Whole House Water Disinfection

Walk over to your kitchen sink and turn on the faucet. While your water flow may appear clear as a freshwater spring, it could be hiding something the naked eye can’t see. Tap water in the United States is among the cleanest and safest in the worldopen_in_new. However, in many cases, it is far from sterile and would greatly benefit from whole house UV-C water disinfection.

In the CDC report entitled Emerging Infectious Diseasesopen_in_new, it is reported that low levels of microorganisms exist in many drinking water distribution systems and well water serviced homes. While many are harmless or killed by stomach acids, ingestion or inhalation of others can result in hospitalization and even death. The elderly, infants, young children, and those with compromised immune systems are those most susceptible to adverse reactions to waterborne pathogens such as E. Coli, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Legionella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Vibrio cholerae, and Giardia.

Public Water

About 87% of Americansopen_in_new get their water from a publicly-supplied system. Typically, rain or snow falls and supplies a reservoir, after which it is usually treated with chlorine to help purify it from contaminants. Generally speaking, this water is completely safe to drink and contains a very low level of microorganisms. However, every so often a rise in bacteria occurs for a number of reasons, which results in an event called a boil-water alert. Because public water is constantly monitored and tested, this rise in contaminants is quickly reported and treated. In the interim, the public is advised not to directly consume tap water — but rather boil it to kill any bacteria which might have gotten through. Typically, the problem is resolved within 24–48 hours.

Boiling is the most effective way of killing microorganisms in water, but it is hardly practical in supplying the water needs of a typical household. While filtrationopen_in_new must be part of your whole house water disinfection system, it cannot inactivate many harmful microorganisms. Distillationopen_in_new, which uses filtration combined with other methods, can be slow and energy consuming — making it impractical for most home uses. Reverse Osmosisopen_in_new is another water purification method which does an excellent job removing contaminants by filtering them using high pressure through a specialized membrane. The downside of this process is that it removes some beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium. It also results in higher water usage and more wastewater than other methods.

UV water purification is capable of destroying 99.9% of microorganisms in water including viruses and pathogenic bacteria.

–Smart Water Magazine

We would like to introduce you to an alternate and extremely reliable method of achieving clean, healthy, drinkable water for your family: germicidal ultraviolet light. The 20^th century brought great strides in the discovery and development of germicidal ultraviolet treatments. Exposing water, air and surfaces to ultraviolet light emitted at a wavelength of 254 nanometers over a mathematically-determined time (based on the organism targeted) has proven more than 99% effective in neutralizing microorganisms in the air, within water, and on surfaces. It has become a widely-accepted solution for homes, offices, healthcare facilities, and public institutions around the world. Please see our FAQ: How UV Water Purifiers Work.

We will help you determine the right products and the proper installation method, in order to provide the precise ultraviolet dosage for your needs.

Additional Information

• AARP: 5 Times You Shouldn’t Use Tap Wateropen_in_new
• CDC: A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment for Household Useopen_in_new
• USGS: Domestic Water Useopen_in_new
• CDC: Emerging Infectious Diseasesopen_in_new
• Nat’l Library of Medicine: Ubiquitous Waterborne Pathogensopen_in_new
• CDC: Private Groundwater Wellsopen_in_new