The quality of drinking water can change from day-to-day, season to season. Even if your water is safe today many factors can cause contamination at any time. For example, ordinary events like heavy rainfall, melting snow, agricultural runoff, and industrial pollution can lead to contaminants entering wells or surface water sources.
Not all water disinfection methods are created equal. For example, chemicals can be both dangerous to handle and potentially dangerous to the environment. Also, some waterborne microorganisms are chlorine-resistant. Reverse osmosis wastes on average three gallons of water for every one gallon it purifies, and is no longer recognized as a barrier to microbiological contamination. Filters can improve taste, however, they do not treat the contaminants. An option today that addresses all these issues is Ultraviolet (UV) Water Treatment.
UV technology is a simple, effective technology for treating drinking water. It is a clean, natural technology that produces no wastewater and does not add undesirable by-products to the water you drink and bathe in. It is chemical-free, economical and energy efficient, easy to install and maintain, and addresses a broader range of pathogens than chlorine.
Main components of typical UV Water Treatment System
- Pre-treatment filter(s). The golden rule for UV filtration is you must filter out particles greater than 5 microns prior to the UV treatment. This is most commonly done by having the water pass through one or two filters prior to the dosing by the UV lamp.
- Reactor chamber. The reactor chamber houses the UV lamp and sleeve.
- UV lamp.
- Quartz sleeve. A long, cylindrical tube of quartz glass protecting the UV lamp. The lamp is inserted into the tube, and transmits light through the tube into the water.
- Controller unit (also called a ballast). The brains of the entire UV System that controls electrical output of the lamp.
How does UV Treatment Work?
Water is treated as it runs through the reactor chamber. As the water flows past the lamp, the microbes in the water receive a lethal dose of UV. The water is then safe to drink.
The UV treatment process is a quick physical process where the UV light mutates and/or degrades DNA. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the part of the cell that gives an organism its instructions on how to function and reproduce. When the DNA is damaged, the organism becomes unable to function because its “instructions” are garbled or missing. An organism that has no instructions cannot function and reproduce, and cannot cause infection. It is rendered harmless and eventually dies.
Many different factors can affect the required UV dose and the ability of the UV to deactivate organisms in the water. Call us today at RC Worst & Company to discuss the right system to meet your needs.