For the average citizen there is only one water world. It is the visible water world. It is a world made up of consumer water filters, home service companies, bottled water purveyors, activists, politicians, entertainers, and social media influencers. This world is adorned by fantastic health claims, scare-you-into-buying tactics, apocalyptic warnings, and a save-the-planet camaraderie. This world looks to organizations like NSF, IAPMO, and the WQA for validation and fortification.…
DrinkingWater
Is Drinking Soft Water Really Bad?
Water softeners are a necessity in many parts of the US. A water softener removes Calcium and Magnesium from water and replaces it with sodium, which the unit gets from using salt pellets (NaCl). Doctors often warn that people on low sodium diets, or that have high blood pressure should be cautions when drinking soft water. This warning is sound advice, but depending on the type of soft water involved,…
The Water Balance
Early in my career I was taught how to do a water balance (WB) when addressing industrial water and wastewater challenges. The WB process allows the engineer, or designer to know all the important factors that affect a new water system design. The process takes into consideration total water supply and examines other input factors such as how quickly does the water supply replenish itself; in other words, how sustainable…