Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/465664
waterwelljournal.com 18 March 2015 WWJ "We dabbled in water treatment for 15 years until we real- ized that water treatment isn't a business you use to fill your downtime with," Swain notes. That's because to be the most successful, you need to be committed to education and continual training. Many manu- facturers, including Water-Right, offer training on their products. Courses through professional associations, like the National Ground Water Association, are another good resource. "In my experience, many contractors who have tried water treatment and weren't successful weren't trained properly or weren't given the opportunity to get the education they needed," Gruett says. "No matter who you buy from, they should have training available." Avoid problems on the job site by doing the upfront work re- quired to design the right system and choose your equipment. "A lot of times if treatment isn't working, it's because the contractor didn't do their homework," Swain says. "Whether that's improper sizing of equipment or misapplication of equipment because not enough testing was done prior to mak- ing a recommendation." Proper testing before installing a system is the most impor- tant step. You can't effectively treat a homeowner's water until you know what's in it. And don't assume that because one approach worked for one well that it will work for another, advises Todd Krause, lead engineer with Northwest Water Systems in Port Orchard, Washington. "You have to understand the water chemistry involved and not just do a one-size-fits-all approach," he adds. Water testing prior to treatment should include hardness, iron, manganese, pH, and total dissolved solids. Tannins and nitrates should be tested for if these are an issue in the area. "Tannins oftentimes don't cause any problems all by them- selves, but when they're combined with iron they make the iron much more difficult to remove," Krause says, "and if your pH is outside of range, it can cause problems with what- ever treatment process you're selecting." Every well needs to be tested—even if you just installed a water treatment system on a well down the road. "Each unit—whether it's a water softener or iron filter— has parameters specific to the device you need to follow in order to set up the equipment," Gruett advises. "So you need to know what's in the water to set that unit properly." It's also important to understand your customer's water usage and what they expect from their water. Failing to take these into account can lead to failure because you won't know how much water you'll need to treat. For example, Swain had a homeowner who complained their treatment system wasn't working correctly, but he found they were using 10,000 gallons of water to top off a pool every two weeks. "That's why the unit failed," he concluded. But don't allow a homeowner to tell you what they need. "Pushing equipment just because it fits a customer's budget usually ends up in disaster," Swain warns. "You have to be prepared to do it right or walk away." Be prepared to troubleshoot Even when you do everything right, things can still go wrong. Water quality can change over time and competing contaminants could be causing problems. "About 95 percent of iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide treatments are easy," Krause says. "It's the other 5 percent that are really difficult." One of the first things to check is the unit itself. Make sure the equipment is performing according to manufacturer's specifications. Newer equipment records diagnostic informa- tion that may show why the equipment failed. Also retest the water. Water-Right suggests testing the water before it goes through water treatment—and after. "It all comes back to testing the water," Gruett says. "You have to be willing to go out and play investigator. Sometimes it's a very simple fix like something mechanical. In other situations it may be the water." Sometimes contaminants not often tested for could be to blame "There's other factors in the water chemistry that aren't a problem in and of themselves, but they inhibit the treatment of iron, manganese, arsenic—whatever you're trying to remove out of the water," Krause says. For example, tannins can affect treatments for iron by foul- ing media, especially resins. If you're treating for arsenic, silica could be causing problems in concentrations as little as 20 parts per million (ppm) to 40 ppm. It's even more likely to cause problems if it's greater than 40 ppm or if the pH is high—about 8.0 or higher. When problem water has you stumped, don't be hesitant to enlist help. "Manufacturers' representatives can be a great resource," Krause points out. "But you need to remember they're sales- men, and take their advice as such." Engineers with experience in the field can also be a good third-party resource. In the end, these partnerships can offer a new perspective on the problem and help you find solutions. "Sometimes there's more than one way to treat water," Gruett says. "You need a reputable manufacturer who's will- ing to stand behind you, answer questions, and hopefully get you out of trouble." Be transparent with your customers Keeping your customers happy while you troubleshoot can be just as challenging as finding the problem—especially if Best Suggested Practices Aid Treatment Issues "Best Suggested Practices" from the National Ground Water Association aid contractors at job sites. They are not standards, but practices prepared by a consen- sus of groundwater professionals that have been demonstrated to show superior results. Among the topics of the BSPs are reducing the concentra- tions of arsenic, boron, hydrogen sulfide, iron, manganese, and other contaminants in residential water well systems. Go to the online bookstore at www.NGWA.org to view all of the best suggested practices. PROBLEM WATERS from page 17