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Your Chlorine Residual has a story to tell - if you have time to listen.
The centuries-long love affair between chlorine and drinking water filtration has been immensely beneficial for humanity's health and palate. Not only does chlorine kill the bacteria and viruses that cause everything from typhoid to hepatitis A, but it also reduces unpleasant tastes and odours.
Of course, it's one thing to treat water at a facility so that it's palatable and safe to drink, but quite another to guarantee that it stays that way even after coursing through miles of piping. This is where the aforementioned chlorine residual comes in. Some chlorine is left in the water after treatment to keep water free of microorganisms and other harmful and disagreeable matter, as it makes its way to consumers. The World Health Organization recommends that the chlorine residual level should not exceed 5 mg/l. In England and Wales, water treatment utilities strive to keep the level well below 1 mg/l.
If you have time to listen, your chlorine residual has a story to tell. Take, for instance, the tale of lower-than-normal levels at testing points. This is a clear sign of accelerated chlorine decay or a greater-than-usual chlorine demand somewhere in the distribution system. High levels of residual organic matter in treated water are a common culprit; biofilms and organic-rich sediments in pipes and tanks are another. Warmer weather also tends to increase the rate of chlorine decay. Reactions with metallic elements of the distribution system, such as metal pipes and tanks, can also eat into chlorine residual levels.
Lower than normal chlorine residual levels sometimes tell the tale of under-utilisation and poor design choices, with tanks playing the starring role. Among other functions, tanks help equalise pressures and maintain the stability of water distribution systems when demand surges. However, if they are under-utilised, the water they hold ages, chlorine decays, and as a consequence, residual levels plummet.
Poor design choices can lead to the same problem. Warmer, older water usually collects at the top of a tank, while colder, fresher water stays at the bottom. If the inlet-outlet design does not force the two forms of water to mix, the fresher water will continue to flow out while its warmer counterpart stays in place. This warmer water will age and constantly leach chlorine from the fresh incoming water, leading to lower residual levels overall.
Your chlorine residual can warn you about greater-than-desired organic matter levels, tank under-utilisation, poor design choices, and other shortcomings.
Unfortunately, our drinking water is not as perfect as we would like it to be, and a lot of factors affect the quality of tap water.
For example, last month Devon residents had an issue with tap water, when the parasite infection was found in water, and they were urgently advised to use only bottled water for drinking and cooking. (Guardian news 15.05.2024) Last week, hundreds of homes in Surrey were warned to not drink tap water, as the elevated levels of hydrocarbons in water were reported, following a local fuel leak (according to BBC news 01.06.2024)
As water treatment experts, we recommend installing an RO drinking water filter, to guarantee that up to 95% of contaminants are removed from your tap water. RO filters are designed to make drinking water as safe as possible, also delivering a better tasting water and removing odours. Under-sink water filtration systems are also the most economical way of having a constant supply of safe drinking water in your home or business, eliminating the need to regularly buy bottled water.
Contact us for a friendly no obligation advice on the best water filter for your home: 01458 860 558.
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