Pure Water Annie’s FAQ Series

Pure Water Gazette Technical Wizard Pure Water Annie Answers All the Persistent Questions about Water Treatment.

This week’s topic: Quick Connect Fittings

Why do they call these things John Guest fittings?

The British company, John Guest, was the originator of the popular quick connect fittings used almost exclusively in small water filtration equipment these days. In the same way that all soft drinks are referred to as “cokes,” the brand name John Guest has become generic. Actually, there are several very good brands of “John Guest” fittings on the market.

How do they work?

When a piece of tubing is inserted into the fitting it passes through an o ring and is grabbed and held tightly in place by metal teeth that are mounted on a small collar called a collet. The tube is held tightly by the collet. Outward pressure makes the fitting tighter–something like a Chinese finger puzzle. It’s the small o ring that makes the seal. The metal teeth on the collet hold the tube in place. To release the tube, push in on the collet toward the body of the fitting and at the same time pull out the tube.

Do they leak?

Yes, but not often. They’re probably more reliable than standard threaded compression fittings because they aren’t as susceptible to installer error. Best of all, leaks are usually small drips–not the catastrophic blow-outs you can get with a poorly installed compression fitting.

What causes leaks?

New fittings seldom leak. Usually leaks occur after o rings in the fittings have been degraded by chemicals (chloramine is the worst) or by physical stress caused by improper placement. For example, if the installer fails to leave enough “slack” in a tube, causing the tube to be pulled hard to one side, a leak will usually occur because the o ring is flattened by physical stress. Fittings equipped with double o rings are less likely to leak than standard quick connects,  

When the fitting leaks, can it be replaced?

Yes, it’s easy to replace fittings.  There are many good brands on the market and they interchange well.  But you really don’t have to replace leaking fittings because they are just as easily repaired.  Replacing the o ring(s) almost always fixes the leak.  Here’s a good article that tells how to fix them.

Once the collet has been popped out, the o ring is easy to remove and replace.

Sometimes they don’t release easily.  Why?

If there’s any pressure at all on the fitting,  it won’t release.  You have to have the inlet water of your unit turned off an a downstream faucet open. And some fittings are harder to release than others.  The double o ring variety–the ones that never leak–are also the hardest to release. Another of life’s tradeoffs.

John Guest Fittings

Mur-lok Fittings

Brazilians hoard water, prepare for possible drastic rationing

Brazilians are hoarding water in their apartments, drilling homemade wells and taking other emergency measures to prepare for forced rationing that appears likely and could leave taps dry for up to five days a week because of a drought.

In São Paulo, the country’s largest city with a metropolitan area of 20 million people, the main reservoir is at just 6 percent of capacity with the peak of the rainy season now past.

Other cities in Brazil’s heavily populated southeast such as Rio de Janeiro face less dire shortages but could also see rationing.

Uncertainty over the drought and its consequences on jobs, public health and overall quality of life have further darkened Brazilians’ mood at a time when the economy is struggling and President Dilma Rousseff’s popularity is at an all-time low.

After January rains disappointed, and incentives to cut consumption fell short, São Paulo officials warned their next step could be to shut off customers’ water supply for as many as five days a week – a measure that would likely last until the next rainy season starts in October, if not longer.

State officials say they have not yet decided whether or when to implement such rationing, in part because they are still hoping for heavy rains in February and March. Indeed, thunderstorms in recent days have caused lakes to rise a bit.

Still, independent projections suggest that São Paulo’s main Cantareira reservoir could run out of water as soon as April without drastic cuts to consumption.

As such, the race is on to secure water while it lasts.

Large hospitals in São Paulo are installing in-house water treatment and recycling centers, among other measures, to make sure they can still carry out surgeries and other essential tasks if regular supply stops.

Meanwhile, companies are competing with each other to secure deliveries from large water tanker trucks, which have already become a common sight on São Paulo’s gridlocked streets.

“It’s like seeing 10 liters in your gas tank and knowing you won’t make it to the next station,” said Stefan Rohr, environmental director for industry group Ciesp in Campinas, a metropolitan area of more than 3 million people just north of São Paulo.

Many large water-intensive industries, including beverages, cellulose and steel, long ago made contingency plans to truck in water or use underground wells, which may stave off a full-fledged economic disaster.

But smaller ones, ranging from beauty salons and restaurants to car washes and light industry, may have to close or severely restrict activity.

“The economic impact will be job losses,” Rohr said.

40 Million Could Be Affected

Sabesp, São Paulo’s state-controlled water utility, told Reuters it did not yet know when or if rationing would begin. State Governor Geraldo Alckmin, who has also seen his popularity plummet due to the water crisis, declined requests for an interview.

A member of Rousseff’s Cabinet told Reuters earlier this month on condition of anonymity that some degree of water rationing is expected in Brazil’s three largest metropolitan areas – São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte, with a combined population of 40 million people.

Even without rationing, health problems are being felt.

The official number of dengue fever cases in São Paulo tripled in January from the previous year to 120. Officials blamed the rise in part on residents collecting rainwater in open buckets, which attracts mosquitoes.

Many richer Brazilians have large storage tanks built into their apartment buildings or houses which, combined with more conscious water use, may allow them to survive severe rationing without ever seeing their taps go dry.

But most working-class families can’t afford such measures. Some unions are planning demonstrations for next month to protest the government’s handling of the crisis and demand the poor don’t bear the brunt of it.

“We will not accept paying for the government’s irresponsibility with our jobs,” said Adi dos Santos Lima, president of the São Paulo state branch of Brazil’s largest umbrella union, the CUT.

Brazil’s economy is already expected to post zero growth this year. Worse yet, since Brazil depends on hydroelectric dams for about three quarters of its electricity, power shortages are also possible due to the drought, federal officials have said.

Combined water and electricity rationing could lop an additional 0.5 percent or more off of economic growth in 2015, according to Ilan Goldfajn, chief economist at Itaú Unibanco.

Inflation, which is running above 7 percent a year, could also rise as companies face increased costs.

São Paulo’s shopping centers are standing by for potential rationing and have signed contracts to truck in water as soon as needed, said Glauco Humai, who heads Brazil’s mall association Abrasce.

“Our plan is not to close the malls. Obviously this will raise costs,” he said.

Some local chicken processors and pasta makers will also likely raise prices for those products as a result of trucking in water, a local food workers’ union said.

 Even Carnival Cancelled

Sírio Libanês, one of São Paulo’s premier private hospitals, said it cut reliance on Sabesp from 65 percent of its water needs to 25 percent by recycling and installing its own treatment system. Another large upscale hospital, Albert Einstein, said it had increased storage capacity to last four days and would rely on trucks for emergencies.

Many neighborhoods have already experienced daily water outages as Sabesp turns down pressure in pipes to save consumption. Some residents of the Brasilândia slum said this week they were often without water 13 hours a day.

At least two towns in Minas Gerais, a massive coffee producing state adjacent to São Paulo, even canceled Carnival celebrations this month because of the lack of water.

In an upper-class neighborhood of São Paulo, a grocery delivery boy reported bringing 170 two-liter bottles of water to a single apartment over the weekend.

Ronaldo Guellen, who runs a small construction store, recently ordered 70 200-liter tanks that can be used to store water. They sold out in three days, he said, and he hasn’t been able to order any more because supplies are running short.

“People are really getting scared,” Guellen said.

Source: Reuters.

Pure Water Gazette Fair Use Statement

 Bacterial Growth in Water Heaters

Which Heaters are Safest, and What’s the Ideal Temperature?

Harmful bacteria can grow in water that is up to 122º F.  At temperatures of 140º or higher, they are almost completely eliminated. When heaters run at low temperatures (about 99º –human body temperature–would be the worst) water heaters can become virtual hotbeds for bacterial growth.  An example of an organism that thrives in the water heater is Legionella (the microbe that causes Legionnaires’ Disease).  Surveys have shown that a third of water heaters tested contained Legionella.  The organism can cause illness when it is either breath in or ingested during showering.  Though you don’t hear a lot about Legionnaires’ Disease, there are between 10,000 and 20,000 cases each year in the US.

In addition to temperature, the type of heater matters in assessing the risk of Legionella. Gas heaters, which are heated from the bottom and not subject, therefore, to stratification in the tank (hot water rising to the top because it is lightest), are far less likely to support Legionella than electric heaters.  Though not a lot of research has been done,  bacterial growth in tankless water heaters regardless of the heat source seems unlikely.

The best temperature for your water heater is something of a tradeoff which must consider energy savings (the hotter you run the water, the higher your energy bill), the danger of scalding, and the possibility of bacterial contamination.  If you have a tankless heater or a conventional gas heater, low temperatures can be used.  With electric, you might choose to run the temperature at 140º and install anti-scald faucets.

Should You Test Your Well?

Editor’s Note:  The article below is adapted from a 2013 Water Technology article by Jake Mastroianni. — Hardly Waite.

Pure Water Annie’s FAQ Series

Pure Water Gazette Technical Wizard Pure Water Annie Answers All the Persistent Questions about Water Treatment.

This week’s topic: Faucet Diverter Valves.

 What are diverter valves used for?

The main use in water treatment is to change the direction of flowing water–to send a water stream a in a different direction for a purpose.  The most common usage is with countertop water filters, where the valve is used to divert the stream of water flowing into the sink so that it flows instead through the water filter.

The countertop filter sits beside the sink and gets its water from the diverter valve attached to the sink faucet.  It’s circled in the picture.

Are there different kinds of valves?

Yes, the most standard is the type that diverts water running from the sink faucet through a single tube to the water filter. Another style, called a “return” diverter, diverts water to the filter, then dispenses the filtered water that has been returned to the valve through a separate tube. With the standard diverter water is dispensed through a spout on the water filter itself.  With the return style, a double hose assembly is needed, but there is no dispensing spout.

Standard diverter valve.  Tube that sends water to the filter is attached with the compression fitting on the right. (Cheaper valves often use “barbed” connectors to which the tube is pushed on.)  Pulling the knob on the left sends water to the water filter and the knob springs back to “off” position when the sink water is turned off.

“Return” diverter valve sends water to the filter exactly like the standard model, but filtered water is returned through a second hose to the small spout attached to the side of the valve.  The return hose attaches to the barbed connector in the picture.

What causes diverter valves to fail?

The most usual cause is calcium scale buid-up on the spring and other inner parts.

How do you fix a diverter valve if the knob sticks open and the spring fails to turn it off?

Suggested methods (sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t) include soaking the entire valve in a weak acid like vinegar to dissolve the calcium buid-up on the spring, using a chemical descaler like LimeOut, or removing the valve from the sink faucet and dropping a couple of drops of vegetable oil into the small hole in the top of the valve where water enters the valve from the faucet. One of the best ways is to simply ignore the problem.  You’ll find that manually turning off the water with a push of the finger really isn’t a big deal. Or, you can replace the valve with another like it (Pure Water Products offers lifetime parts replacement on its countertop filters), or, you can replace the standard valve with a springless model that requires pushing for both on and off, as we’ve always done with light switches.  A springless, toggle-style diverter is shown below.

This diverter has no spring, and if you’re up to this much exercise, you can push the plunger one way to turn the valve on and then push from the other side to turn it off.

Which is better, the “compression” diverter valves pictured on this page or the conventional diverters that are attached with a barbed fitting and in some models even clamped on with a machine so they can’t be removed?

Since this is a part that, no matter how good it is, almost never lasts as long as the rest of the water filter, it’s obvious that being able to replace it easily is a big advantage.  With some countertops, the entire hose assembly has to be changed in order to replace the diverter valve.

I tried but can’t put the hose on a new barbed style diverter that I bought.  How do you do it?

The best way is to soak the tubing in fairly warm water for a few minutes.  This will usually expand the tubing and allow you to push it onto the barb.  When it cools,  the barb will hold it tight.

Other topics covered by Pure Water Annie’s FAQ Series.

Drought-hit Pakistan turns to solar water treatment

By Saleem Shaikh and Sughra Tunio

Pure Water Annie’s FAQ Series.

Pure Water Gazette Technical Wizard Pure Water Annie Answers All the Persistent Questions about Water Treatment.

This week’s topic: Air Gap Faucets.

I’m buying a new undersink water filter.  Should I get an air gap faucet with it or a standard faucet?

Standard.  Air gap faucets are used only with reverse osmosis units.

Why don’t they use them with filters?

Filters don’t have a drain line.  The air gap faucet is mainly about the drain.  The “air gap” for the drain is put in the faucet only because that’s a convenient place to locate it. The purpose of the air gap is to prevent backflow from the drain to the RO unit.

Why does the air gap faucet need three tubes instead of one?

See the illustration below.  The tube on the left, the one that enters the threaded stem,  carries the drinking water to the spout.  The other two tubes carry the RO unit’s reject water to drain.  The small tube carries the it from the RO unit up to the body of the faucet and the larger tube carries it down the to the drain saddle attached to the home’s drain pipe.  The “air gap” occurs between the two tubes.  The two drain tubes are not connected inside the faucet base.  There’s an “air gap” between them that prevents backflow from the drain to the RO unit.

What’s the purpose of the hole in the faucet body under the handle?

The hole, indicated by the arrow in the picture above,  is a drain hole.  If the home’s drain is stopped up so that water can’t exit via the large drain tube on the faucet, the drain water simply backs up and dumps out of the faucet and (usually) onto the sink top. This is one of the reasons that people often curse air gap faucets.

How do I fix the problem if water drains onto my sink top?

You have to unstop the undersink drain pipe.  Sometimes it’s only a small obstruction in the large faucet drain tube itself.  In that case, you can usually fix the problem by removing the 3/8″ (larger) tube from the drain saddle and clearing it.  Blowing through the tube often clears it.

Is the gurgling sound I hear when the RO unit runs caused by the air gap faucet?

Usually, yes, but any RO drain can be noisy.  Another cause of noisy drains is an improperly placed drain saddle.

Can I replace the air gap faucet with a standard faucet?

Yes, but  you’ll have to re-route your drain water.  You don’t really have to replace the faucet itself. Simply re-routing the the drain water will get rid of noise and drain water on the countertop.  There’s an easy way to use a simple adapter to replace the air gap feature of the faucet with a check valve (one way valve) that will keep water from backing up into the RO unit from a stopped up drain pipe.  The check valve may or may not satisfy your local plumbing code but it’s a safe way to keep drain water from backing up into your RO unit.

The red tube carries drain water from the RO unit up to the air gap.  The black tube carries the drain water back down to the drain pipe. (Click picture for a larger view.)

What size hole do I need to install an air gap faucet?

Standard faucets need only a 7/16″ hole in the countertop, but the air gap needs at least a 3/4″ hole because of the extra tubes and the spacer (the white object in the picture).

Do new reverse osmosis units come with an air gap faucet?  

Some do, some don’t. Some offer options.  Pure Water Products’ Black and White RO units, for example, come standard with a non-air gap faucet but with a high quality check valve installed in the drain line. The air gap faucet is available for the asking at no additional charge.

More about air gap faucets, including installation instructions.

Filter Carbon

Carbon, sometimes called “charcoal,” is the most universally applied of all water treatment filter media. Residential water filters, from the common end-of-faucet taste enhancers to elaborate whole house systems, almost always are carbon filters or use filter carbon as one of their principal ingredients.

Filter carbon is a manufactured product, made commonly from coal, woods, and nut shells.  Not all filter carbon is the same.  It varies depending on the raw material and manufacturing techniques applied. Performance depends on the pore size of the carbon as well as the format produced by manufacturing.  It can be used in granular form (similar to coffee grounds), powder, or tight, molded blocks. It can even be stuck to the surface of other filtering devices like pleated filters or combined in beds with other media like KDF.

Carbon made with bituminous coal is the most common and most universally used.  It has average pore size, containing large and small pores, and is therefore useful in most filtering applications.  Carbon will smaller pores–coconut shell carbon is the most popular–is best at dealing with contaminants like VOCs that require lots of small pores. Large pore carbon, typically made from wood or lignite coal, is best at removing colors from water.

Carbon reduces contaminants either by catalytic action, physical straining, or adsorption.  For example, it acts as a catalyst to convert chlorine to harmless chloride or to break down chloramine to chlorine and ammonia.  Although all carbon can perform this function, specially prepared carbon called “catalytic carbon” can do it much faster. Catalytic carbon can also be used to reduce hydrogen sulfide odors or to remove iron from well water.  Most chemical reduction is done by adsorption, with the contaminant becoming trapped on the craggy surface of the carbon. Although this isn’t it’s best function, carbon can also be used to physically trap particles in granular beds or in carbon block form.  Very tight carbon blocks can screen out things as small as bacteria or cysts.

In addition to removing chemicals, which is carbon’s main function, it almost always improves the taste, odor, and appearance of water.

Pure Water Annie’s FAQ Series.

Pure Water Gazette Technical Wizard Pure Water Annie Answers All the Persistent Questions about Water Treatment.

 Aer-Max aeration systems, for treatment of iron and hydrogen sulfide.

How does Aer-Max work?

Aer-Max works by providing a pocket of compressed air in the top third of a closed tank. When water containing hard-to-treat contaminants like iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide falls through the air pocket, the contaminants are oxidized so they can be easily removed by a filter. The compressed air is supplied by a small air pump.  A vent is provided to keep the air pocket fresh.  The Aer-Max system is not a filter.  It prepares contaminants for easy removal by a filter that follows the aeration tank.

There are 110-volt and 220-volt systems.  Which is better?

The voltage needed depends mainly on how the unit is to be controlled. The pump and vent can be turned off and on by having them wired directly into the electrical circuit that turns the well pump off and on.  Since most well pumps run on 220 volt current, if you choose this method of control it’s easiest to use a 220-volt Aer-Max.  If you use an alternative control system, like a flow switch or a simple timer, however, you would want the 110-volt system.

Which is the best way to control the system?

For residential use, the flow switch is the last choice.  It turns the Aer-Max unit on when water flows through the pipe toward the home.  Usually this results in frequent and short on/off cycles and is the least efficient way to operate the system.  The conventional method is to bring 220-volt electrical receptacles for the air pump and the vent solenoid out of the pressure switch that controls the well pump.  With this system, the AerMax is activated when the well pump runs and turns off when the well pump is not running. This is a proven system and it works well.  Use of a simple timer, the kind used to turn lamps off and on at specified times, is becoming the most popular,  however.  It’s easiest to install: you just plug the pump and vent solenoid into the timer and plug the timer into a wall receptacle.

Standard Aer-Max System

But doesn’t the air pump have to be running while water is going through the treatment tank?

This is probably the biggest source of misunderstanding about how Aer-Max works.  The rich pocket of compressed air in the top of the treatment tank needs only to be refreshed from time to time: effective treatment does not depend on fresh air entering while water is running through the tank.  With hydrogen sulfide, for example, while a small amount of the offensive gas may be vented out of the tank by the drain system, treatment consists mainly of reducing the odor-causing gas to elemental sulfur so that it can be removed by the filter that follows the air treatment tank. Residential users who control the unit with timers usually run the air pump only about three times a week.  This vents the tank and refreshes the air pocket.  Unless you run large amounts of water, three times a week is enough.

What is the function of the three tubes attached to the aeration head in the illustration above?  

From left, the first, the shortest, is a baffling device. It creates turbulence to enhance aeration as water entering the tank falls through the air pocket. The middle tube is the vent tube.  It maintains the level of the air pocket in the tank.  The long tube is the pickup tube for treated water being sent to the home.

What kind of filter has to be used after the Aer-Max?

Aer-Max enhances the performance of any standard iron filter medium.  It works especially well with Birm, Filox, and Katalox Light.  Media like Zeolite (Turbidex) and Filter Ag can be used as iron filters if the water is pre-treated with Aer-Max, and an especially effective treatment for both iron and low pH can be accomplished by using a backwashing calcite filter after Aer-Max.  For large amounts of iron it’s best to use the best–Filox or Katalox Light.  Both media will treat both iron and hydrogen sulfide after aeration.

Both Filox and Katalox Light work well with both hydrogen sulfide and iron.  If hydrogen sulfide is present, Birm is not a good choice.

For hydrogen sulfide, catalytic carbon is the best available, but standard carbon also works well. Actually, any granular filter medium will remove odor after AerMax, but carbon is best. If no iron or manganese is present, a cartridge style carbon filter (4.5″ X 20″ preferred) can be used to treat hydrogen sulfide odor, but a cartridge filter will stop up quickly if there’s iron in the water.  With iron and manganese, a backwashing filter is required.

Standard Air Pump Used for Aer-Max

I’m using a water softener to remove iron, but it isn’t quite doing the job.  Can I install an Aer-Max unit in front of it to improve its performance?

No. The Aer-Max will actually interfere with the softener’s ability to remove iron by turning the ferrous iron to ferric.  Filters catch ferric iron easily, but a softener is an ion exchanger, not a filter.  If your water is hard and has iron, either remove both with the softener or use both filter and softener. The correct order of treatment if aeration is used is Aer-Max,  iron filter, then softener.

How loud is the pump?

Approximately 50 decibels.

How long does the pump last, and does it need regular maintenance?

The pump usually runs 20,000 to 25,000 hours before bearings need replacement. It’s an easy pump to work on, and parts are available. The most common maintenance issue is cleaning.  Although the pump has an air filter, in some environments it will need an occasional cleaning (see instructions).

Which works best — Aer-Max or the newer style single tank aeration/filtration systems that are becoming popular?

Aer-Max and the newer single tank units, which have the filter and the aeration treatment in the same tank, work on exactly the same principle but there are some significant differences. In general, the Aer-Max is more robust and will handle higher contaminant levels and higher flow rates. It can also be used to pre-treat for multiple filters. Single-tank setups, which use a venturi draw rather than an air pump, are more compact (one tank  rather than two), easier to install, and less expensive to purchase.  Once installed, both systems are low maintenance unless high levels of iron are involved.  Any equipment removing iron will eventually need some cleaning. The Aer-Max plus filter arrangement is definitely preferred over single tank units for large amounts of iron or hydrogen sulfide–over 8 parts per million of either.

Does the Aer-Max have to be vented outdoors when treating hydrogen sulfide because of the odor?

Odor isn’t an issue, but water is.  The 3/8″ drain tube will vent both air and water when when the vent valve is open, so it needs to be connected to a suitable drain.  It is often teed into the drain tube or pipe that serves the backwashing filter, but it can simply be allowed to drain onto a lawn or water a shrub. The drain water isn’t toxic.

Is there only one size Aer-Max system?

No, there is a high capacity pump available and it can be used with larger aeration tanks to create high flow systems. The higher capacity pump is usually preferred on “constant pressure” wells, where a higher air pressure needs to be maintained in the treatment tank. The 10″ X 54″ treatment tank, with the standard air pump, works in almost all residential applications, so it the the system most frequently sold. See high capacity systems here.

Will Your Water Filter Protect You if  You Have a Boil Water Alert?

Adapted from an email communication by Marianne Metzger of National Testing Laboratories.

With the cold weather comes the increased possibility of water mains and pipes bursting.  Pipes and mains are at risk in colder weather due to the expansion and contraction of the pipe material.  Even a 10° change in temperature of air or water can cause significant stress on the pipes. Other factors like the material the pipe is made of, corrosion, soil conditions age. and ground movement also contribute to breaks.

There are approximately 250,000 water main breaks every year in the United States. That’s 685 breaks per day.

Water customers in the area of the break may experience a shut off of water while repairs are being made. Additionally, if customers do have access to water, they may be under a boil advisory.

For those with water treatment equipment this can be confusing. Many people assume that their water treatment device will take care of the problem and they can simply ignore the boil water alert. If an ultraviolet light is part of the equipment, they are right. However, homeowners with other types of treatment equipment cannot simply ignore the alert and they may even may be faced with additional maintenance. It is good practice to change out any carbon-based cartridge filter after a boil advisory because carbon can provide the optimum environmental for any bacteria that may be present as a result of the break. This applies to undersink filters and reverse osmosis units. Whole house carbon filters are also at risk of becoming growing beds for bacteria. For water softeners, it is a good rule of thumb to disinfect the system according to the manufacturer’s instructions after any boil advisory to ensure bacteria are not present.

If  you have doubts about the state of your water filter after a boil water advisory, a simple test for bacteria is a good idea. Bacteria tests can be arrange through most city water departments and through independent agencies that do water testing.