Ask The Water Doctor

Salt-Free Water Softener. Salt-Free Water Conditioner.  There are several companies selling their products on the Internet who call their salt-free water treatment systems “water softeners” or “water conditioners.”  In a previous post, I discussed how using the terms “softener” or “conditioner” are inherently misleading at the least, and deliberately deceptive at the worst.  To my knowledge THERE ARE NO “SALT-FREE WATER SOFTENERS OR  CONDITIONERS!  When you talk to these purveyors of salt-free systems you begin to realize how the lure of the dollar clouds their thinking and allows them to justify or rationalize their claims.  Where I am from, false claims are simply called “lies.”  No need to sugar-coat it, if it’s not true.

While I have been involved in water treatment for nearly 40 years and have been certified in numerous techniques and disciplines, I must admit that I do not know it all, so if you are an internet marketer of salt-free water softeners or conditioners and can prove your claims, here’s your chance to prove me wrong.  Supply the proof to back up these claims that I took word-for-word from your websites:

You will find that the performance detergents will improve dramatically with the our system in place and you will be able to reduce your detergent use between 40-60% compared to untreated water.

The easy solution for hard water problems…Soap will lather easier. Detergent and soap amounts can be reduced 25% or more depending on water hardness levels.

Your clothes will last longer by reducing the damaging effects of hard water.

Soap will continue to lather efficiently, although in some cases the lather will be better with a salt type water softener.

Use 50% Less Detergents for Whiter or Brighter Clothes

Clothes become softer, cleaner, brighter and last longer while requiring less detergent.

Personally, I believe that all of the above claims are bogus, untrue and false, but it is not up to me to prove them false – it’s up to you to prove them true!  I believe that many unsuspecting consumers are being duped into believing these claims are true.  One of the most effective ways of trying to convince people to buy your product is through the use of testimonials.  The “lunatic fringe” is rife with testimonials as to aliens, UFO’s and amazing medical cures.  Let’s not forget that the “placebo effect” is incredibly powerful which is why drug companies have to use “double-blind” studies.

I do believe that there are salt-free products that do a very credible job of preventing scale (obviously some are much better than others, but that’s another issue), however I do not believe any of the claims about saving soap, prolonging life of clothing and making clothes whiter and brighter.  That is not just an educated guess, but is based upon testing in the laboratory and actual field testing.   You can readily identify what companies are involved in propagating these falsehoods.  I am going to tell you how:

1. They usually sell one product.  Oh, they may package it different ways, but they really sell one product and “one size fits all.”
2. What they say on their websites may sound good, but wait until your hear their claims on the telephone.  Ask if you can record it, and see how fast they hang-up.
3. They are high on “testimonials” but low on scientific evidence.
4. They have pages and pages of “support” material on their websites, but what does it really say?  You end up confused and feel like you have read “War and Peace.”
5. They never ask about a real detailed water analysis (which is like a doctor treating you without any tests, X-rays or MRI’s).
6. Most are not real “water treatment specialists” but have very narrow amount of experience only in their own product knowledge.

Salt-Free Water Treatment Systems are not for everyone and do not work well on some types of water.  My advise is that to find a system that works, you should look for the following:

1. Look for a company that does “full-line water treatment” and has Certified Water Specialist who can handle a myraid of water problems.
2. Ask to see scientific proof of what they say.  Forget the testimonials (many come from the lunatic fringe).
3. Don’t get “brain overload.”  If it doesn’t have scientific validity, forget it!
4. If they say it uses less soaps and makes the clothes cleaner, run as fast as you can.
5. If it sounds too good to be true – IT IS!
6. It’s your money – spend it on a product that works and people who are honest!

By Mark S. Timmons, CWS-VI, CI, CSR – aka/”The Water Doctor”

For the past several months, I have been troubled by the way salt-free water treatment systems have been marketed by manufacturers and their dealers.  After considerable thought, what I am about to write should be welcomed by the  ”legitimate” ethical manufacturers and dealers, but may cause me to be scorned by the unethical, fly-by-night operators, and the out-and-out charlatans.  If you are a manufacturer or dealer, how you respond to what I write, will speak volumes about your ethics and legitimacy, and will ultimately define the legacy of your company.

I.  SOFTENER OR CONDITIONER OR NEITHER?

First of all, I am going to address the issue I think most “ethical” persons agree with – that salt-free devices which purport to create “seed crystals” or form clusters of calcium and magnesium ions, but do not actually take the calcium and magnesium out of the water can not possibly called water “softeners.”  “Soft” water is created when a “hard” mineral such as calcium and magnesium is replaced with a “soft” mineral, such as sodium or potassium.  To date, ion-exchange is the only cost-effective, practical way to soften water.  I will take it a step further and say that I believe anyone who calls a salt-free scale-prevention device a water “softener” is either naive, deliberately deceptive,or is in fact, a charlatan.

Consumers, if you are looking at any salt-free system, whether it be magnetic, electronic, RF (radio frequency) or systems with media to prevent scale, and that company calls it a “softener,”  you should stop looking at that company and RUN, because in my opinion, they are intent upon deceiving you or are ignorant of the facts and are not true water professionals.  TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NO SALT-FREE DEVICE THAT IS A SOFTENER. If there is, here is your opportunity to prove it to the world.  Contact this blog and show me!  If not, you are no longer ignorant and you should remove the word “softener” from all your advertising and sales tactics.

Some of us have rationalized that while they are not “softeners” they are “conditioners,” because they “condition” the water.   Using that same rationale, would mean dumping cow manure into the water is also “conditioning.”    I confess, I used to call it “conditioning” as well, but I now believe that too is deceptive.    Here’s why:  most people think of a water softener and a water conditioner as the same thing, and the use of the word “conditioner” conjures up those same thoughts of better sudsing, less soap, cleaner, whiter and brighter clothes and even the “slick” feeling of soft water.  NONE OF THAT IS TRUE, which leads into my next point.

II.  LESS SOAP, MORE SUDS, CLEANER, WHITER & BRIGHTER CLOTHES?  NOT!

This is going to be a short section.  Look, you can find consumers who will say that, but the “lunatic fringe” may also say they have talked to people in spaceships.  There is also the “placebo effect” wherein people want to believe it does all that.  The empirical evidence says otherwise!  I do not know of a single Salt-Less or Salt-Free or No-Salt system that causes you to uses less soap or detergents, and that will make your clothes whiter and brighter.  Again, if I am wrong – here is your chance to prove it.  Otherwise, you should remove the false, deceptive and mis-leading statements from your web sites and literature.   Most of all, you should remove it from your sales “culture.”

III.  SO WHAT DO WE CALL THEM?

Now, you might ask, “if we can’t call then a “softener” or a “conditioner,” what do we call them?” CALL THEM WHAT THEY ARE:  Scale Prevetion Devices.  TELL THE TRUTH! It’s no more or no less.  Many people do not want to use salt or carry heavy bags.  Some people do not want any salt in their water.  If your product truly prevents scale and if there is some type of carbon filtration component to it, then call it a “Scale Prevention & Chemical Removal System” – that is what it does.  That is a fact!  Now, it’s also a fact that some products work better than others, and before Uncle Sam gets involved, because the salt-free industry has no regulation, all the manufacturers should get together and agree on some type of testing protocol… unless they really are charlatans!

Is the company whose product you are thinking of purchasing a true “water treatement company” or are they just “one trick pony?”  In other words, do they sell just one-type of product, such as a radio frequency device, or are they truly someone who is qualified to treat any water problem.  There is no one “black box” that solves every water problems and there are many companies whose products have very limited validity.

MY FINAL WORDS ARE:  LET THE BUYER BEWARE!

The world of salt-free water treatment is constantly evolving with more and more companies joining the fray.  Some companies are selling their products the right way (explaining how it works and not engaging in hyperbole), while others are not so “above-board” in their tactics.  I would encourage anyone who is looking to go “salt-free” to think about whether the company they are considering is  really a “water treatment company” or just a company that is interested in selling a salt-free product and little else.  There is no “black box”, that solves all water problems, but if you are dealing with a “full-line” water treatment company, you generally can rest assured that they have the expertise to know which product to apply to specific water problems. 

The fact of the matter is that there is water which is conducive to salt-free systems, and water where you would ABSOLUTELY NOT want to use a “salt-free” system.   I do think it would be good to consider the definition of “conditioner” and “softener” because many companies are calling their product “salt-free water softeners” and to my knowledge, a salt-free water “softener” has never been invented!  There are salt-free water “conditioners” however.  What’s the big deal about using softener or conditioner?   Here’s the difference:

• A “softener” softens the water by removing the calcium and magnesium (“hard” minerals that form scale) and replacing them with sodium (which is a “soft” mineral that does not form scale).
• A “conditioner” simply conditions the water so that the calcium and magnesium will not form scale, but does not remove it.

Here’s the rub – there are lots of devices on the market that claim to be softeners or conditioners – some work well and some do not work at all!  How do you differentiate?  Well, if a company only sells “one technology” or product, I would pass on that company.  That would be like going to a doctor who only prescribes one drug regardless of the disease.    THERE IS NO ONE DEVICE OR “BLACK BOX” THAT SOLVES ALL WATER PROBLEMS!  IF SOMETHING SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT USUALLY IS!  Claims that salt-free conditioners will greatly reduce soap usage are simply untrue.  I would challenge any company that sells salt-free systems to prove that.  Take two flasks of water, one conditioned and one not treated, and add a like amount of pure liquid soap to the water and see if there is any difference.  There is not! 

If you look at salt-free conditioners (or softeners) on the internet, you can find some amazing claims.  One major seller of these systems, which they call “water softeners”  claims this: 

(I think that this can easily be shown to be untrue).  DO THE SOAP TEST!  Hey, I am open to being shown that I am wrong.  I have been wrong before, so if they disagree with me or think I am wrong, then the ball is in their court.  I do think it is deceptive to call these devices “water softeners” because they do not soften the water.   This same company claims that their  system has met DVGW-512, but unlike nextScaleStop (used in the GreenWave systems as well), there is no percentage of scale reduction stated.  The nextScaleStop media’s report shows a 99.6% reduction in scale.   What is their percentage of scale reduction?  Who knows?

How can you tell if a salt-free conditioner is working?  Simple:  Do the “boil” test!  Here’s how – take a pan with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom and boil it dry.  After the pan cools, you should be able to wipe off the white residue with your finger if the system is working.  If it’s not working, you will have to scrubb it off or use a chemical like “LimeAway” to remove it.

I recently received a letter from a competitor which states the following:

Mr. Timmons,

It has come to our attention that you have been making disparaging claims against our company and products on your Askthewaterdoctor.com website.  On the following page http://www.askthewaterdoctor.com/2007/12/salt-free-water-softeners/ , you make the following two direct references to our company and products:

Comment 1:  This appears to be a “knockoff” and there are many, of the NEXT system. It probably uses FilterSorb which is an Anion-based resin and in our testing has not proven to be acceptable. It seems to have an effect by lowering the pH of the water in the initial stages, but looses it’s effectiveness very quickly.  I notice their website says: “Use 50% Less Detergents for Whiter or Brighter Clothes” – That is easily proven false: Put two 250 ml flasks of their treated and untreated water side-by-side and add 5 drops of pure soap. There will be no difference. If that’s not a true statement, what else is untrue?

Comment 2:   What I read on their site was very generic and their claims are somewhat suspect. I don’t know what they are using, but I don’t think it’s truly TAC!

These negative comments are an unwarranted attack against our company’s reputation and credibility.  You have no knowledge regarding our systems and are therefore making unreasonable assumptions and passing them over as fact.  It is also disingenuous because you are the owner of both us.watersystems.com and wefixbadwater.com and promote your own competing brand.  Pursuant to this letter, we are asking for the complete removal of your comments regarding our company and products from your website. 

If you fail to comply with this request, we will consult with our lawyers and take appropriate legals steps to enforce and protect our rights including, without limitation, filing claims for trade libel.

Please immediatley acknowledge your receipt of this letter and you intent to comply with the requests as set forth herein.

Sincerely,

Tina Wang

APEC Water Systems

Well Tina, here is your response:

1. All answers are in response to questions propounded by readers of the blog.  I am not sure where you are from, but in America we have what is called freedom of speech and I am merely giving my educated opinion in response to a question. 
2. If I am wrong about anything, this is your opportunity to set things straight.  I don’t edit the blog, so fire away and if I am wrong, I will admit what I am wring about. 
3. Was I wrong in saying that it is false that  your product will cause consumers “to use 50% less detergents?”  If so, supply me proof!  I will gladly publish it.  Is it untrue that your product will save 50% on detergents?  If it is, I think I would like to sell your product.  Enlighten me!
4. Was I wrong that your claims are somewhat generic ,and that you really don’t explain how your product works?  Does it use Filtersorb or not? 
5. You say that I have “no knowledge regarding your system.  Well, that is incorrect – I do have knowledge, but you have very little information as to how your system works – here’s your opportunity to tell the world.  I would like to hear your explanation.
6. You say that it is “disingenuous” of me to promote my own brand.  Well, I have never hidden that I am one of the owners of uswatersystems.com and if someone asks where they can get the product I recommend, I do send them to our site.  We are independent and offer a huge variety of products from a plethora of manufacturers.  We pick the best of the best to sell on our site.  If your product does what you say (and I am giving you a chance to prove it), maybe we should sell it.  We sell the GreenWave system because it’s performance has beaten every other unit we have seen and tested, but I am open to seeing what you have to say.
7. You said “If you fail to comply with this request, we will consult with our lawyers and take appropriate legals steps to enforce and protect our rights including, without limitation, filing claims for trade libel.”   WOW!  There’s a lot I could say here, but I’ll save it for court.  Since when is it libel to tell the truth and give your opinion?  This is not Nazi Germany!
8. I am acknowledging receipt of your letter – if you want to provide proof that my opinion is wrong, then feel free to do that.  Explain how your product works, the science behind it and prove your claims.  Or, we can go to Court, if that is what you want.  Rest assured, I will not be threatened or intimidated by your letter.

This is my SECOND blog on Salt-Free Conditioners.  I just closed the previous one, as there are nearly 300 comments there, but you can still access it HERE.

I talk to many people each day, inside and outside the water industry,  and the claims by many companies who are trying to sell salt-free, saltless or no-salt (call them what you will) are really confusing.  Many are also not rooted in fact.  I try to keep an open mind and I am receptive to new and improved technology, but it first has to pass the “smell” test.  Devices that “cure” a plethora of water problems and “one size fits all” are dead give-aways to false claims.  Let the buyer beware. Frankly, most do not do what they say. However, there is no reason to be confused. The German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW) has developed protocol for testing scale prevention properties of these types of devices. This testing protocol is called DVGW Standard W 512.

In order to be certified by this agency, a device must reach the threshold of being at least 80% efficient. There are several devices throughout the world which are certified as being at least 80% efficient, but to my knowledge, there is only one such device in the USA that achieves this level of efficiency, that being nextScaleStop manufactured by next Filtration Technologies, Inc. of Incline Village, Nevada and that is the product we handle.   W sell it under the brand name “Green Wave.”

Remember this:  Only a salt-based water softener “softens” water. If you like the “slick” feeling of soft water, you won’t like salt-free systems .  Systems that really work without salt, “condition” the water by preventing it from sticking to any surface and one more thing that I think should be done that no magnetic or electronic water conditioning device can do,  is to remove or reduce the hazardous chemicals like chlorine, THM’s, PCB’s, pesticides, tastes and odors – while leaving the beneficial minerals. This would be the “greenest” system on the market!

I would not be comfortable selling a product that wasn’t nearly 100% efficient at reducing scale and had the certification to prove it!   No electronic or electro-magnetic process does that, but there is a process called Template Assisted Crystallization that does.

This would be a good time to review some blogs and discussions about salt free-systems.  Here are some links:

http://www.waternet.com/detail.asp?Parent_ID=137072#137072

http://www.waternet.com/detail.asp?Parent_ID=135334#135334

http://watertechonline.com/detail.asp?Parent_ID=137161#137161

PDF’s:

no-salt-soft-factfiction-or-fantasy

next-scale stop media

http://www.wefixbadwater.com/pdf/Scale%20Stop%20Science%20SF.pdf

To date, the only Salt-Free System in the USA that has passed the Stringent German Standard (DVGW-W512) is nextScaleStop media, used in Watts One-Flow and US WATER’s GreenWave systems.

Here’s a copy of their certification:

http://www.wefixbadwater.com/pdf/DVGW%20report.pdf

Q. Do salt-free water softeners really work?  – David M., Greenville, Ohio

A.  Well, I am going to have to assume that you are referring to electronic, magnetic or media devices that are purported to “condition” water.  Notice, I did not say “soften” water.  In my opinion, the only way you can “soften” water is by removing a “hard mineral” (calcium, magnesium) and replacing it with a “soft mineral” (sodium, potassium).  Conditioning can be accomplished in a number of ways: [Read more →]

A WATER SOFTENER CAN REDUCE IRON TO BELOW THE THRESHOLD OF STAINING, BUT IT CAN NOT TOTALLY REMOVE IT! Under some circumstances, a water softener will work for a while, but the resin bed will gradually become fouled with iron over months or years, decreasing it’s efficiency at removing the iron. To totally remove iron, one must utilize the following:(1) Oxidation and filtration; or (2) Sequestration using polyphosphates.POLYPHOSPHATES We will discuss sequestration of iron with polyphosphates first. Sequestration of iron with polyphosphates does not remove it from the water supply, but keeps the iron in solution, so that it does not produce stains. This is often used when individuals or businesses want to keep the iron from staining in irrigation systems. It is accomplished by injecting a small amount of polyphosphate into the water, typically with a chemical injection pump and a solution tank containing a supply of polyphosphate. However, it is not perfect in removing iron, as evaporation of the water can still leave an iron residue and the iron often precipitates when the water is heated. Results may very dramatically with sequestration, depending upon a variety of factors, not the least of which is water chemistry.

OXIDATION Almost any concentration of iron can be oxidized by feeding an oxidizer such as chlorine, ozone, potasium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide or even oxygen into the water supply. The oxidizer reduces the iron to a small particle (precipitate), which is then mechanically filtered from the water, typically by a backwashing filter with a dense media containing carbon or materials.

In my thirty-plus years of experience, I have personally tried every method known to man to remove iron. Today, I primarily tried use hydrogen peroxide, as it is a much better oxidizer of iron than either chlorine or potassium permanganate and does not leave excess air in the water like oxygen systems. Unlike chlorine, hydrogen peroxide is simply hydrogen and oxygen and produces no harmful chlorination byproducts. A hydrogen peroxide system consists of a chemical injection pump, solution tank, in-line static mixer, and a backwashing filter to remove the oxidized iron.

I prefer the hydrogen peroxide system because it completely removes iron and sulfur with totally predictable results. It is my opinion that other methods are not as predictable or reliable in function. A hydrogen peroxide system will remove 100% of the iron. PERIOD! For homebuilders that build large custom homes with irrigation systems on iron-bearing waters, the hydrogen peroxide system will totally eliminate any staining in irrigation systems, and throughout the home, for that matter. Additionally, a water softener will not have to work nearly as hard once the iron is completely removed. This is not to say that other methods can’t work. I am just stating my opinion based upon my extensive experience in treating problem water.

First of all, you can make ice cubes from water produced by reverse osmosis systems. In fact, ice made from reverse osmosis (”RO”) water produces cleaner, clearer and better tasting ice cubes because most of the contaminants are removed from the water. So, just because water is purified by a certain process, (in this case, reverse osmosis), has no bearing on whether you can make ice. I prefer “clean ice” – in many cases it is perfectly clear, except for a little cloudiness in the center of the cube. Another benefit is that the cube is harder and melts slower. Most people like that as well.

So, why would an ice machine technician tell you that RO water won’t work on an ice machine? I suspect that his experience is that he has seen many situations where he is called on a service call and found that when the reverse osmosis system was disconnected and the ice-maker was connected directly to the house supply, it worked. That doesn’t mean that RO water won’t make ice cubes, however. When you supply an adequate volume of water at an adequate pressure, any ice-maker will produce excellent cubes.

The problem with an RO system on ice-makers (especially the “basement bar-type” machines) is that those types of ice machines use a large amount of water. Believe it or not, some of those machines can use 80-90 gallons of water a day! Unless you have a high volume reverse osmosis system, it is futile to try and supply RO water to that kind of ice-maker.

Another issue is pressure. Many new ice machines require 30-40 PSI (pounds per square inch) to function properly. A residential RO system drops the incoming pressure by 30-35% If you are starting out with 70-80 PSI, that is acceptable, but if the incoming water pressure is 40-60 PSI, there may be a problem. Volume and pressure are separate problems. You may have enough pressure to operate an ice machine, but not sufficient volume and it’s not as simple as adding another tank with plenty of volume and little pressure.

Sizing a reverse osmosis system is critical when you have multiple outlets, especially if one or more is an under-the-counter ice-maker. Most residential reverse osmosis systems are 24 to 50 GPD (gallons per day), which is not nearly enough for such an ice-maker. Additionally, production is reduced whenever the water temperature is below 77 degrees F, and whenever the pressure is below 60 PSI. In the real world, a 50 GPD reverse osmosis system in the Midwest may produce 20-25 GPD, when the demand may be up to 150 GPD.

there are solutions, and they do not have to be extremley expensive. One solution is to install a larger system, such as a 300 GPD system or a high production system, such as GE’s Merlin system, which produces 1/2 GPM of RO water. Another solution is to boost the incoming pressure with a booster pump or boosting the system pressure to 80 PSI with a Demand Delivery Pump. This type of system will provide plenty of high quality, great-tasting RO water, without running out! So, you can use RO water on ice machines (we install RO systems on very large commercial machines). They just have to be sized properly.

There is no “BEST” filter or system, but there are several questions you should ask yourself to determine which type of system is best for you. There are also some questions you should ask if someone is trying to sell you a water treatment system. First of all you need to determine why you want a drinking water filtration system. Are you only concerned with aesthetics (taste, odor, etc.), or are you concerned with possible contaminants in the water, which you wish to reduce? These are two very different issues.

For example, if you are only concerned with aesthetics, then simple carbon filter or counter-top faucet unit may suffice. A word of caution is in order here: Be sure to change the filters at the appropriate intervals recommended by the manufacturer. If carbon filters are not changed at proper intervals, it is possible for phenomenon called “dumping” to occur. In simple terms, this is when a substantial portion of contaminants filtered out (trapped) is released due to exhausting the capacity of the filter, creating a “chemical cocktail”.

On the other hand, if you are concerned with potential dangerous chemicals in your water supply such as chlorine, THM’s, PCB’s, organic chemicals, pesticides , lead, bacteria, and other contaminants, then additional masures are required. These measures include prolonged-contact carbon filtration, ultra filtration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet, ozone, and treatment with chemicals such as chlorine. Just remember: THERE IS NO INDIVIDUAL PROCESS THAT CAN SOLVE ALL WATER PROBLEMS! Each situation has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration what the desired quality of the water needs to be,and the chemical analysis of the water to be treated.

Carbon filtration is a marvelous method for removing chlorine, chemicals, pesticides and numerous other contaminants, providing it is applied properly. For example, you would not want to put a carbon filter on water that is microbiologically unsafe. This would require chlorination (with adequate contact time) ahead of the carbon filter, or some other method such as ultraviolet or ozonation to inactivate the bacteria.

Some areas have experienced problems with cryptosporidium and/or girardia cysts (which are often resistant to chlorine). These little “devils” attack the gastrointestinal tract of individuals whose immune system has been compromised, and can cause death. In the early 1990′s, thousands of people become sick and dozens died in Milwaukee as a result of cryptosporidium outbreak. There are special ceramic and other types of cartridges with an “absolute” rating of 1 micron or less, designed to remove these critters.

Other areas have high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS). TDS is the measure of sodium, chlorides, sulfates, carbonates, bicarbonates, calcium, magnesium, etc., in the water supply. At levels above the 500 mg/1 or ppm, it is desirable to reduce the TDS level. THis can be accomplished with only three methods: deionization, distillation, and the most popular method: reverse osmosis (commonly called “RO”). Deionization and distillation are not as cost effective as reverse osmosis – thus the popularity of RO. Reverse osmosis is a method by which pressure is applied to a membrane, forcing the pure water through the membrane, with the impurities being flushed down the drain. RO is generally applied with other technologies, including micron filtration, carbon filtration and ultrviolet, producing exceptionally high quality drinking water.

Finally, when purchasing a system, you should be mindful of maintenance intervals and costs. Most systems need maintenance and filter changes at 6-12 month intervals. I would be highly suspicious of anyone who infers that longer intervals are adequate. THIS IS YOUR DRINKING WATER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT! Take nothing for granted and do your homework. A good system might cost a few hundred dollars, but unless you are treating a whole house or a large custom home, the system should not be expensive. It might cost a few hundred bucks,but be cautious about paying much more than that – you probably won’t get a better system! You can contact the following organizations for further information: S.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426.4791, or check them out on the web at, www.epa.gov/ogwdw/wot/wot.html and Water Quality Association at (630) 505.0160, www.wqa.org

Q. My husband and I recently had a demonstration on how we could save money with a water purification system.The salesman said we needed a purification system for under the kitchen sink and in our basement. He offered us a five-year supply of soap made especially for soft water, and said that we could save over $200 per month with his water treatment system on things like soap, shampoos, detergents, water heating, plumbing repairs, clothing and beverages. He had a miniature water purifier, which he hooked up to our faucet, and preformed the tests. It sounded pretty good until he told us the system was $6000, but we could make monthly payments of about $160. My husband said he wanted to think about it, but the salesmen said that if we acted that night that he would give us a $1300 discount, which would make our payments $120 a month. We still wanted to think about it, so he called his boss who said he had one system for $3200 and our payments would be around $85. This was too much to pass up, so we sighned the contract (maybe we were just worn down by his four hour demonstration). After sleeping on it, we exercised our right to cancel the next day. Did we do the right thing or do you think we were foolish to pass up such a good deal? Also, are all those things he told us about how much a purification can save really true?

A. Since you did not mention what brand water treatment system or which dealer you were talking about, I can only offer the following advice: “Things that sound to good to be true usually are!” If someone tells you they have a “full house purification system”-BEWARE! It’s to expensive to purify water for an entire house, totally unnecessary (why flush purified water down your toilet?) and can damage your plumbing as truly “purified water” can “leach” copper from your water lines. I guarantee he wasn’t talking about purified water for your whole house.

Also, did the salesperson leave literature about his product? Does it use the word “purified” in it? There are some salespeople who make all kinds of claims in the home, but leave no literature to back their claims, and they fail to put anything in writing. While there is no rule of thumb as to what a water treatment system should cost (it really depends on what YOUR water is like and how much you should clean it up), generally it should be less than $2,500-usually a lot less in most areas, unless there are extraordinary installation considerations or unusual water problems.

A water specialist from a reputable local dealer should test your water for hardness, iron,pH, TDS, sulfur, chlorine, nitrates, manganese, tannins or other contaminants, which may be particular to your area of the country. You can always ask to see the salesperson’s certification. A certified water specialist will have an identification card from the WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION (“WQA”) listing his degree of expertise (CWS-I is the lowest and CWS-VI is the highest). The WQA also has a designation for Certified Sales Representatives (“CSR”) and Certified Installers (“CI”). While these designations are no guarantee of expertise in itself, if you look for these certifications, you will you will have a greater likelihood of hiring someone professional and ethical for your home water treatment.

As to your question about possible savings from purified water, I am going to call it “softened water”. If you live in an area where the water is over 7 grains per gallons of hardness (“GPS”), and especially over 11 GPG, then you will definitely save money with a water softner. According to the WQA, you could expect to save in the following areas: soap and cleaning agents (50%), water heating (21-29%), clothing, plumbing, appliance repair, and beverages. A carbon filtration system or reverse osmosis system is often desired for for drinking water purposes. You should remember however that there are water problems which may require multiple pieces of equipment (i.e., sulfur, iron, tannins, acid, etc.) and that there is no magical black box purification system, which solves every water problem.

Did you make the right decision? Most likely, the salesman who spent four hours in your home would have made a huge commission had you purchased the system (some companies pay commission so high, you could probably hire a gangster to kill someone for less!). Keep shopping, and look for a reputable dealer with an established reputation in the community, who sells quality equipment. The five-year supply will cost you about $200, but you may not like it (I like Lever 2000, my wife likes Dove, my kids like Dial… you know the routine), so save your money on that.

I am not Nostradamas and it is often dangerous to try and predict the future, but here is what I see in the near future for water treatment:

1. Legislation will be passed in states that have specific water problems, that ensures new homes will be “plumbed” so that water treatment will be easily installed in that home. This includes provisions for water softners, reverse osmosis systems and disinfection systems. Many new homes are constructed in such a way that it may be virtually impossible to intercept the main water line and treat the water in various area of the home. This means that a “mechanical room” for plumbing, HVAC and water treatment systems will become the norm in new homes.
2. There is currently no technology available on the consumer level that delivers “soft water” without salt. There are some devices which may or may not offer some benefits, but they do not produce soft water, eliminatre spotting or reduce soap and detergent usage. In short, they are not “water softeners”. The next “great leap” could come whereby water softeners may be regenerated with hot water or or some other element or use some mechanical method to neutralize hardness ions. The initial price of water conditioners will be higher, but without salt, the cost will be much lower.
3. Some custom homes and commercial buildings have three water lines: (1) cold water, (2) hot water and (3) recirculating hot water. In the future, homes and businesses could easily have five water lines. In addition to the first three, there will be (4) “grey” water, for flushing toilets and other uses like outdoor watering, and (5) “life support” water for drinking and cooking. “Grey” water will be water with has been used for bathing and washing and is essentially recycled through filtration and or disinfection processes. The “life support” water is even more important. This will be a central treatment system to provide drinking, cooking and ice-making water throughout the home or business – which brings us to the next issue.
4. Pure water systems will consist of micron filtration, ultra filtration, carbon block filtration, granular activated carbon filtration, reverse osmosis and ozonation or ultraviolet (“UV”). A central system will feed multiple faucets.

Q. We are currently building a new home and have decided to install a reverse osmosis drinking water system. Should we install a system under our kitchen sink and hook it up to the icemaker. What if we want to put another one at our wet bar or in the master bath? Does that make sense? – Signed Bill K.

A. Reverse osmosis systems are rapidly becoming more commonplace in new homes. With that in mind, let’s consider what your best course of action might be. First of all, reverse osmosis (“RO”) systems consist of the following components:

• 1, 2 or 3 Pre-Filters (before the membrane)
• The Reverse Osmosis Membrane
• A Post “Polishing” Filter
• A Storage Tank
• A Faucet

The water is generally filtered with a 5-micron sediment pre-filter and is next filtered by a carbon block or granular activated carbon (GAC) filter (or both), before it is processed by the reverse osmosis membrane (the contaminants are literally separated from the water by the membrane and flushed down the drain).

Next, the clean water is sent to a storage tank (typically 2-4 gallons in size) where it is available for use. Whenever water is called for, it passes through a post-filter of GAC to remove any unwanted tastes and is polished to an even higher quality. Most systems are also equipped with an automatic shut-off valve (ASOV), which stops the flow of water to the drain, when the tank is full.

Originally, RO systems were designed to fit under a kitchen sink, but in a new home that is not the only place where a RO system can be installed, nor is it the most practical place. There is limited space under a kitchen sink and the person who spends the most time in the kitchen dislikes having to give up storage space because of an RO system. Additionally, servicing a system under a sink is more difficult and and leaks are more common due to space constraints. Where else can an RO system be installed? It is very practical to install one in the basement, garage or utility room. This makes service easier and results in no loss of space under the sink.

In times past, most RO systems were rated at 12 to 50 gallons per day. That simply means that if it ran continuously for 24 hours it would produce that amount of water. However, in the Midwest where water temperatures are lower than 77 degrees Fahrenheit; the production is about half the rated capacity of the system. Today, many homeowners are opting to connect their kitchen sink, vegetable sink, pot filler, wet bar, multiple ice-makers and the master bath to the RO system. This necessitates the usage of higher capacity RO systems (75 to 300 GPD) along with larger storage tanks and delivery pumps, which boost the pressure. During the construction of a new home, RO lines can easily be installed to any number of fictures. These lines are constructed of special poly-tubing, designed for high purity water and approved by NSF. The are typically 3/8″ in size, 1/2″ is sometime used. A manifold can be used to provide multiple connections ans total control for the system, if multiple outlets are utilized.

During the framing of the home, it is a simple matter to install the RO lines; much like computer, cable TV or telephone cable is ran inside the walls. In the scheme of things, the cost to run the RO lines during construction is very insignificant, but once the wall is dry-walled and finished, it may be difficult, if not impossible to install a reverse osmosis purification system. While it is possible to connect the RO lines to the cold-water faucets in the home, the most common method is to install dedicated faucets on the sink and locations desired. This prevents the high purity water from being wasted for hand washing and the like. There are many designer faucets in a veriety of colors and configurations to match the sink color and decor.

Home owners should be able to rely on the homebuilder to provide options for quality water throughout the home. Planning ahead, during the construction phase – or before the construction – can provide an inexpensive solution for high-quality RO drinking water throughout the home; making the homeowner happy and helping the builder look good in the process.