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Worried About Water Contamination? You Need Ultraviolet Water Purification!

ultraviolet water purification

Here in Canada, we have abundant water supplies: according to one recent estimate, an estimated 7 percent of the world’s freshwater resources are located here!

While we are unlikely to face the type of water shortage crises taking place in Cape Town and elsewhere around the world, we are still just as vulnerable to water contamination as any other nation.

In dense urban areas like Toronto, there is an ongoing push to replace aging water pipes before they expose residents to contamination.

But getting out of the city isn’t always the answer, either. In First Nations communities nationwide, boil-water advisories are the only reliable method of ensuring clean drinking water.

Here in the Muskoka and surrounding areas, we are not immune to rising concerns about water contamination. The impact of ongoing climate change combined with aging water delivery and treatment systems and the ever-present threat of global unrest places the responsibility for water safety squarely in our own laps.

In this post, learn how you can take charge of your own water purity and safety with ultraviolet water purification systems.

What Is Ultraviolet Water Treatment?

All the human ingenuity on this planet still hasn’t been able to develop any purification technology that surpasses good old-fashioned ultraviolet light! As it turns out, our own sun really is the ultimate purifier.

But what we have learned from science is that UV band C is the strongest and most purifying band of light the sun produces (the other two bands are the more familiar A and B). Ordinarily, the super-strong band C is blocked by the protective ozone layer that surrounds Earth.

In the context of an ultraviolet water treatment system, concentrated UV-C is used to purify your water from harmful agents such as bacteria, heavy metals, chlorine, microorganisms and other toxins.

How Does Ultraviolet Water Treatment Work?

Ultraviolet band-C light is classified as “germicidal.” This means it can render germs and toxins inert—unable to harm you. UV-C does this by literally damaging the DNA of the germ agent so it can’t replicate or cause harm.

There are four main components to a typical ultraviolet water treatment system. These are the reactor chamber, the lamp, the sleeve and the controller. Together, these four components can purify your water of toxins up to 99.9 percent.

The Importance of Water Pre-Treatment

Many more homeowners today understand the concept of ultraviolet water purification, how it works and even why it works.

But there is still a lot of confusion about what can cause ultraviolet water purification systems not to work.

In order for UV-C light to purify your water of germs and toxins, it must be able to permeate your water source completely.

This requires a relatively translucent water source. Any discoloration or impurities caused by suspended solids, minerals, tannins, chemical additives and other sources can give germs a safe place to hide from ultraviolet light, passing un-detected through to your tap and then into your glass and into your body.

Discolored water is generally called “turbid” water. If your water at its source looks dark or cloudy, it probably has a high level of turbidity that could help toxins evade the reach of purifying ultraviolet light. Over time, turbid water can also cloud the ultraviolet lamp to further impede delivery of UV-C light.

When this occurs—and it is much more common than you may think—what you need is to pre-treat your water before it reaches your ultraviolet water purification system. The type of pre-treatment will depend on the softness or hardness of your local water and other factors contributing to turbidity.

What Type of Maintenance Does a UV Purification System Require?

Once your new ultraviolet water purification system is installed, you can put it out of your mind for the most part.

The one exception is an annual maintenance checkup to be sure all is working as it should be. In particular, pay attention to two components: the ultraviolet lamp (light source) and the sleeve (housing for the lamp).

The lamp needs to be changed out once per year to be sure the UV-C light band is emitting at full strength. Over time, UV lamps emit less ultraviolet light, even though you won’t be able to tell just by looking at your lamp that the UV-C output has decreased. Making a note to change your lamp every twelve months will ensure you remain safe from waterborne toxins.

You also need to be sure the sleeve housing is clear and free of turbidity or build-up that obscures transmission of the UV-C light band. You don’t necessarily need to replace the sleeve—there are several products that can clean away mineral build-up and discoloration and leave the housing good as new again.

However, if the build-up is to a point where cleaning products are not fully effective, replacing the sleeve is the safest option to avoid impurities sneaking through into your household water supply.

Installing an Ultraviolet Water Purification System

We proudly carry the VIQUA line of professional and whole home ultraviolet water purification systems to meet the needs of our residential and commercial clients.

Our systems can handle 12 gpm (gallons per minute) and 22 gpm flow rates. VIQUA water purification systems are effective against bacteria, microorganisms, chlorine, heavy metals, water cloudiness and turbidity.

Our VIQUA whole home integrated ultraviolet water purification systems operate at 12 gpm and are designed with the water purification needs of the residential homeowner in mind.

Our professional VIQUA system operates at 22 gpm and is designed to meet the needs of commercial and residential clients who need a certified ultraviolet water purification system.

Get in Touch

Contact us online or give us a call at 1-877-885-3403 to learn more about our professional and whole home integrated VIQUA ultraviolet water treatment systems.

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