Water Quality

Watts now offers its innovative OneFlow anti-scale system for home applications, in 8-, 12- and 16-gallon-per-minute models.

OneFlow uses no salt and generates no waste water and requires no backwashing or regeneration or electricity. Its compact design saves space compared to traditional water softeners.

OneFlow uses a physical water treatment technology known as TAC, template-assisted crystallization. When water comes into contact with the OneFlow media, calcium and magnesium minerals in the water collect and combine, forming microscopic crystals. These inert crystals break away as they grow and remain suspended in the water and move harmlessly through plumbing, unable to form hard scale inside pipes or on appliances because of the physical OneFlow treatment.

FLINT, MI — Members of Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) hit the streets Saturday 300 strong to install donated faucets and other plumbing in homes of residents affected by Flint’s water crisis.

PMI members gathered at 7 a.m. at the UA Local 370 Union Hall, located at 5500 West Pierson Road in Flushing, on Saturday, Jan. 30. The members took the donated faucets and supplies, as well as Brita water filters provided by the state before beginning work in houses and apartment buildings throughout Flint.

“PMI is proud to join with its members and the UA to put our vision of safe, responsible plumbing into action,” said Barbara C. Higgens, PMI CEO and executive director in a statement. “We appreciate the generosity of our members, the UA plumbers, IAPMO and everyone else that is helping to assure safe drinking water for the residents of the Flint area.”

The 300 plumbers are from local unions from across the country.

Plumbers Kevin Kinasz, of Bridgeport, and Rob Johnson of Swartz Creek assisted a number of Flint residents with donated faucet installation, including Lawanda Asa.

Asa, 70, said she is grateful to have so much help, not only from the plumbers, but the country on the full for the city she calls home.

“People from all over the country, Canada, Cher, tons of organizations are sending trucks loads of waters and filters to us. I’ve even lost count on how many people are sending us water,” she said. “It just goes to show how giving American people are. People that don’t even know us, have never heard of flint before are at our side. We’re so very blessed that the American people have such big hearts.”

The humanitarian effort was coordinated by PMI and the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA). The hundreds of faucets and other plumbing supplies to be installed in Flint homes were donated by PMI.

The types of faucets donated by PMI members include American Standard Inc., Delta Faucet Co., Kohler Co., Moen Inc., and Speakman Co.

Source: Hundreds of plumbers install faucets, plumbing supplies at Flint homes | MLive.com

Certain plumbing design choices and building contractor practices can promote the growth of microorganisms in new plumbing systems. This can lead to corrosion of metals, increased metals concentration in the drinking water, holes in pipe walls, and waterborne illnesses. Basic steps can prevent the problem from occurring in the first place.

INTRODUCTION TO DISASTER

The story is repeated over and over. Occupants of a new building notice either discolored water coming from the water faucets or a “rotten egg” odor coming from the hot water.

Typically, what will happen next is that the plumbing contractor, realizing that corrosion is occurring, will pull the sacrificial anode rod from the hot water storage tank. The rod in a hot water storage tank is there to slowly corrode over many years, with the rod’s metallic properties diverting the flow of electrons to sacrifice itself to corrosion and protect the storage tank. But, in these cases, the anode rod has greatly corroded over a few weeks or months. The plumbing contractor will replace the rod, only to see the new rod corrode quickly again.

Stray electrical currents or the connection of dissimilar metals are then blamed for the system-wide corrosion. Wires are added to connect various parts of the piping system for diverting electrons to a different path.

The problem persists.

MICROORGANISMS AT WORK

What most people don’t know is that the problem is of microbiological origin. Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) has not been appropriately understood or acknowledged in the drinking water industry—in municipal water systems or in plumbing systems.

Microorganisms are everywhere, and there are many different types of them. Some directly cause human illness and some do not. All waterborne microorganisms can grow into out-of-control populations when there are long periods of water stagnation or low flow and when disinfection chemicals are in inadequate concentrations. Under such conditions, microorganisms attach to plumbing system surfaces, both metal and non-metal. The microorganisms secrete an enzyme that forms a protective barrier around them, and they begin to multiply. This buildup of enzyme and microorganism colonies on surfaces is called a biofilm.

The biofilm is acidic and can create conditions at the pipe wall that allow metal to corrode. Metals that the plumbing sys- tem is made of, such as copper, iron, and even lead, have been found to corrode and their concentrations found to be increased in the drinking water when biofilms are present. Pinhole leaks in copper pipes have also been found. In addition, lower doses of chlorine and other disinfectants cannot reach the microorganisms protected in the biofilms. Instead, disinfectants get used up by reactions with the surface of the biofilms. This creates the environment for the growth of microorganisms that cause human illness if they are accidentally introduced into the water system.

Once a biofilm is firmly in place in a plumbing system, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to remove. It cannot be flushed with high-velocity water because the required water flows and pressures cannot be achieved in plumbing systems. The biofilm cannot be removed by disinfection because many modern plumbing materials, such as PEX® piping, cannot come in contact with the high concentrations of disinfection that are needed.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN PLUMBING DESIGN

Proper plumbing design is the first line of defense against the growth of microorganisms in a plumbing system. In general, in water with low or no disinfection, whenever an excessive quantity of water is stored and excessive surface area is available in the plumbing system, microorganisms can get the upper hand and form biofilms.

Plumbing designers should carefully plan the capacity of the water system. In modern plumbing systems, the high hot waterflow demands of large bathtubs and Jacuzzis control the plumbing system design. This leads to installation of large water softeners and hot water storage tanks which are oversized for typical water usage in the building when the tubs are not in use. This creates a long residence time for water inside the plumbing system.

Another area where biofilm development is typically found is in hot water recirculation systems. In larger residences and buildings, hot water is re-circulated between the faucets throughout the building and the storage tank in order to provide water at the desired elevated temperature immediately when a faucet is opened. The recirculation piping adds extra storage of water and residence time in the plumbing system and helps spread microorganisms from a location of biofilm development to other parts of the hot water system.

Water conservation devices also increase the time that water spends in the plumbing system.

Water treatment devices cause issues in that many remove disinfection from the water, provide a large volume of water storage, and provide greatly increased surface area on the treatment media, such as on physical filters, granular activated carbon, and softener resin.

There is no room in this article to discuss plumbing design details. Just be aware in plumbing design that disinfected water should flow in the plumbing system with minimum residence time and minimum surface area contact.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES DURING CONSTRUCTION

Construction of a building takes months and sometimes over a year or more. During this time, any water that has been introduced into the water service line and the interior plumbing system is stagnating in the pipelines and forming biofilms. Building contractors need to be aware of this. Routine flushing and disinfection of all on-site pipelines should be performed. The disinfection concentration, and even the microbiological activity, can be measured and documented to show that no problems occurred under the building contractor’s watch.

Although there are many details that can help prevent microorganism growth, generally be aware that flushing, disinfection, and monitoring can prevent the growth of microorganisms and the development of biofilms in the piping system.

SUMMARY

Everyone involved in the design and construction of buildings should be aware that microorganisms can and do significantly affect water quality in plumbing systems and can even weaken the pipe itself. Modern plumbing systems with large bathtubs, increased use of water treatment devices, materials of construction that cannot come in contact with high disinfection concentrations, and water conservation devices contribute to the likelihood that microorganisms will grow in the plumbing system and form biofilms on pipe and tank surfaces.

Plumbing designers can do their part in preventing the growth of microorganisms and the development of biofilms by minimizing the residence time of water in the plumbing system and the surface area that the water contacts. Building con- tractors can do their part by routinely flushing the pipelines, disinfecting the water, and documenting disinfection concentration and microbiological activity.

Bio

Abigail Cantor is the founder of Process Research Solutions, LLC, a chemical engineering consulting firm specializing in drinking water quality issues.

Contact Info

Phone: 608-233-3011

Email: info@processresearch.net

Website: ProcessResearch.net

Ecolab Equipment Care and Green Turtle Americas Announce Exclusive Distribution Partnership

Company’s Equipment Care division becomes sole vendor and installer of Green Turtle’s Retroceptor™ and Microceptor™ in-kitchen wastewater treatment solutions

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Oct. 29, 2013 – Ecolab’s Equipment Care division and Green Turtle Americas have formed an exclusive distribution agreement to provide innovative in-kitchen wastewater treatment solutions to the U.S. restaurant and food service industry. Through the partnership, Green Turtle’s line of Retroceptor™ under-sink grease interceptors and Microceptor™ drain-line coffee ground interceptors will be sold and installed exclusively by Ecolab’s Equipment Care division.

“Ecolab customers appreciate innovative solutions that solve specific pain-points within their operations, and the in-kitchen wastewater treatment solutions we are offering with Green Turtle do just that,” said Mike Goede, vice president of Sales and Service, Ecolab Equipment Care. “This distribution partnership extends our product and service portfolio and will help food service establishments throughout the U.S. increase wastewater pre-treatment compliance and improve operational efficiency.”

Green Turtle’s certified Retroceptor grease interceptors have been engineered to efficiently treat greasy wastewater at the source, in the kitchen. Retroceptor systems eliminate drain-line blockages and help reduce the occurrence of sanitary sewer overflows. They deliver improved water quality to comply with local effluent regulations.

Microceptor drain-line coffee ground interceptors install easily under the sink to keep lines free from coffee ground build-up and help eliminate sink back-ups, preventing costly emergency plumber calls and drain-line maintenance.

About Ecolab

A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With 2012 sales of $12 billion and 44,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world.

About Green Turtle

Green Turtle works with commercial and industrial customers to deliver innovative rainwater harvesting and wastewater pre-treatment solutions with industry-leading warranties. Their systems are flexible, easy to install and simple to maintain. Visit them at www.greenturtletech.com or call them at (877) 428-8187 (USA) or 1-877-966-9444 (Canada).