Water Doctors - The Need for Treatment

If you've ever noticed rusty orange or blue/green stains in your sinks, tubs or toilets, or an unpleasant smell in your water, you are among the many afflicted with problem water. Find out what causes problem water and how to fix it.

There are many other elements and characteristics which can cause water problems. If you have a question about a specific topic, browse the categories in our FAQ (Flood of Answered Questions) or e-mail inquiry@h2odoctors.com.

What Is Problem Water?
Some water contains troublesome elements or has characteristics which can make it very unpleasant to use or damaging to things that it touches. Among them are iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide and acidity.

Iron
Iron in water is a common problem. Since iron makes up five percent of the earth's crust, water absorbs it as it passes through the ground and into underground aquifiers, wells and surface waters. Unfortunately, iron creates some annoying problems. Iron is generally found in well water, although city water users are not immune from the problems associated with it.

Iron typically rears its ugly head as rusty orange/brown stains, streaks or spots on clothing cleaned in a washing machine. Stains also appear on bathtubs, sinks and faucets. Even small amounts of iron can cause problems. Iron in concentrations as low as .3 parts per million can cause staining. And iron staining can be difficult to remove; cleaning may require special solvents. Iron can also clog pipes and damage the internal parts of water-using appliances.

Iron exists in three common forms: elemental iron, ferrous iron and ferric iron. The elemental form of iron is found in the ground. Ferrous iron is in a dissolved state within a water supply and will not cause any discoloration, although a distinct metallic taste will be present. When the dissolved iron reacts with oxygen however, ferric iron results. Ferric iron turns the water a hazy, reddish-brown color and makes it very unappealing. Ferric iron stains bathtubs, sinks and fixtures when it comes in contact with them. Even though iron is generally dissolved in water, when the water is drawn from the tap, the iron reacts with the oxygen in the air and enters the ferric state. In some cases, water may already carry ferric iron when it's drawn from a faucet, and may appear discolored.

Solving Iron Problems
No matter which form iron appears in, there is a solution available. Typically one of the following two methods is used:

Water Conditioners
Common home water conditioners can remove average amounts of dissolved iron from a family's water supply.
Multi-Stage Iron Removal Systems
When iron appears in excessive amounts, a specialized iron removal system may be required. Aeration equipment or chlorine can be used to inject oxygen into the water and change the dissolved iron into ferric iron. The ferric iron can then be removed by special automatic backwashing filters, leaving the water clean and clear. In some cases, special filters can perform both the oxidation and filtration functions.

Manganese
Manganese, an element closely related to iron, can also cause the problems described above. Stains are usually darker in color, but treatment options are generally the same as those used against iron. Manganese is not as common as iron, however, so problems with it do not occur as frequently or severely.

Hydrogen Sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide (also commonly referred to as Sulfur), although not a cause of staining, gives water an obnoxious, "rotten egg" odor that can make it unbearable to drink, cook with or even bathe in. Because it is a weak acid, hydrogen sulfide can also promote corrosion. And its presence in the air causes silver to tarnish in seconds. High concentrations are flammable and can be poisonous.

Traditionally, hydrogen sulfide was removed by first converting it into elemental sulfur, a yellowish powder that could be removed with filters. The process works similarly to that which was used to filter iron from water. First, aeration or chlorination oxidized the contaminant. The oxygen or chlorine reacted with the hydrogen sulfide to produce sulfur, which was then removed with an automatic backwashing filter.

Newer technologies utilize specialized sulfur removal media in a single, complete system to eliminate hydrogen sulfide in one step. Kineticoís Sulfur Guard systems, for example, use proprietary technology to take care of hydrogen sulfide problems without requiring multiple stages of expensive, cumbersome, high-maintenance equipment.

Acid Water
Acidity is another characteristic that can influence a family's water supply. When water is acidic, it must be neutralized or it will corrode plumbing and fixtures, and could damage water-using appliances. A neutralizer containing calcite chips is often used to reduce water acidity. As water flows through the bed of calcite, the chips dissolve into the water and neutralize its acidity. They also add hardness minerals to the water which can then be removed by a water conditioner.