Feel Good Water Treatment

Feel Good Water Treatment

This week's feel-good news comes from Oregon-based Stutzman Services, who wrote an update on their water treatment project in Santa Familia, Belize. Back in 2021, when COVID-19 was in full swing and floods were causing havoc, the Stutzman crew traveled to Belize and set up a system to clean up river water for the whole village. This saved folks from having to choose between pricey bottled water or taking their chances with the dirty river.

Fast forward to now and there’s been some changes—the system is hooked up to city water instead of the river, which is a step up but still not drinkable without their filtration. The Stutzman team swapped in some fresh UV lamps (which need changing yearly) and ran some tests to make sure the water was bacteria-free. 

MORE: Stutzman has been working with Belize for a little bit now! Read more about their work in teaching the trade.

Breakdown of PFAS Tech

While there is tons of research and other information out there about treating PFAS in water, Minneapolis-based Robert B. Hill Co recently published an article that simplifies it all. Here's a rundown of the key technologies they covered:

• Activated carbon filtration: Reliable workhorse for longer-chain PFAS. Good for point-of-entry and point-of-use systems, but needs regular media replacement.

• Ion exchange resins: Effective for a wider PFAS range. Popular in industrial and municipal settings, though operational costs can be steep.

• High-pressure membranes: Includes nanofiltration and RO. Highly effective, even on short-chain PFAS, but energy-intensive and produces concentrated waste streams.

• Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs): Uses oxidants or UV to break down PFAS. Promising for actual destruction of the compounds, but still costly and energy-hungry.

• Emerging tech: Keep an eye on enzymatic degradation and bioremediation. These could offer more cost-effective, sustainable solutions down the line.

The article notes that while we have solid options, each has its trade-offs in terms of effectiveness, cost, and waste management. Future developments will likely focus on boosting efficiency and bringing down operational costs, a plus for the entire industry.

Removing Chlorine in FL

Tampa Bay’s Purity Bay recently wrote about removing chlorine from drinking water in Florida. The piece explains that while chlorine kills harmful bacteria in municipal water, it can create potentially dangerous byproducts when mixed with organic matter. This is especially important in Florida's hot climate, where people tend to drink more water. Purity Bay promotes their 10-Stage Whole Home Processor as a solution, saying it removes chlorine and 16 other common chemicals found in Florida water.

Best Shower Water Filters

While we don’t talk about shower filters much on the ‘Treats, a recent article from the New York Magazine caught our eye. The piece dives into expert recommendations for top shower filtration options and breaks down the two main filter types: in-line and all-in-one models. Many of the highlighted filters use familiar technology - KDF-55 and activated carbon - to tackle chlorine, bacteria, and other contaminants. Brands like Sprite, Berkey, Aquasana, Culligan, and Kohler get mentioned, offering a range of options from about $30 to $165.

What else is happening:

• In what appears to be a promo piece, Mens Journal writes about the Waterdrop Filter X16 and the mineral-rich water it delivers

• West coast-based Puretec Industrial Water releases a guide to ASTM High Purity Water Quality Standards

• Aqua Finance writes why they think water treatment systems can increase a home’s value

• Wolverine Water Systems, located in Michigan and Indiana, asks and answers “Should I Drink Alkaline Water?” (short answer: the research in inconclusive)

• Palm Beach Water Purification releases an FAQ page for saltless water softeners