UV water filter?

[NutmegCT]

I wondered if anyone is using an undercounter or whole-house UV water treatment system.

For various reasons beyond my control, my well water tests always come back positive for bacteria. Not E. coli, but coliform bacteria none the less. Chlorine treatments work for a few weeks, but the bacteria returns.

Other than the infinitesimal bacteria count (one in 100 mL, zero E. coli in 100 mL), my water tests excellent regarding minerals, sediment, chemicals, etc.

UV is recommended for decontamination of bacteria in well water - so I wondered if any BCFers use such a system.

Thanks.
Tom M.

 

[Jerry]

I also have a well and use a reverse Osmosis system with UV. I chlorinate every 6 months, usually when we are going somewhere so it sits down there for a few days. The system has 3 filters and with the reverse osmosis, no bacteria can get through. The UV came with the system, I did not have it on the previous system. So all drinking water comes out of the one facet, We do not use it for the whole house. But, I do have a charcoal filter for the whole house.
Wells are more work but then, have you ever tested city water, maybe it has bacteria also.
Jerry

 

[SD Bugeye]

Couple of things to keep in mind Uv bulbs typically are 254 195 nano meter wave length to be effective
as the y age the frequency change rendering them to being a pretty blue light
10 months of burn time then change them .
activeated carbon is good for chlorine removal and turbidity and taste
the draw back with home carbon filters is you can’t steam them or backwash them
the best thing to do,is size them as close as possible to the us piont post carbon you want to be ideally about 10 GPM per cubic foot.that will remove chlorine and chloramines and keep the laminar flow to a minimum
They can be a area where bacteria tends to grow as there is an abundance of organic there
so bigger is not always better
change it at least bi annually also check chlorine break thru with a chlorine test kit.
and the more you use the better idle carbon is bad carbon.
as for the RO element typical home units are CA elements they work best at approx 1-2 PPM chlorine.
inexcess of that or no chlorine will shorten the life
if your shock chlorinating your well don’t alllow the high PPM to,reach the RO element.

 

[NutmegCT]

Thanks gents.

Jerry - does your RO system sit under the sink? run on 120 volts?

Do you know the make/model of the unit?

Thanks.
Tom M.

 

[Basil]

We have a RO system, but it's not UV, it's a Kinetico RO system and we have it in the kitchen pantry. It only feeds the drinking water at the refrigerator. We're on city water but it's very hard (which is why we also have a softener). I've never had our water tested for bacteria, only for mineral contaminants.

 

[Jerry]

mine is under the sink and was bought off amazon. dont know the brand, it does run on 115v because I bought the unit that has a pump this time. lower water pressures limit the process, the pump speeds it up.

 

[NutmegCT]

Thanks gents. I'm waiting for a new water analysis result, but after one neighbor dammed the creek and the water table rose, and another neighbor decided to use liquid manure on his hill-top field ... I'm figuring the test will come back positive for bad stuff.

I'd never even thought about bacteria, until a few years ago when my cat decided not to drink the water in his cup. I had the water tested, and results showed E. coli. No way to prove the link to neighbors' activities, but I'm getting tired of wondering, and shock treating the well with bleach so often.

Thanks.
Tom M.

 

[Basil]

Thanks gents. I'm waiting for a new water analysis result, but after one neighbor dammed the creek and the water table rose, and another neighbor decided to use liquid manure on his hill-top field ... I'm figuring the test will come back positive for bad stuff.

I'd never even thought about bacteria, until a few years ago when my cat decided not to drink the water in his cup. I had the water tested, and results showed E. coli. No way to prove the link to neighbors' activities, but I'm getting tired of wondering, and shock treating the well with bleach so often.

Thanks.
Tom M.

Liquid manure - yikes!

 

[PAUL161]

We have city water, but drink water in the house from the refrigerator which is filtered. The frige will indicate when the filter needs changing, at 40 bucks a clip! Saying that, when I'm out at the barn, I drink water from the hydrant/freeze protected faucet even out of the hose at times. I know, I should have been dead 10 years ago according all the pros on the subject, but I'm still kicking, so I guess our water isn't all that bad. :highly_amused: I've been drinking water out of a hose since I was a kid, even spring water out of a stream, also out of a stream of glacier water in glacier national park and never got sick. My wife doesn't agree with my habits on the subject, but at 78 I aint worried about it. Just sayin. PJ

 

[NutmegCT]

Paul - don't change a thing!

 

[SD Bugeye]

A poorly maintained water purifying system is more of a health risk than your garden hose
we have created more issues than they are with

I”m an SME for Suez
i drink out of the garden hose the tap water from the Missouri River
unless there is truly an issue with your local water source don’t bother with purifying your water
under sink water systems there more trouble than there worth unless you in enjoy laying on your back under a sink.
and bottled water eh won’t hurt you but really. Why bother unless your water has a bad odor or taste..
Life’s short don’t sweat the small stuff drink beer!
if you truly are concerned have your water tested before you spend a dime on any kind of treatment
you could exasperate the situation.
there is no sense in creating a home for bugs in your perfectly good menards 3/4’ Rubber HD garden hose.

 

[waltesefalcon]

My dad had a very good friend who was a survivor of the Bataan Death March and he always attributed his survival to having grown up in SW Oklahoma heat, and drinking water out of stock tanks and streams. He said that he never once got sick and as a result had an easier time keeping weight on his frame than many of his fellows who came from places with a milder climate and treated water.

 

[PAUL161]

My dad had a very good friend who was a survivor of the Bataan Death March and he always attributed his survival to having grown up in SW Oklahoma heat, and drinking water out of stock tanks and streams. He said that he never once got sick and as a result had an easier time keeping weight on his frame than many of his fellows who came from places with a milder climate and treated water.

:smile-new: My goodness Walter, wonder if that's why my weight stays around 170? I think along with a lot of activity helps also. Since being retired, I've told the wife that I was thinking of going back to work, just to get a rest! :highly_amused:

 

[waltesefalcon]

Well Paul, my guess is that you are just healthy. On that note though, I do know that when I go to Mexico I can drink the water without adverse side effects, I attribute that to having grown up drinking well and creek water. I still will drink out of streams when I go hiking.

 

[John Turney]

When I was a grad student at Berkeley, one of the other students was from Mexico. When he came to Berkeley, he drank the water and received adverse side effects. I concluded it's all what you're used to.

 

[SD Bugeye]

Yup your body has to shift gears...
lol!

 

[Basil]

Yup your body has to shift gears...
lol!

My clutch keeps slipping!

 

[DrEntropy]

[FONT=&quot]"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."[/FONT]

I GROK. :wink:

 

[Jerry]

I use a filter on my house well because:
1. arsenic in the area
2. Lots of gold mining done around here, more mercury and stuff around here
3. The county recommended a filter??