increased consumer it’s not very dirty maybe wait two months
awareness about waterborne pathogens — such as E. coli and Cryptosporidium before they check it again,” says Stone.
— has led to a rising demand for UV systems in private homes. “And pretty soon, they’ll know how often
We recently spoke to two experts to find out why they believe UV is a supe- they need to check it and clean it.”
rior disinfection method for residential applications.
Consumer education
Advantages While ultraviolet (UV) disinfection sys-
Unlike other disinfection methods, such as chlorination, UV does not tems are quite common in Canada, well
require the use of potentially harmful chemicals. So while chemical disinfec- owners in the U.S. need to be better edu-
tion opens consumers up to possible adverse effects from overtreatment, the cated on the necessity for disinfection.
potential for overtreatment with UV is virtually nonexistent. “In Canada, when they drill a well, it’s
“The nice thing about UV is that you’re not adding anything to the water, so almost always a given that the consumer
you can’t really over-treat with ultraviolet,” says Bruce Eccleston, president of understands that they’re going to need
UV Superstore. “If you’re pumping a certain amount of chemical based upon some form of protection on their well.
a 100 gpm flow rate and you’re actually having 5 gpm going through there, And, typically, that protection is UV,”
that water [is] going to have an excessive amount of chemicals in there for explains Stone. “In the U.S., the consum-
what it needs.” er is not educated to the point to where
According to Steve Stone, North American sales manager for VIQUA, an they understand the need for disinfec-
additional benefit is that UV has no aesthetic effects on water. “UV does not tion.”
contain any chemicals, so it doesn’t change the structure of the water,” he says. And, according to Stone, one piece of
“But with chemicals, you’re adding something to your water and typically those evidence indicating the lack of consumer
chemicals will cause a change in the taste and odor. UV does none of that.” knowledge on the subject is the fact that
Ease of maintenance is another area where UV holds a distinct advantage the UV industry’s biggest competitor is not
over its chemical competitors. If the proper pretreatment is employed — a chlorine or ozone, it’s a well-known bleach
sediment filter or reverse osmosis system, for example — UV systems only product.
require users to replace the lamp once per year. “If I was putting in a system, “When somebody gets a bad water test,
I’d much rather have a UV,” Eccleston comments. “If you have the proper they [might be] told to go dump a couple
pretreatment, you don’t have to touch [a newly installed UV system] until the gallons of Clorox® into their well and have
next year. It’s as simple as that.” it tested again,” Stone explains. “Then the
test comes back good and the homeowner
Disadvantages thinks they’re safe, but what they don’t
While UV is much more effective at reducing coliform bacteria and cysts, it realize is that once the residual is gone
is not the right treatment for every application. For example, UV light is not as they’re still drinking bad water.”
effective on water that has high levels of tannins, such as that found in Florida. Stone emphasizes that water treatment
Furthermore, explains Eccleston, areas with extremely hard water are not dealers, plumbers and drillers need to help
ideal for UV systems. A UV lamp is enclosed in a protective quartz sleeve, but customers understand the importance of
if scale builds up on the sleeve it can have a negative effect on the lamp’s abil- well testing and make them aware that
ity to disinfect. “If your quartz sleeve gets any buildup or biofouling on there quick fix, “band-aid” solutions are not in
— maybe you have really hard water and you get a scale that starts building their best interest. “UV is a pretty inex-
up on the quartz sleeve — the UV light can’t penetrate through it to disinfect pensive insurance policy to know that you
the water properly,” he says. However, he adds, scaling can be minimized if will never have unsafe drinking water in
the proper pretreatment is employed. your house. It’s all about education,” he
Even if a customer does not have hard water, the quartz sleeve should still concludes. WT

20 • Water Technology® • April 2011

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FEATURE
By Frank A. Brigano, Ph.D., Thomas A. Burke and Steve Webb

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): POU, filtration, carbon.

Ensuring optimal POU

filtration system performance
POU microbiological purification provides a measure of confidence in drinking water.

A recent item seen in The Quad-City Times of Iowa, dated Feb. 9, 2011,
draws attention to a serious issue: How customers are notified when their
water supply may be contaminated and they are requested to boil water as
a precaution.
According to the article, boil orders are mostly handled door-to-door in
Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa. Iowa American Water stated that they
are “able to manage the leaks so as to not need an advisory at all or if they
do, they notify the small number of customers affected on a door-to-door
basis.”
“We do not typically notify the news media when these small, isolated
advisories occur because it affects a very small number of customers and
it would cause confusion and misunderstanding for the majority of our Figure 1
customers not in the affected area or under the advisory,” said Lisa Reisen claims, including bacteria, virus and cyst
of Iowa American. She added, “If the boil water advisory area is large and reduction, should be installed and operated
door-to-door notification is not feasible or timely, the company relies on news in order to obtain maximum performance.
media and also has used a reverse 911 system.” Best practices would include the following:
What if you, as a customer, are not home at the time of the boil water alert, 1. Determine the optimal system to
and thus are not notified of the issue? Or you didn’t hear the doorbell? Should install at the customer’s location based on
you still be concerned? The answer is yes. appropriate testing and analysis of the cus-
A solution for this situation is to install a point-of-use (POU) water filtration tomer’s drinking water and infrastructure,
system that is certified for bacteria reduction, virus reduction and cyst reduction. water pressure, water usage and any other
Enhanced performance claims including bacteria, virus and cyst reduction pertinent factors that may impact how the
can be made with carbon block technology for POU water filtration systems filtration system is used.
by specially modifying microporous activated carbon. An extruded carbon 2. Teach the customer about the filtration
block can be manufactured containing a microbiologically high-molecular- system and how it works. If the customer
weight polycationic interception agent and a cationic silver halide complex. understands their filtration system, they
Cyst reduction occurs via mechanical filtration. Figure 1 is a graphical repre- will be better enabled to use it correctly and
sentation of this mechanism. know the importance of maintaining their
Microbiological-reduction carbon blocks undergo rigorous product testing system.
and certification processes. They must meet the performance and material 3. Ensure the customer knows the model
safety requirements of NSF/ANSI standards 42 and 53. Microbial cyst reduc- number and part numbers for their fil-
tion claims can be certified using NSF/ANSI Standard 53; bacterial, cyst and tration system and replacement filters.
virus reduction for the microbiological interception carbon block is verified Dealers should ensure the filtration sys-
using protocols adapted from the EPA’s purifier guide protocol. tems and filters have the dealer’s name and
Microbiological-reduction carbon blocks include a patented fail-safe shutoff contact information on them. The dealer’s
mechanism ensuring no microbiologically contaminated water ever passes name, contact information and the filtra-
through the system. This fail-safe feature is a key requirement for certification tion system model and replacement part
by the State of California. By comparison, hollow-fiber technology is not able to numbers should be placed prominently
meet this shutoff requirement — if one of the fibers is broken, consumers will next to the system.
not know if they are receiving contaminated water. 4. Make it easy for your customer to con-
tact you for service, repair or replacement
Maintain POU performance parts. Do they have your phone number?
POU filtration systems, whether offering a relatively simple performance Do you have a website you can share with
claim, such as chlorine taste and odor reduction, or enhanced performance them? Do you have a way they can find

22 • Water Technology® • April 2011


their filtration system and replacement
parts on your website? Do you maintain
a Facebook© page they can locate so you
can share information easily with them?
Did you give them a business card for their
files? Do you keep track of all of their con-
tact information?
5. Keep a record of the customer’s filtra-
tion system purchase in your files so you
can assist the customer if they do not have
the information you need in order to ser-
vice their account. Remember, labels can be
torn off and manuals can be misplaced.
6. Consider setting up a regular filter
replacement appointment for your cus-
tomer based on the estimated filter perfor-
mance life.
7. Contact the customer on the anniversa-
ry of their filter system purchase to inquire
about their use of the system and if they
would like a service appointment so you
can check the filtration system, clean it and
replace any parts that need replacement.
• Removes scale from pipe work
• Removes scale from heat exchangers
and steam boilers
• Saves energy by keeping heating
elements scale free
• Increases life of capital equipment
• Reduces cleaning costs, chemicals & labor
• Saves 50% on cooling tower make up water
• Saves irrigation water
• Provides short term payback
Applications:
Residential • Commercial • Industrial
www.scalewatcher.com
Scalewatcher North America Inc., Oxford PA, Call Toll Free (800) 504-8577 or email sales@scalewatcher.com. Dealer territories available.
8. The filter change-out contacts provide
opportunities to sell other water treatment
products.
The importance of POU
Customers who rely on drinking water
supplied by a municipal system may be
subject to infrastructure failures such as
those that require them to boil water before
consumption. There has been an increase
over the past several years of boil water
alerts as infrastructure continues to suffer
breakdowns due to age, materials, weather
or accidents. A bigger issue is whether the
customers have been informed of whether
a boil water alert is in effect in their area.
Dealers can assist their customers by
providing information on filtration sys-
tems designed to provide clean, clear and
safe drinking water in the event their
municipally-supplied source is compro-
mised. Customers who have been subject
to boil water alerts (or perhaps several such
Circle 219
FEATURE
alerts) may prefer POU microbiological
purification that will provide a measure of
confidence in their drinking water regard-
less of whether they received notice of
an alert. In this way, customers can take
ownership, as they should, of the quality of
drinking water entering their home. WT
Frank A. Brigano, Ph.D., is vice president,
Technology for KX Technologies LLC. Brigano
can be reached at (203) 764-2506 or e-mail at
fbrigano@kxtech.com.
Thomas A. Burke is product/marketing manager
for KX Technologies. Burke can be reached at
(203) 764-2512 or e-mail at tburke@kxtech.com.
Steve Webb is vice president of dealer sales for
EcoWater Systems LLC. Webb can be reached
at (651) 731-7039 or e-mail at webbs@ecowater.
com. Visit KX Technologies at www.kxtech.
com, on Twitter find us at “kxtech,” and on
Facebook find us at “KX Technologies LLC.”
Visit EcoWater Systems at www.ecowater.com.
Patented
Before
After
www.watertechonline.com • 23
FEATURE
By Rich DiPaolo, Editorial Director

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Brita, Culligan, sales, brand.

The power of a
well known
Water treatment professionals advise aligning with popular, trusted trade names.
What’s in a name? Apparently, according to two experts we spoke with for customers to push a cart up and down the
this article, a lot. As dealers mine for new customers, a brand name in this aisles and only half think about what they’re
industry can help augment sales efforts and solidify supply relations. And, buying,” adds Markovsky, who states that
since customers want to feel good about their water treatment purchases and this dynamic is similar in the water treat-
be assured a first-class encounter with a dealer, promoting a recognizable ment market. “The allure of these brands is
product may help on both ends before you even step foot in the door. [influential to the buying process].”
With thousands of products and intense regional and national competition, In addition to the power and allure of the
your dealership needs to find ways to stand out from the pack. brand name itself, a tremendous amount of
marketing and sales assistance can also
Make your business alluring to customers come with the package. Most well known
“[Selling] a [well known] brand is a really good way for a reputable water brands in this industry have invested sig-
dealer to basically assure people that it is going to be a positive experience,” nificant funds in water treatment research,
says Michael Markovsky, vice president of marketing for Haws Corporation, advertising campaigns, websites and other
manufacturer of the Brita Hydration Station. Associated with the power of fundamental tools that can assist in grow-
a brand name, he says, is that most customers will associate positive experi- ing your business. But, a brand name
ences and attributes to what you are selling. cannot do it all and dealers must be aware
Depending on the brand’s history and level of quality, marketing a popular that it is their responsibility to uphold the
product type in this industry will mean that customers recognize the equip- brand’s value.
ment or products — as well as your company — as being valuable, trustwor- “Dealers should know that though the
thy and an adequate fit to answer their water concerns. In addition to all of brand they choose is indeed very important,
the benefits of having a prestigious brand in your product portfolio, including a good deal of their success or lack of same
access to more desirable accounts and high level decision makers, dealers can will be in their own hands and depend on
also advance their company’s image. how well they can create an ongoing, viable
“All of the attributes that people attach to the brand, such as quality of business, with all that entails. A well cho-
product, service of the organization and general good feelings about the prod- sen brand can make [selling] much, much
uct or equipment, they will associate these attributes to [your dealership] as easier since one with good support, training
well,” states Markovsky, adding that dealers will notice an immediate impact. and sales resources and a substantial exist-
To some customers, a company’s service capabilities are a leading factor ing dealer network can supercharge your
in the purchasing decision. A well regarded brand name can give new and efforts,” concludes Boerner.
existing customers reassurance that the dealer they are selecting is a reputable Committing to a recognizable product
company and one that is likely to be in business for years to come should their can hold many opportunities and benefits
system need attention and service. for dealers in the water treatment indus-
“The perception is that a larger and recognized company has grown to what try. However, it is important that you do
it is due to their expertise and sound business practices over the years,” adds your homework, know your target market
Bob Boerner, president of Culligan Southwest Inc., which is headquartered in and choose a brand that has a history of
San Antonio, Texas. “There is some comfort in knowing that thousands of fellow performing well within those markets and
consumers have previously placed their faith in the business with their wallets prospect types. Depending on the company
and the company has apparently grown strong enough to be self-sustaining.” associated with the brand, you will ride the
highs when that company makes advance-
Subconscious selling ments and endure the lows if that company
In many ways, a brand name can “do the thinking” for the customer. This type receives bad press or operates inappropri-
of customer conditioning works successfully across the nation at grocery stores ately. Still, when it comes to purchasing,
each day. In an average grocery store, there are approximately 50,000 SKUs and experts say the power and allure of a well
this number increases each year. “The power of a brand in a grocery store enables known brand is unmatched. WT

24 • Water Technology® • April 2011

Circle 206
BUSineSS
By Robert W. Schabes

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Lenders, financing, profit.

mood of lenders in 2011

Lenders see an improving horizon and are hungry again.

Since late 2008, lenders have been through an economic period that doesn’t
compare to any we’ve lived through before. The crisis that befell the finan-
cial community in October of that year rattled the foundations of lenders’
capabilities, their confidences and their thinking. The significant question for
today is, “Are lenders ready to increase lending for water treatment products
in 2011?” The short answer to this question is yes, but it is helpful to under-
stand what happened two years ago, and what is happening today, to appreci-
ate the degree to which the answer is yes.

The financial crisis of 2008

In mid-October 2008, the financial community suddenly became aware that
the real estate crisis had eroded the financial health of lenders to the point that
they weren’t certain who may fall next. Confidence in the lending community
declined so dramatically and abruptly that banks began restricting overnight now is they have all adjusted to the CCA
loans to each other. Banks that had always been considered financially secure and legislative uncertainty has waned.
couldn’t be trusted anymore. This phenomenon, among others, reduced One decision was made by virtually
liquidity in the marketplace. all lenders back in 2008, or so, that credit
Similarly, the real estate crisis led to a borrowing problem for consum- would be approved only for the most
ers. Rapid depreciation of property values reduced equity in consumers’ certain re-payers. Fast forward now two
homes. Without equity, consumers couldn’t refinance their Adjustable Rate years later. That decision is now having
Mortgages (ARMs). Larger mortgage payments led to payment defaults, fore- a profound effect on lenders’ portfolios.
closures and bankruptcies in record numbers. Naturally, with two years of new loans
Individuals at all income levels had over-reached on their new houses and being approved for nearly 100 percent pay-
were getting caught in the spiral. Consumers’ credit scores began to plum- ing borrowers, lenders’ delinquency rates
met and even formerly high credit scores were susceptible to defaulting on have improved. Simultaneously, property
loans. To make matters worse, this time period was the beginning of the depreciation has slowed or stopped in
employment crisis and no one knew just how deeply job losses would plunge. much of the U.S. and lenders have han-
Uncertainty like that can paralyze lending decisions. dled the worst of the foreclosure crisis. To
In an environment where lenders were short of liquidity, where they were see- top off the improvement, unemployment,
ing excessively high delinquencies and therefore losses for charge offs, lenders while still high, seems to have settled at
also could not depend on any historical data to determine who would remain its peak and most economists believe we’ll
creditworthy. The overwhelming result was that new lending nearly went to a experience improvements in that area, fur-
“stand still.” This condition was most visible nationally in the mortgage mar- ther reducing uncertainty. All of the stimu-
ket, but all lending was being affected. Loans for autos, credit cards and other li that created fear for lenders in 2008-2009
consumer products were substantially affected. Water treatment home improve- are recovering and have a positive forecast.
ments were just one tiny market being impeded by the lack of lending. If lenders feel comfortable about the future,
they are much more likely to lend to a con-
The Credit Card Act sumer who still has good, or maybe even
One other negative event for lenders occurred during 2009. The passage of adequate, credit.
the Credit Card Act (CCA) that spring, and the writing of its regulations by
the Federal Reserve that dragged out until the end of that year, left revolv- Need for profit
ing credit lenders with significant uncertainty about how their plans would and consumer demand
be permitted to operate, how they would replace lost income and how they The other phenomenon that is motivat-
would motivate on-time payments. Remember, for lenders, uncertainty is bad. ing lenders today is the need for profit.
At the least, this legislation was a major distraction. The good news for lenders Obviously, lenders can’t discontinue writ-

26 • Water Technology® • April 2011


ing new loans while charging off a large
portion of their portfolio and expect to
keep making the same profits. Lenders
have been sitting on their capital for more
than two years now and they’ve reduced
their work forces and other expenses in
order to stay in business. Now, they need
to refocus their efforts on the more tradi-
tional business challenge of finding and
earning new business. Without the intense
anxieties of the last two years, motivation
is rising for the drive for profit.
There’s one more significant change in
our economy that is and will contribute to
more lending in the water treatment indus-
try in 2011: Consumer demand. The bad
news stories of 2008-2010 didn’t happen
in a vacuum. Lenders aren’t the only ones
that read the news. Consumers did too.
And, consumers know when they lose their
job or when their employer lays off their
colleagues. Even consumers who didn’t
lose their jobs, and had low debt with cash
reserves, tightened their purchasing habits.
Large, non-essential purchases were
deferred to the future as consumers pro-
tected what they had. In 2011, unemploy-
ment has ebbed and other economic news
has grown more favorable; the proverbial
consumer confidence has begun rising, so
demand for products will increase. As
demand increases, loans will also.
Now, let’s not get all too excited just yet.
While the players in the market may be
ready to make deals happen, there are still
significant impediments to overcome. There
are still very few homeowners with equity.
Foreclosures are still happening in volume.
Bankruptcies are increasing. Income is still
low. There aren’t many people with good
credit since so many saw their credit dete-
riorate over the last couple of years. And,
there remain a few foreboding national and
world events that threaten another down-
turn in our economy. But, all that said, these
conditions are better than they were a year
Circle 217
BUSineSS
ago, and the year before that.
All things considered, 2011 will be the
best year for water treatment dealers since
at least 2007. Lenders see an improving
horizon and are hungry again. Consumers
see the same and are beginning to spend
again. And, as long as the unforeseen
doesn’t occur, these conditions will con-
tinue to gradually improve. As a lender, I’m
far more optimistic about this year than I’ve
felt in quite some time. Best wishes all. WT
Robert W. Schabes carries an economics
degree from Vanderbilt University and an MBA
from the University of South Florida. RW has
been employed within the ISPC corporate family
since January 1990 and was named president
of ISPC in January 2011. ISPC is a consum-
er finance company specializing in lending
for water treatment products and other home
improvements. To learn more about ISPC call
1-800-345-4772, ext. 1840, or visit the website at
www.ispcfinancing.com.
www.watertechonline.com • 27
mainTenance & oPeraTionS
By David McLachlan, Ph.D.

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Scale, PWT.

Scale control using PWT devices

The financial and environmental benefits of physical water treatment systems
are receiving more and more attention.
Today the demands for environmentally-friendly technologies are pushing detailed explanation of these physical-
all sorts of new technological advancements in many areas of our lives. We chemical interactions would require more
all have a respect for the proper stewardship of our environment and the short space than we have for this article, but the
and long term impacts of how we do certain things, like treating cooling tower following is a list of some that are associated
systems. Let’s begin with a review of the basics. with heat exchange systems that make use
All chemical reactions, including those required to treat water in a cooling of high voltage physical water treatment:
tower system, rely on the bonds between atoms and molecules. These reactions • The ions of interest, calcium, magne-
find their roots in the electrical charges of the participating ions. All chemical sium and bicarbonates that are in solution
processes rely on the outer electrons in each molecule and the resulting electri- must come into contact or collide with one
cal charge distribution in and around the atoms and molecules. There are many another. These reactions, in a very simpli-
well-known examples of technologies and natural processes that utilize phys- fied form, are like putting pieces of a puzzle
iochemical reactions, for instance: Photosynthesis, enzymes and electrolysis. together. They require the proper orienta-
tion with respect to each other and the ener-
PWTs gy of the collision to get the pieces to mate
Physical water treatment (PWT) normally refers to devices or systems that together. In the real world of water treat-
treat hard water for scale prevention in re-circulation heat exchange equip- ment not all such collisions have the proper
ment, such as cooling towers. These systems can optimize the water treatment force or orientation to form compounds and
program and may reduce or eliminate the need for additional chemicals. There must try again (probability of reacting).
are many types of PWT systems and most can be categorized as magnetic, elec- • Higher levels of concentration of the
trostatic, catalytic, mechanical or induction. The first such device — permanent ions (this will include the pH and associ-
magnetic device — was granted a German patent in 1890. Since then we have ated ions) of interest will increase the
seen a growing number of these various devices available in the market. frequency of collisions between reactants
Both laboratory and field observations suggest that the majority of PWT and therefore the higher probability of
devices work by promoting bulk precipitation of calcium carbonate out of bonding. Agitating, mixing or turbulence
solution so it is not available to form crystalline scale on heat exchange sur- can accelerate the rate of chemical reaction
faces. The details of this mechanism were developed by Dr. Y. I. Cho of Drexel via the creation of localized areas of higher
University. This process produces colloidal particles that provide an enormous concentration.
surface area for preferential growth of the scale forming minerals in solution. • Increased temperature results in high-
One can conclude from the references that these PWTs are not true water- er kinetic energy aiding in overcoming the
softening devices, since they do not remove minerals from the water. In activation energy necessary for bonding to
addition, it can be stated that PWTs do not change the structure of the water take place.
molecules. Therefore, if the effects of PWT devices are directed at the scaling • The ability of surfaces to act as nucle-
problems associated with the heat exchange surfaces, one should focus on the ation sites for the growth of calcium car-
performance of the heat exchanger and the scaling mechanisms at those sur- bonate crystals are seen on the metallic
faces. PWT systems function by enhancing the bulk precipitation; that is, the surfaces as well as suspended solid matter,
formation of colloidal particles move minerals from solution to suspension to dust and colloidal particles, as these sur-
prevent scaling (crystalline fouling). faces can act as catalysts for the formation
of seed crystals for further precipitation.
Chemical and physical water treatment • An electric field (PWT) imparts a force
Water chemistry is very complex. The precipitation of CaCO3 and disso- on the ions resulting in these ions being
ciation reactions involve several chemical steps influenced by both chemical pushed or pulled toward ions of opposite
and physical factors, such as concentration, pH, temperature, pressure, active charge. The positive and negative ions move
surface sites and electromagnetic forces. in opposite directions causing localized
As there are multiple steps and paths from a chemical point of view, the areas of concentration leading to a higher
kinetics of these reactions can be enhanced by physical interactions. A more (Concluded on page 30)

28 • Water Technology® • April 2011

Circle 208
mainTenance & oPeraTionS
(Continued from page 28)
probability of collisions and an increased
rate of colloidal particle formation.
• The localized electrostatic interaction of
the naturally occurring positive and nega-
tive particles (ions) at surface irregularities is
enhanced. For small irregularities, the local
electric field produced would be increased
significantly, accelerating the dissociation
process of bicarbonate ions leading to pre-
cipitation of CaCO3 or scale formation.
These phenomena are all documented
in scientific literature and indicate that the
physical, chemical and electronic concepts
all may be active and interrelated. These
interacting hypotheses are primarily con-
cerned with the effect of high intensity elec-
trical field PWT devices on the bulk precipi-
tation process. In addition, the rate of these
kinetic enhanced reactions lead to a time
factor that must be taken into consideration
in conjunction with the strength of the driv-
ing force resulting from the applied electri-
cal field. Dwell-time in an active treatment
zone (or electrical field) must be allowed in
order to allow sufficient time for the forma-
tion of colloidal particles (bulk precipita-
tion). These suspended particles tend to
form soft-sludge, which can be removed by
the shear force produced by flow velocity.
To move the design and application of
PWT devices forward, an understanding of
the mechanism(s) of scaling fundamentals
needs to be utilized. Using the hypothesis
outlined above, supported by scientific and
field data, improvements have been made
in the designs and application of PWTs,
leading to enhanced performance, lower
installation cost and application flexibility
Evolution of high
voltage electric field PWTs
The maximum flow rate (gpm) and the
total volume of the system must be taken
into account to determine the dwell time in
the treatment zone of a given strength elec-
trical field in order to achieve the desired
results. This information is used to deter-
mine the size and number of the electrodes
to be used in treating the system.
In conjunction with the increased elec-
tric field strength (presently 35 kvdc), the
placement and shape of the electrodes have
also evolved. This evolution was directed at
increasing the size and changing the shape of
30 • Water Technology® • April 2011
the electrodes. These electrodes are now sub-
mersible and are surrounded by a grounded
metal (negative) cage so that multiple elec-
trodes can be placed directly into an operat-
ing cooling tower basin, thereby eliminating
the need to cut pipes. These later develop-
ments have resulted in improving the uni-
formity of the high electric field and increas-
ing the dwell time of the water in the PWT
system’s active regions, resulting in a higher
probability of colloidal particle formation.
Field results
This Arizona office complex (Figure
1) utilizes 8-100 ton fluid coolers and has
makeup water with a conductivity of ~1000
µ/S and a pH of 8.1. These towers operate at
a conductivity between 4500 and 5500µmohs
resulting in an average of 8.8 pH. This gives
a value for COC of approximately 6. The
other parameters that are monitored were
corrosion; 3.1 mpy for mild steel and 0.10
mpy for copper while the bacterial count
was normally found to be < 102 CFU.
Figure 1. Office Building – 8-100 Tons Units.
Comparisons show a significant water
saving (meter comparison) over conven-
tional chemical water treatment of over
200,000 gallons of water saved in the
month of August 2008. In addition, dur-
ing the months of May and June 2008, the
discharge of 4 units, approximately 300,000
gallons/month, were diverted to dry wells
or used for irrigation.
An Arizona school complex (Figure 2) has
2-924 ton cooling towers for HVAC systems
for a local high school and middle school
complex. The makeup water for these two
towers has a pH between 7.9-8.2 and con-
ductivity between 880-990µ/S. The chemical
treatment system, prior to the installation of
the high voltage PWT system, allowed these
towers to run at 2.2 COC. After installation
of the PWT electrodes, the conductivity was
set at 4500 µ/S, and resulted is an average
pH of ~9 and a conductivity of between
4,130 and 4,680 with no visual evidence of
scale. Operating temperatures and pressures
are stable and maintained across the chillers.
To ensure reliability and robustness, mul-
tiple power supplies were used to supply
35 kvdc to several sizes and configurations
of the electrodes. This combined system
provides over 7,000 in3 of active treatment
volume in each tower. One set of tubular
electrodes is shown in Fig. 2 shows the elec-
trodes positioned directly over the exit drain.
Figure 2. Tubular electrodes
Generally, water treated cooling sys-
tems have a smaller overall environmental
impact than conventional air cooled sys-
tems. By reducing the water consumption
within the cooling tower, greenhouse gas
emissions associated with the operation of
the tower can be further reduced.
By operating a cooling tower at six cycles
over operating at two cycles, the tower will
save 20 percent of the makeup water required
and reduces discharge from the tower by 64
percent. This can become a substantial finan-
cial and environmental savings. Estimates of
the amount of energy required to pump, dis-
tribute and treat potable water accounts for
about 5 percent of the total energy produced
in the U.S. When we apply the water savings
by operating at higher cycles and the energy
saved from water distribution we also have
reduced the greenhouse gas emissions asso-
ciated with a cooling tower by about 1,400
pounds for each 100 tons of cooling capacity.
We appreciate the many factors that
must be considered when choosing a water
treatment program. However, the financial
and environmental benefits of PWT sys-
tems are receiving more and more atten-
tion throughout the industry. WT
David McLachlan, Ph.D. is the vice president
of technical development for Fluid Treatment
Solutions Inc. For further information, David can
be contacted at dml@estatusa.com.
 Enjoy your water the way it is supposed to be:
Pure, Clean and Delicious.
Pure Water is vital for your family’s health and wellness. Aries products improve
your drinking water by removing harmful contaminants and eliminating unwanted
tastes or odors.
Call or visit our web site for more information about the Aries FilterWorks full line of
cartridges and water purification systems.

856•768•9600
www.ariesfilterworks.com
West Berlin, New Jersey - USA

Untitled-2 1 Circle 211 3/9/11 4:30 PM

SaLeS & marKeTinG
By Roy Parker

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Coffee, filtration, water quality.

The love-hate of water

and coffee brewing: Part one
The impact of water on coffee and brewing equipment.

Whether it’s to perk up in the morning or for the sheer enjoyment of the controlling the TDS level the consistency
taste, many Americans depend on at least one good cup of coffee to get the of the beverage will vary. Low TDS (<50
day started on the right foot. According to the National Coffee Association, ppm) can result in a bitter or tart tasting
one half of all Americans consume coffee every day. And, this consumption coffee and espresso. High TDS (>500 ppm)
is fairly stable — 84 percent of consumers say their coffee habits have not could mean that sodium, calcium, chloride
changed in the last six months in response to the economy. and magnesium are detectable in the final
While drip coffee is by far the most common coffee beverage, specialty product. Also, high DTS saturated water
espresso beverages are driving away from home consumption. After water, will not extract at full strength as there is
coffee is the second most widely-consumed beverage in the world. no space left to add the finest of the coffee.
There are a number of differences between espresso brewing and drip cof- • Total Hardness: Hardness ions, such
fee, but both have water as the primary ingredient. Coffee is about 98.5 per- as calcium and magnesium, bind with the
cent water and espresso is about 85-96 percent water. However, water impacts extracted coffee bean organics from the
each type in different ways. brewing process to give the correct fla-
Brewing a perfect espresso beverage requires the proper management of a vor to the coffee and espresso beverages.
number of variables, including the grind of the bean, the dosing, the tempera- Minerals also help to reduce the acidity of
ture of the water, the brewing pressure, the tamp pressure, the extraction time water. Without the proper amount of hard
and the mineral content of the water (and of course, the blend of beans, the mineral your coffee will have a high level
roasting, the quality of the espresso machine and the skill of the barista). Even of astringency or be very bitter.
the temperature of the portafilter and basket are important, which is why the • pH: Water below 7.0 is acidic and cor-
portafilter is left in the group head of the espresso machine even when shots rosive, water above 7.0 is basic and caustic.
aren’t being drawn. Each of these determines whether the espresso shot will Natural low pH indicates a lack of mineral
be bitter, sour, weak or strong. in the water, so water will taste flat or bitter
Drip brewing is far less labor intensive and more forgiving, but still requires (it’s like drinking distilled water, which has
a certain grind, the correct temperature (typically 190-205 F) and the proper a pH of about 5.5). As pH increases (>7) the
extraction time. result is an astringent taste. Higher pH also
usually indicates a higher alkalinity and
Tap water’s effect on coffee possibility of limescale. Due to the fact that
As you know, tap water is a complex solution of chemicals, organics and a person with sensitive taste can notice a
minerals, and has pH and alkalinity characteristics. Each of these has an effect pH shift of as little as 0.1, controlling your
on the quality of coffee-based beverages. pH is vital to consistency and taste. The
• Total Dissolved Solids: ideal is a pH of around 7.
During the brewing process sol- • Alkalinity: High alkalinity is a cata-
ids are extracted from the lyst for scale development in the brewing
coffee grounds and with- equipment.
out consistent TDS • Total chlorides: Elevated levels of total
levels the quality of chlorides are most commonly associated
coffee and espresso with salt. In normal levels, chlorides will
can range greatly result in a sweet taste to brewed beverages,
from strong and but at elevated levels can cause sourness.
bitter to weak Chlorides are also especially corrosive
and underdevel- on stainless steel, quickly eating away at
oped. Without exposed components.

32 • Water Technology® • April 2011


This is the recommended water specification
for water using in brewing:
Ideal Range
Parameter
ppm – mg/l
Total Dissolved Solids 100 mg/l
60 mg/l
calcium Hardness
3°dH / 6°Fr
alkalinity
60 mg/l
3°dH / 6°Fr
iron 0 0
chlorine, chlorinates 0 0
Sodium 10 mg/l
pH 7.0
• Chlorine: Chlorine can alter the aroma
and taste of coffee/espresso by oxidizing
the aromatics and oils, reducing the pH
balance and imparting chemical/medicinal
odors and tastes. Chlorine readily bonds
with organics to create compounds that
can impart an “earthy or moldy” tone to
coffee. In addition, chlorine causes corro-
sion on metals and can cause brittle o-rings
and gaskets (quality commercial espresso
machines use Teflon gaskets, especially at
the boiler, which helps to reduce chemical-
induced problems).
• Particulates (dirt, sediment, ferric met-
als, organic material): These cause plug-
ging of orifices and abrasion on surfaces.
Water and extraction time
There are generally three differences
between espresso beans and coffee beans:
Espresso beans are roasted longer to bring
out the bolder flavors (which is why they’re
darker), they’re ground much finer (almost
to a powder consistency) and there is a
much shorter extraction time, around 25
seconds. If the extraction is too long — say,
35 seconds — too much of the bitter oils
will be drawn out from within the bean,
and the drink may taste burnt. If the time is
Acceptable
Needs Correction
ppm – mg/l
< 50
50 to 250 ppm
> 300 mg/l
< 17
25 to 120 ppm
> 120 mg/l
25 to 120 ppm
< 17
> 120 mg/l
Other than 0
Other than 0
60 ppm > 100 mg/l
6.5 to 7.5 <6 >8
too short — say 15 seconds — the beverage
will be under extracted resulting in weak,
sour espresso and little crema that will
quickly dissipate.
Crema is the golden brown foam-like
layer on the surface and indicates a prop-
erly brewed shot of espresso. If the crema
is dark brown, the water passed through
the tamped coffee too slowly. If the crema
is too light, the water passed through too
quickly. The perfect espresso shot should
be like a light maple syrup, have a layer of
dark brown crema and taste sweet.
Time, pressure and temperature
Time, pressure and temperature will make
or break a good espresso shot, and the qual-
ity of the water impacts all of these factors.
• Time: Even with a perfect extraction
time in seconds, a poor shot can result
because of clogging in the tubing, ports and
other parts due to scale. For example, the
group head has a part called a gicleur. This
limits the flow of water to the basket. If it’s
scaled, it could reduce the flow too much,
resulting in a poor pre-infusion and under
extraction. Pre-infusion is when the tamped
coffee is made wet, followed by a brief
pause, before the actual brewing process
SaLeS & marKeTinG
begins. This helps to seep water through
the coffee evenly so it doesn’t channel. If
there’s uneven water flow, the resulting
espresso will be under extracted and weak.
If the espresso stream is not centered when
coming from the portafilter, or there are
multiple streams, channeling is occurring.
• Pressure: To “pull” a shot, there needs
to be about 9 bars of pressure. Scale in the
boiler can reduce this pressure over time.
Without the proper pressure, the shot will
be weak, thin and watery.
• Temperature: Scale or corrosion on
the probes, elements and heat exchanges
can make it more difficult to get the high
temperatures required both for extraction
and for frothing the milk.
Brewed coffee is really just steeped coarse-
ly ground beans. Extraction time for drip
coffee is typically four to five minutes. With
drip it’s important to avoid swelling of the
coffee grounds due to too long of an expo-
sure to the heated water or too low of a tem-
perature which results in poor extraction of
the oils. This could be caused by under filling
of the reservoir due to an inlet valve that is
stuck closed or leaks due to damaged gas-
kets, o-rings or cracked tubes. It could also
be the result of a scaled temperature probe.
Water is the primary ingredient of cof-
fee beverages, making up over 98 percent
of the product. It can have a significant
impact on the brewing cycle and ultimate
taste of the final product. A certain amount
of mineral in the water is necessary to pro-
duce a pleasant flavor and to aid the extrac-
tion of oils from the coffee bean. However,
certain minerals make the water “hard,”
which can be good and bad for the bever-
age. To ensure consistently great-tasting,
premium water, filtration is the best solu-
tion. We’ll pick up the discussion in the
next issue with part two. WT
Roy E. Parker is the senior marketing manager
for Pentair Foodservice, which includes the
brands Everpure and SHURflo. He’s been with
Pentair for five years and has helped to launch
new products, including the Claris softening
and filtration systems and the award winning
MRS 600 HE and HE II high efficiency reverse
osmosis systems, and new tools, such as the
SMARTWORKS™ and SMART OFFICE WATER
interactive water testing and analysis programs.
www.watertechonline.com • 33
reaDer SerVice PaGe

Circle number Advertiser Page number (do not circle) URL

205.........Aqua Systems Inc....................................................................... 1 ........................................www.aquasystems.com

Fast, 201.........Aqua Wholesale, Inc................................................................ 14 ......................................www.aquawholesale.net

Free
211.........Aries Filterworks ....................................................................... 31 ............................................ www.arieswater.com

215.........Axeon Water Technologies........................ Inside Front Cover .......................................... www.axeonwater.com

Product 222.........Better Health Lab, Inc. ............................................................... 8 ............................................... www.alkazone.com

Information 227.........Biocera ....................................................................................... 35 ................................................ www.biocera.co.kr

202.........Blue White Industries .............................................................. 35 ................................................www.bluwhite.com

To receive more
information 214.........Canature North America ............................ Inside Back Cover ...........................................www.canaturena.com

on products 217.........Charger Water Treatment Prod .............................................. 27 .......................................www.chargerwater.com

and services
206.........Der Vich ...................................................................................... 25 ..................................................www.dervich.com
in this issue
216.........H2O Filter Warehouse ................................................................ 3 ............................ www.h2ofilterwarehouse.com

CLICK 224.........H2O International Inc ................................................................. 8 .................................................www.h2ofilter.com

HERE 221.........Harwil Corporation ................................................................... 36 .................................................... www.harwil.com

207.........LeverEdge/ISPC ........................................................................ 21 ........................................www.theleveredge.com

218.........Myron L Company....................................................................... 9 ................................................... www.myronl.com

228.........National Testing Labs .............................................................. 15 ................................................... www.ntllabs.com

208.........Nelsen Corporation .................................................................. 29 ........................................... www.nelsencorp.com

225.........Prominent Systems .................................................................. 39 ........................................www.prominentinc.com

209.........QMP Inc ..................................................................................... 37 ................................................. www.qmpusa.com

210.........Resintech ..................................................................................... 7 .............................................. www.resintech.com

219.........Scalewatcher North America Inc ......................................... 23 .......................................www.scalewatcher.com

226.........Triple O Systems Inc ................................................................ 39 ................................................... www.tripleO.com

220.........UV Dynamics, Inc. .................................................................... 18 ..........................................www.uvdynamics.com

212.........Vontron Membrane Technology Co., Ltd ................................ 5 ..................................................www.vontron.com

213.........Water Quality Association ...................................................... 19 ......................................................... www.wqa.org

203.........Watts Water Quality & Conditioning Products .................... 17 ..................................................... www.watts.com

204.........Woongjin Chemical America Inc. ......................... Back Cover ................................................www.csmfilter.com

34 • Water Technology® • April 2011

 conTaminanT oF THe monTH

What it is:
• Copper (Cu) is a reddish, ductile metal that
occurs naturally in rock, soil, water, plants, sedi-
ment and air.
• It is typically dissolved in water as a divalent
cation (Cu+2).
• In small amounts, copper is an essential ele-
ment for living organisms, as a catalyst for produc-
ing enzymes.
• In ancient Rome, copper was principally mined
on Cyprus, hence the origin of the name of the
metal as Cyprium, “metal of Cyprus,” later short-
ened to Cuprum.
Occurrence:
• Copper is obtained for many industrial uses by
mining of copper ores and is widely used in copper
pipe and tubing. Cu compounds are also used for
pesticides and algae control.
• Natural copper levels in groundwater and sur-
face water is usually about 4 micrograms per liter
(parts per billion) or less.
• Drinking water may contain higher levels of
Copper
dissolved copper from corrosion of copper plumb-
ing. The level increases with corrosivity of the
water and contact time with the plumbing. Blue-
green stains on fixtures are a possible indicator of
high levels of copper.
• Copper, which can be discharged from waste-
water treatment plants, does not break down in the
environment.
Health effects:
• Exposure to high levels of copper can cause
gastrointestinal distress, including nausea and
vomiting. Long-term, excessive exposure is associ-
ated with liver damage and kidney disease.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
recommends dietary intake of copper not to
exceed 10 milligrams per day (mg/day) for adults.
• Copper is necessary in the diet in small
amounts. Recommended intake for adults (USDA)
is 1.0 to 1.6 mg/day.
Regulation:
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
(EPA) Primary Drinking Water maximum con-
taminant level goal for copper is 1.3 ppm. The
Secondary maximum (recommended to avoid
metallic taste or blue-green staining) is 1.0 ppm.
Water treatment:
• Copper levels, if present in water entering
the home, may be reduced at the point of entry by
water softening. If copper is present due to corro-
sion from the internal plumbing materials, the cop-
per corrosion may be controlled with a neutralizing
system or with a feed of passivating film creating
compounds such as polyphosphates or sodium
silicates at the point of entry.
• Point-of-use and point-of-entry (POU/POE)
products are considered to be the preferred meth-
od for copper removal, since most copper in drink-
ing water is the result of corrosion in the water
distribution and home plumbing systems.
• Pour through pitchers, reverse osmosis, dis-
tillation and POE cation exchange are effective
methods for reducing copper. WT
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Copper Development Association,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Water
Quality Association.

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www.watertechonline.com • 35
 cerTiFicaTion acTion Line
By The Water Quality Association (WQA)

Questions about
improving water quality
Answers to these questions appear
at the bottom of this page.
Certification Action Line features questions and answers typical of those
appearing in Water Quality Association (WQA) certification examinations.
Some answers may not satisfy everyone or every condition.

1. Ion exchange water softening decreases the 7. Trihalomethanes in drinking water present
following element(s) in the treated water: the following health risk:
a) calcium a) heart disease
b) chloride b) cancer
c) sodium c) high blood pressure
d) sulfide d) reduced IQs in children

2. An objectionable feature of manganese in 8. Drinking water is tested for coliform

water is _______. bacteria because these microorganisms
a) health hazard _______.
b) water hardness a) indicate the potential presence of
c) staining of fixtures pathogens
d) musty odor b) are disease-causing
c) cause gastrointestinal illness
3. Cloudiness caused by very minute particles d) can be analyzed with a field test kit
suspended in water is termed _______.
a) TDS 9. One part per million equals _______
b) color milligrams per liter.
c) bacteria a) 0.1
d) turbidity b) 1
c) 5
4. A granular media filter is designed to d) 10
reduce _______.
a) tannins 10. The drinking water treatment process
b) color that is designed to kill pathogens is
c) silica _______.
d) suspended solids a) sanitation
b) sterilization
5. Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in water c) disinfection
come from _______. d) oxidation
a) solvents
b) pesticides
c) fertilizers
d) corrosion

6. Trihalomethanes (THMs) in water come

from _______.
a) solvents and chlorine reactions
b) herbicides and chlorine reactions
c) decaying leaves’ residue and chlorine Answers:
reactions 1. a., 2. c., 3. d., 4. d., 5. a., 6. c., 7. b., 8. a., 9. b., 10. c.
Circle 221 d) divinyl benzene and chlorine reactions

36 • Water Technology® • April 2011

 Made in the USA

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ProFeSSor PoU/Poe
By David M. Bauman

For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Mercury, GAC, cartridge filters.

Professor PoU/Poe
This month’s topics:
radium = Ra 226 and Ra 228
Mercury removal, metals in city water, maximum contaminant level = MCL
GAC before softener, cartridge filters. Picocuries per liter = pCi/L
Granular activated carbon = GAC
milligrams per liter = mg/L

mercury removal
Q I have had a comprehensive water test on my home well water. I have slight-
ly elevated mercury, over the EPA level, and radium at half the EPA level.
pH is low but I use an acid neutralizer and water softener.
Do you have any ideas on this? I am a WQA member.
— Medford, N.J.

a It appears that you’re asking how to reduce the mercury level and
the radium level in your water.
Mercury exists in water in several different forms but the EPA has set a
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for inorganic mercury at 0.002 mil-
ligrams per liter (mg/L). Mercury can be reduced by technologies including
distillation, reverse osmosis (RO) and solid block precoat adsorption filters. Where the report does not list a contami-
Radium 226 and 228 have an EPA MCL of 20 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). nant, mercury for example, I’m assuming
Radium can be reduced by using standard cation exchange water softeners, that there was none detected.
RO and distillation. Water softeners have a large capacity for radium, greater Regarding your concern about sodium,
than for hardness, and can easily strip off the radium during sodium chloride be aware that all water does contain some
regeneration. sodium that is naturally-occurring.
It is not our policy as an unbiased indus-

metals in city water try trade publication to recommend spe-

cific companies; and, the possible treatment
techniques that apply are too numerous
Q I am looking for a system(s) to provide better drinking water for a whole-
house fed by city treated water. I would like as green a technology as possible.
to list here. I recommend that you visit
the website of Water Quality Association
We have copper pipes inside the entire house and would like to remove or reduce alumi-
(WQA) at wqa.org where you can go to
num, mercury, lead, fluoride, arsenic and chromium-6. I would like to remove or reduce
“consumer/residential” and then to “tech-
chlorine as well. We cannot add salt or sodium to our water for medical reasons.
nical bulletins” where you can find all
Can you direct me toward some companies?
the possible treatment techniques for each
— Cincinnati, Ohio
of the contaminants. The WQA and the
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) both
a Eighty-eight percent of Cincinnati water comes from surface water
sources and is treated by the Miller Plant. Twelve percent comes from
test and certify water treatment equipment
so you can look for manufacturers this way.
ground water wells and is treated by the Bolton Plant.
You should be receiving an annual report from the city that shows the level
of various contaminants and how they compare to the standards set by the Gac before
EPA. The latest report was published in 2010 using 2009 data. The EPA has
two lists: The Primary Drinking Water Regulations (these are things that are
softener
health concerns) and the Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (these are not
regulated because they are not considered health-related).
Q I am a water treatment dealer who
has recently added a more seasoned
I read this report and of the contaminants listed in your question only lead, professional to my staff. He insists that I should
chromium, chlorine and fluoride appear in it. None of these were above the max- put a tank of granular activated carbon (GAC)
imum limits set by the EPA under their Primary Drinking Water Regulations. after a treatment system (for example, a water
The Secondary list contains aluminum. softener and then a carbon tank). I feel this is

38 • Water Technology® • April 2011


backwards, that the carbon should be first to take
care of chlorine and other contaminants before
it gets to the main treatment. He says that you
don’t want to expose the GAC to the raw water
because this limits the life of the carbon. He
thinks the carbon would last less than five years;
I think it will work just fine at five years.
What is your opinion?
— New Mexico
a Since the water contains chlorine
I would install the activated carbon
first to protect the ion exchange resin from
decrosslinking and turning to mush. I have
seen resin that hasn’t lasted more than one
or two years on strongly chlorinated water.
On the other hand, resin can last 10 or
more years if the installation is far from the
treatment plant and the chlorine has been
reduced to a trace amount.
As to the life of the carbon, it all depends
on what’s in the water that can load up
Circle 225
the carbon. If the carbon’s only challenge
is chlorine then its capacity is very great.
Also, it is much less expensive to replace
carbon than resin.
cartridge filters
Q My company manufactures solar
water heaters that use copper and have
the heater exchanger located in a heavily insu-
lated enclosure. We are seeing a significant
increase in corrosion and leaking coming from
what we believe to be low pH aggressive water.
I was told that there is a simple canister that can
be fitted to the cold water supply to water heaters
that can prevent corrosion caused from low pH.
Where can I learn more about such products?
— Jacksonville, Fla.
a Yes, there are cartridge filters that
contain acid neutralizer materials.
However, these will not last very long if
ProFeSSor PoU/Poe
there is a high volume of water passing
through. Also, they will expire faster if the
pH is very low.
Seek a reputable water treatment dealer
who is a WQA member. They will know
about these products. Your application
may require a tank of acid neutralizer
instead of a cartridge. There are also phos-
phate products that help protect against
copper corrosion but most won’t be suited
to the hot water. WT
David M. Bauman, CWS-VI, CI, CCO, is techni-
cal editor of Water Technology® and a water
treatment consultant in Manitowoc, WI. He
can be reached by e-mail at: dp-bauman@
sbcglobal.net.
For past articles in this column and related articles,
go to www.watertechonline.com and enter key-
word “Professor.” To pose a question to “Professor
POU/POE,” go to www.watertechonline.com, click
“Ask the Professor” and follow instructions.
Circle 226
www.watertechonline.com • 39
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ment and/or bottled water businesses. Send a description and photo of the product to Editorial Director Rich DiPaolo at: rdipaolo@ntpmedia.com, or: Water Technology, 19 British American Blvd. West, Latham, NY 12110.

40 • Water Technology® • April 2011

 MARKETPLACE

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48 • Water Technology® • August 2010

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to reserve your ad space.

42 • Water Technology® • April 2011

 MARKETPLACE

Taking a chance on an unaudited media buy

could lead
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50 • Water Technology® • August 2010 www.watertechonline.com • 43

 www.dugan-meyers.com
W-1974
om
CLASSIFIEDS
865

Business Opportunity Equipment for Sale Employment Opportunity

!
Looking for Dealer Water Vending Machines
wn-
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who seeks an experienced Dealer Development machines and parts for sale. Machines Looking for a Great Opportunity?
Mac Rep in the Southeast. Must live in the come with all the top upgrades and are in
ice Southeast to qualify for this position. like new condition. Great low prices. Fast Growing, Recession Proof,
ead All inquiries will be treated as confidential. High Tech, White Collar Area.
ito- Call Peter in Florida at 772-403-5160 Thousands of New Homes Each Year
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W-6
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Moderate Climate, Mountains, Beaches,
www.watertechonline.com • 51 Golf, NASCAR. North Carolina has it all!
Lead Generation Employment Opportunity

Whatever your specialty, Residential,

Got Leads? Commercial, or Bottled Water,
Get Mac Leads! Wanted In If you have good experience,
Names and phone numbers of homeown-
ers responding to a water quality survey who
Jacksonville, FL With the desire to be even better,
You should talk to us!
asked to schedule a free water test. Mac
Leads are faxed or emailed to your office Experienced Water Treatment Installer
Contact Bob or Todd
daily; fresh and easier to set than most lead for 20 year old water treatment company.
Ph 919-878-0026
sources. Established in 1991. Exclusive territo- Service experience is required. Good
Fax 919-871-1090
ries per dealer. References available. Ask pay, benefits and Company Truck pro-
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W-16 W-20 W-22

Employment Opportunity

Water and Filtration Sales Consultant Position for the New York Market
DS Waters of America, Inc is a national and innovative leader in the Home & Office Delivery (HOD) bottled water industry and is the
largest bottled water company in the U.S. with offices in 40 states and over 5,500 employees

The Sales Consultant position will help grow our residential and commercial business to include Filtration and Bottled Water through
prospecting, networking, and lead development.

QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE:
• 1-3 years of Outside Sales Experience a Must
• Previous sales experience calling on new and existing business and/or residential accounts preferably with consumer products,
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• Experience in new business development, trade shows, and penetrating to increase market share
• Ability to work with remote supervision

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DS Waters of America, Inc offers a competitive compensation and benefits

package.
DS Waters of America, Inc is an equal opportunity employer.

All interested parties should forward your resume to htucker@water.com W-21

44 • Water Technology® • April 2011

 DON’T GET LEFT AT THE STATION!
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In the U.S.A. Call: In Canada Call:

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Golden Valley, MN Kitchener ON, Regina SK
Canature USA Inc. Canature North America Inc.
Circle 214
Circle 204