Jim- i really appreciate you taking the time to help us out here in South Florida. We briefly met in Dallas MACNA a few years ago at the hotel. Hope you enjoyed this last one. Our group put it together. I was too busy running around as one of the organizers so didnt see you guys here.
A few questions and comments.
You say change filters earlier if <50psi. Where is this measured? I have a guage at the input into the whole unit. Should I/ we be putting a guage at the input to the RO?
No i only did ONE test of my ro/di water. But, i JUST did a second and third test and got ZERO pink. Interesting.
Yes Jim- i also have seen memos and advisories from local municipalities of them "shocking" their systems. So it is pretty common down here.
Again thanks for helping us out with your expertise. For folks like us, what package do you recommend from your products that will give us a long lasting (im fine with 6 months) result? I cant remember the kit a bought from you 2 months ago, other than it was one of your chloramine kits.
Regards,
Eddie
Eddie we did briefly talk at your MACNA but you head was spinning, by the way you guys did a great job that we be hard to beat!!
I did a little research and here is what shocking involves, we always knew they switched back and forth between chloramines and chlorine but didn't know it was for a purpose.
Why does our water provider change back to chlorine as the disinfectant every spring while the water mains are flushed?
Every year for approximately six weeks, we switch disinfectants from chloramine back to chlorine to flush out the water distribution system and improve water quality. A biological film, known as biofilm, is found in all water pipes and can lead to water quality problems if not controlled. Biofilm can become accustomed to the chloramine disinfectant that is routinely used. By switching to free chlorine for a short period of time, the biofilm is "œshocked" and weakened. Using fire hydrants to conduct a systemwide flushing of our distribution mains, combined with the disinfectant change, is a very effective method for controlling biofilm; this process is used nationwide.
Some utilities in warmer climates, as part of their normal operating procedure, will perform a temporary super-chlorination (or shock) of their water systems to wash out any residue or biofilm.
Biofilm Control
The characteristics of the source water often have a direct impact on the tendency to form biofilms. Ground water sources tend to contain iron or sulfur reducing bacteria that can become attached to sites within the distribution system, where they form a tubercule. The tubercule will tend to capture nutrients and consume chlorine residual. Nitrifying bacteria can then form an outer layer over the reducing bacteria. Nitrifying bacteria include
nitrosomas, which convert ammonia to nitrite. Excess free ammonia in the system will accelerate this process, whether the excess ammonia is from natural sources or liberated from chloramine as a result of chlorine consumption by reducing bacteria and other microbial contaminants. Ammonia oxidizing bacteria produce organic by products, which can then support an additional heterotrophic layer attached to the tubercule site. These heterotrophic bacteria include pseudomonas, coliforms, fungi, and actinomyces. When heterotrops become established, disinfectant residual can rapidly become exhausted.
Surface waters can also contribute iron or sulfur reducing bacteria or nitrifying bacteria that can become attached to distribution surfaces. Because surface water is more likely to be chloraminated, oxidizing bacteria have a readily available source of ammonia and can easily become established without initial assistance from reducing bacteria tubercule.
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If heterotrops become established, a shock of high concentration free chlorine exposure may be required to eliminate the biofilm.
I see a lot of misguided information being passed here but I can't keep posting as RC will remove my posts and put me on notice because I am a business and sponsor.
Jim
