Saturday, July 18, 2015

It's All About That Base, No Gravel!

The future of water treatment has arrived and it,s GREEN!
Recently Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply announced we switched our entire line of water treatment equipment from the old distributor tube and gravel method for water treatment tanks to Vortech Plate Technology.  This really is an evolution in water treatment that can potentially change the way the entire water treatment industry approach to water treatment applications.

The old way:
The traditional water treatment tank system has a distributor tube and gravel base.  All the water flowing through the system is funneled through the distributor to service and the regeneration process. Very high volumes of water are required to properly regenerate this style tank along with higher water pressure.  A standard 10x54 water softener tank could use up to 150 gallons of water for a complete regeneration cycle and filtration tanks for iron and manganese removal can use even more!

Old Style Water Treatment Tank with
Gravel Under Base and Distributor Tube


Base of Old Style Distributor Tube














The better way:
Vortech Plate Technology is a totally different process to regenerate water treatment tanks. Instead of using the distributor tube and gravel set up that has been in use since the dawn of water treatment, which is highly inefficient, the new Vortech Plate uses the entire column of water in the tank to efficiently regenerate and effectively turn the whole bed of water softening resin, or filtration media, over inside the tank to clean any filter media or resin better than ever possible before.  The Vortech Plate also provides higher flow rates and less water pressure drop to more efficiently operate your household or business.  The link above shows the video of how this vortech plate technology makes such a huge difference.


   
So what does all of this mean? It means Less is More.
30% less water for regeneration, less salt use and higher service flow rates without sacrificing efficiency.  Remember that 10x54 tank which can use up to 150 gallons of water for a complete regeneration process? How about 94 gallons of water used on the same size tank for a complete regeneration with Vortech Plate Technology!  That is better for everyone and better for the environment!


Thank You!

Water Technology Magazine Vortech Plate Article

Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply

Enpress Vortech Plate Technology



Good Water, Good Life!

Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply
872 N Old 23 Brighton, MI 48114
810 632 2000
www.beauchampwater.com


© All rights reserved. Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply 2016
    Raymond McConnell























Sunday, July 5, 2015

No Water, Gravel and Ear Wigs, OH MY!

A customer in Brighton, MI recently called to say they have no water and a well drilling company had been out to look at the same problem a few days earlier.  They couldn't get in contact with the well company, that day, so they asked if we could help.  We had them by-pass all the water treatment equipment, while on the phone with them, and they immediately had water but very low pressure.  We promptly went to the home to asses the problem.  Apparently, the well company had re-pressurized the bladder and adjusted the pressure switch higher as the believed that was the problem.  This customer has an AIO filtration system and water softener to treat high iron and hydrogen sulfide along with extremely hard water.  While assessing the problem it was apparent there was a bigger problem then just low air in the bladder tank. We disconnected the iron filtration system and discovered the inlet was totally plugged with gravel.  Luckily the check valve, on the inlet to the AIO, had stopped all the gravel from getting into the filtration system. Consequently, very low water pressure.

We ran both the outside hoses to flush what we could out of the well tank and lines. After a short burst of gravel and discolored water, everything looked fine.  We then attempted to flush the inlet lines to the water treatment system and discovered they were totally blocked with gravel and sediment.  After ten minutes of repeated flushing and cleaning out gravel, the water finally started to clear up. Then we started to getting particles floating on the water?  Earwig parts!  Now we had another problem!  We inspected the wellhead and discovered the cap was very loose. The seal was bad and the well was full of earwigs and spiders!

Example of an insect-infested well.

A bad seal or cracked well cap can cause big problems!
At this point, we have to shut the well down because it's not safe to use. Earwigs carry coliform bacteria and have become a big problem contaminating water in wells that have not been maintained properly.  The screen on this particular well was bad causing the gravel problem. We referred them to a reputable well company that came out that day.  The pump needed to be replaced, the well was power flushed (With air and water) and chlorinated, along with the house, to assure no bacteria were present. We then sanitized all of our equipment and re-bed the iron filtration system.  A water sample was sent to a third party water lab to certify the well as bacteria free and safe to drink.

The moral of this story? Don't take your well or your water for granted.  Every well should be inspected, a minimum of every three years, and water tested for bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, etc. Water Check is an excellent source for water testing and offers a variety of water testing kits mailed to your home. If you haven't had your water tested I suggest you consider it. Even just to have a good base reference for future testing.

Knowing your water is safe for you and your family brings peace of mind and a better quality of life for everyone.

Update 4/29/18: I just had my semi-annual water test done and discovered coliform bacteria in "my water"!  I have a 22-year-old well that had a bad seal on the cap. As they say now "My Bad".  No using water for two days as the well gets sanitized and flushed. Then sanitizing the house and all the water treatment equipment, Iron filter, water softener, and reverse osmosis drinking water system, for another day.

You know the expression "Happy Wife, Happy Life"? I can assure you now you don't want to test that expression!




Below you will find links to important information related to topics in this article:

Homeowners Guide to Your Well.

Insect in Water Wells

Well Care Information Sheets

Well Care Information: Well Caps

www.beauchampwater.com

Good Water, Good Life!

Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply
872 N Old US 23 Brighton, MI 48114
810 632 2000

Friday, June 12, 2015

Hard, Rusty, Smelly Water Problems Inside and Outside the Home?


Recently we had a couple from Milford, MI call that had an old ozone filtration system that failed.  They had sediment filters before and after everything to try and catch all the iron in the water inside and outside the home.  This system also fed their outside irrigation system.  They had been through several water softeners and many service calls on the ozone system in the 14 years since the system had been installed.  The ozone generator had died, the filters tanks were iron-bound and had been removed, the water softener stopped working, the water pressure in the house was very low and the irrigation system would not work at all.

Ozone systems were great for treating iron and odor problems along with many other water problems, especially bacteria in the water when they first came out but there are much more efficient ways to treat rusty, smell, hard water issues now.  Although ozone can still be a preferred method to treat difficult bacteria issues such as iron bacteria and coliform bacteria.  Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply removed the entire system, including the old galvanized well/contact tank (replaced it with a captive air bladder tank) and re-plumbed everything from before the well tank, through the new system, irrigation system and to the household plumbing.  As a matter of fact, we took out over sixty feet of plumbing that was totally fouled with oxidized iron. See pictures below,

Duplex AIO filtration systems were installed to accommodate the flow rates required for the irrigation system and household water use and a new high efficient water softener was installed.  This system is now much more efficient with very little maintenance, other than adding salt periodically.  They went from using over 140# of water softener salt per month to 40# of salt use per month.  That is a savings of over $1000.00 in 5 years!

As you can see by these pictures the entire system, including the plumbing lines, was fouled with iron and needed to be replaced.  The pipe shown here, coming out of the well tank, is a 1" PVC line that is so fouled with iron I could not fit the tip of my pen in it!  They were getting maybe five gallons per minute flow rate to the water treatment system, in the house, and to the irrigation system.





This is the picture of the ozone system, well tank, water softener, and filters before it was removed.  Now that is a plumbing nightmare!


The new water treatment system feeds the household water with iron-free softened water and supplies iron-free water for the irrigation system so there are no rust stains on the home's exterior, landscaping, driveways/sidewalks, property and that mailbox that is always brown from rust.



In summation; It is all about the proper solutions for water treatment problems. That is why Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply does not tell you what you need.  We work with you to provide practical, sensible, cost effective water treatment solutions to help your family solve those hard, rusty, smelly, water problems and provide the quality water you expect for your home and family.

Here are some useful links relevant to the information in this article;









Good Water, Good Life!

Beauchamp Water Treatment Solutions
872 N Old US 23
Brighton, MI 48114

810-632-2000







Sunday, March 1, 2015

Reverse Osmosis: What is it and why you should have one.


Reverse Osmosis is a filtration method where water is forced through a semi permeable membrane to reduce total dissolved solids and contaminants to supply fresh drinking water.  A typical residential reverse osmosis system will have 3 to 5 stages of filtration consisting of a 5 micron pre-filter or Carbon block filter, Reverse Osmosis Membrane, Activated carbon post filter, In-line post carbon filter and holding tank.  The pre-filter is simply designed to remove sediment and some particulates before the membrane or protect the membrane from chlorinated water supplies with a Carbon block pre-filter.  The RO membrane is the primary stage of filtration and removes up to 99% of contaminants in the water.  Many of these contaminants are VOC’s (Volatile Organic Chemicals) which the carbon filtration stage is designed to reduce/remove and polish the water as a final phase before delivery to the faucet or refrigerator.

The Reverse Osmosis Process:



The RO membrane consists of many layers of spiral wound filaments which restrict the passage of contaminants and force them to the drain.  The product water is drawn from the inside of the membrane and sent to a storage tank before it goes through final carbon filtration as it goes to the RO faucet or refrigerator.  A typical residential Reverse Osmosis system can make anywhere from 10-75 gallons per day of high quality water depending on the TDS (Total dissolved solids) of the incoming water supply, feed pressure and temperature of the water. Generally the higher the TDS less product water and lower quality water will be created. For high TDS water a “Booster Pump” is used to boost the incoming water pressure to the membrane to improve quality and quantity of water produced.

Cutaway of a Reverse Osmosis Membrane and RO Membrane in filter housing:





Particulate size removal chart for a Reverse Osmosis system:

Diagram of a Reverse Osmosis System installation under a sink:


When feasible it is recommended to have the reverse osmosis system installed in the basement for easy maintenance, filter changes and to not tie up valuable space under the sink.  Larger storage tanks can be used when installed in the basement and product tanks can even be hung in the floor joists to help with water pressure to the RO faucet and refrigerator.  Delivery pumps can also be used to boost the pressure from the storage tank to run water across the basement, operate refrigerators efficiently and supply higher pressure to multiple locations and RO faucets.  RO filters are changed every 6-12 months and the RO membrane is changed every 3-7 years depending on water usage and incoming water quality to the RO.  Filters changes will run anywhere from $60 up to $120 depending on the RO system. RO membranes generally cost $80 to $120.  Anyone can change these filters but there are certain procedures that need to be followed when changing RO filters to protect against bacterial cross contamination from our hands that can potentially contaminate the RO.  Periodic sanitizing of the complete RO system is recommended to prevent possible contamination.

There are three styles of residential reverse osmosis systems:

   1.  Basic RO system with 3-5 stages of filtration


            2.  3-4 stage RO system with one piece manifold
  
   3.  3-5 stage RO system with quick change filters
 

Reverse Osmosis storage tanks come in many sizes to accommodate necessary water storage:

Rather than getting into the histrionics about all the dangerous things that can potentially be in our water and how they can be hazardous to our health, let’s just address ONE fact.  We all need to drink more water!  Our Doctors tell us that, our bodies tell us that every time we get thirsty and we all need to get away from drinking so many sugary drinks, energy drinks, coffee, drinks with artificial sweeteners, etc. Dehydration is actually the number one contributor to health related issues.  Our bodies are over 80% water so keeping hydrated is of the utmost importance and drinking water is the only way to rehydrate.

Having to constantly buy water, be it five gallon bottles or cases of bottled water for drinking, is time consuming, expensive and a pain to constantly be chasing water or scheduling delivery not to mention finding the space to store it all.  All of us need to drink more water and many of us are, evidenced by the bottled water that is flying off store shelves and being delivered weekly to households.  The bottled water industry has been growing by nearly 10% annually.  Hey, we are paying $1.00 or more for a twelve ounce bottle of water!  At that rate gasoline would be over $10 per gallon!  That is just ridiculous and on top of that bottled water is very loosely regulated for quality and potability.  A Reverse Osmosis drinking water system is the answer to this problem. It's the most practical way of giving us all the quality water we need (AT PENNIES PER GALLON) and will give your family high quality drinking water 24/7, 365 days a year. So do yourself a favor!  Go buy a Reverse Osmosis system for your family and DRINK UP there is plenty of water for everyone!


Here are some helpful links pertaining to reverse osmosis, drinking water contaminants, drinking water regulations and concerns about what may be in our water.

Wikipedia - What is Reverse Osmosis

EPA - Drinking water contaminants

EPA - Ground water and Drinking water

Wikipedia - Contaminant levels

How Stuff Works - Reverse Osmosis

Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply


Good Water, Good Life!

Ray McConnell
Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply
872 N Old US 23 Brighton, MI 48114
810-632-2000
www.beauchampwater.com




© All rights reserved. Beauchamp Water Treatment and Supply 2016
    Raymond McConnell