We have pinhole leaks in our pipes and green stains on our fixtures and bath from copper corrosion. Our pH is 6.2. My wife is worried about bacteria, as we are in a farming area and our neighbors have a lot of cows who graze near our well. What do you suggest?
Fred in Missouri
Hello Fred,
Thanks for emailing. Since the raw water pH is 6.2, I would recommend a standard Calcite (Calcium Carbonate) neutralizer system. This would raise it up to between 7 and 7.5, making it neutral. Many customers with this type of water used to have blue-green stains from copper pipe corrosion, or metallic tastes to the water and after installing the neutralizer see their blue stains disappear within a few weeks.
The Neutralizer filter comes with everything you need including necessary Calcite media and simple installation instructions. Any plumber or person familiar with basic plumbing can install them.
Our NSF certified 5900E series of professional-grade filter systems feature high-flow rates with a minimum of pressure loss, feature automatic controls for backwashing, and are quite Maintenance free. The following will provide images, product links, as well as a brief description on the system as recommended.
Note the following size is a 1.0 cubic foot tank which works well for most homes with up to 2 and a half bathrooms, but we also offer smaller and larger sizes of systems too.
Regarding the bacteria, I’ve included a recommendation on a UV system which you could use to disinfect your water.
Another note about low pH: In addition to corroding your copper pipes, a low pH also interferes with proper iron oxidation and removal. For the majority of iron removal medias on the market, iron and manganese can’t really be taken out very well with a low pH. To raise your low pH, a calcite Neutralizer Filter would neutralize the pH and eliminate the corrosive effects of the water.
Calcite Neutralizer 5900e 1.0 CF
Price includes FREE Shipping & free pH test kit to be sure of correct operationIncludes all Calcite media necessary to get up and running with shipment
Dimensions: 10" diameter x 51" height ¾" or 1” pipe size bypass is included
http://www.cleanwaterstore.com/NF004860.html#tab=tab1
Excellent warranty: 10 years on the filter tank; 5 years on the control valve.
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OPTIONAL for Sand Removal and Valve protection:
Rusco Spin Down Filter, PE, ¾” or 1”, 60 Mesh size
Rusco Spin Down Filter Polyester Screen T Style: 1" Pipe Size, 1" SxS Port (Slip x Slip, for PVC pipes or glued connections), 100 Mesh (152 Microns). Includes 1/2" manual flush ball valve. Rusco Spin-Down Sediment Filters are highly flexible filters designed to be utilized in a wide variety of applications. If will be used where housing is exposed to sunlight, include optional sunshield, cost is slightly extra for this.
http://www.cleanwaterstore.com/MS006630.html#tab=tab1
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UV Treatment:
Wonderlight UV Sterilizer GN-15: 15 GPM - NSF Certified
Kill bacteria and viruses without the use of chlorine or other chemicals! 15 gallons per minute maximum flow rate recommended. Inlet and outlet is 1 inch NPT. Heavy-duty 304 stainless steel UV is suitable for water pressures up to 100 PSI. Two end caps make it easy to access the lamp for changing from either end; not one end like some UV sterilizers. Convenient external ballast and power supply makes installation easy.
Dimensions: 3 inches diameter x 36 inches length. Certified by the National Safety Foundation for reliability and performance.
UV lamp is rated for 9,000 hours which is approximately one year of continuous operation.
http://www.cleanwaterstore.com/UV002370-p-wonder-light-uv.html
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Below is a schematic diagram showing how the system that we recommend should be set up:
