1. What impurities may your water contain and how do they affect your water quality?
2. What are the types of water purification and water filtration equipment and how do they work?
3. What is the purification level that you should be striving to meet for your intended water use?
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about the impurities the water filtration system will reduce

Some elements such as iron and bacteria occur naturally in water. Other impurities, such as pesticides and fertilizers can run-off from farms and lawns and result in elevated ammonia and nitrates. Yet other substances, such as detergents are leftover from water treatment processes. Not all of these impurities can be completely removed, so it's essential you educate yourself on the acceptable levels.

I recommend: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides a list of the water contaminants they monitor, their sources, and the potential problems they may cause. General Electric Company provides information on impurities, their effects, and possible treatments for them.

Know the techniques and purpose of each type of water purification machine

Distillation and deionization provide water quality that may be above and beyond normal usage, but useful for pharmaceutical, laboratory, and some industrial water purification uses, by removing both solid and dissolved impurities. More common techniques, such as reverse osmosis, activated carbon and filtration membranes are often sufficient for drinking and other commercial uses by removing most suspended organic and inorganic particles as well as chemical impurities. All but the most basic water purifier machine you choose will most likely incorporate more than one of these techniques.

I recommend: ELGA LabWater provides thorough explanations of the process behind several purification techniques. Excel Water Technologies explains common water treatment techniques, including which contaminants each technique removes.

Know where the purity levels your water filtration system should meet

The use of your water will be the main factor controlling your water purity needs. Though drinking water standards are strict, they are by no means the strictest. If you are using your water for any sort of chemical manipulations, such as medical, laboratory or pharmaceutical uses, your purity guidelines will most likely surpass those of drinking water.

I recommend: Lenntech offers a summary of the World Health Organization drinking water standards, including acceptable levels of naturally occurring substances. Res-Kem provides specialty equipment for extensive decontamination needs. The main terms to look for for these needs are degasification, deionization, and decarbonization.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep abreast of the current technology and water quality developments. New impurities are discovered and water quality guidelines change. Knowing what these developments mean and how they affect your business, as well as what new purification techniques are developed, can help you to know if you need to change your water purifier system.

Guide to Water Purification Equipment and Supplies

Keep your water safe for consumption with water purification equipment

By Lesley Graybeal

1. Test your water to find out what kind of water purifier system you need.
2. Use a services search to select from filters offered by providers of water purification systems.
3. Choose a type of filter to fit your needs.
4. Make filtered water available with storage containers.
5. Monitor the quality of your water and remember to replace filters and membranes regularly.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get a test kit to find out what water purification equipment you need

Contaminants in water aren't always the result of negligence or pollution. Often, naturally occurring contaminants get into water and the only way to identify them and treat them with a water filtration system is to test for contaminants.

I recommend: Try out tests that target both specific contaminants such as arsenic, and complete kits that test a wide range of more commonly occurring contaminants such as chlorine and various bacteria. Both types of tests are fairly inexpensive.

Search services offered by water purifier equipment providers

Providers of water purification systems generally offer many services for homeowners and businesses. Search provider websites for the type of filtration service you need, from a single faucet filter to large-scale wastewater treatment.

I recommend: Use Siemens to find industrial water purification services or browse the entire range of industrial and home products offered by AMPAC USA. Tekleen offers a feature that allows you to search by industry for industrial water purification products, including different types of irrigation needs. If you're purchasing a filtration system for home use, you can compare filters for drinking water and whole home use.

Pick water purification supplies to fit your space

Because so many different types of purifiers are available, you can generally find one to place in the location where you most want to purify your water. You may have several uses for water at home or at your business, but you can choose where you want to purify.

I recommend: Whole house systems are the most comprehensive and generally the most expensive type of water filtration systems to buy and maintain because they filter all water at the point of entry, covering all faucets that branch out from that single point. If you want to narrow your filtration, you can try an under-sink water purification machine, a countertop water purifier or even water purification equipment you can install where water enters a refrigerator water dispenser, an ice maker, a coffee machine or any other device that uses water.

Store plenty of water from your water purifier machine

Water purification machines can purify large quantities of water for you to store in bottles or tanks. Even if you just want to purify water for drinking, multi-gallon bottles can make the process more convenient.

I recommend: Large multi-gallon bottles like those used in office water dispensers are an efficient way to store filtered water and transfer it easily to a drinking dispenser. If you're working more with industrial water purification, you might need much larger storage tanks with a cone bottom, or even with an open top to catch rain water. Another way to showcase your purification of water systems for business is through purified water vending machines.

Monitor to know when water purification supplies need replacing

Filters and membranes wear out and need replacing after a certain amount of use. Make sure you get a monitor to accompany your water purification machine to ensure you are using it to its potential.

I recommend: You can either continue to test your water periodically using test kits, or purchase a monitor to continually check various contaminant levels in your water purifier machine. You'll need to purchase water purification supplies such as replacement filters and membranes anywhere from monthly to yearly depending on the type and scale of filtration.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're shopping for any kind of industrial water purification, make sure you know the government regulations for your industry so that you can purchase filtration equipment that meets the necessary standards. Providers of water purification systems will be able to tell you what standards their systems meet.

1. Be aware of your local water quality and the contaminants removed by most water purification equipment and supplies.
2. Determine which type of water filtration system would be best for your business.
   
3. Know emergency purification procedures.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Match the water quality issues with the contaminant removal capabilities of your water purification

Not all water filtration equipment removes the same substances. However, matching your water conditions to the commercial water purification equipment can save you money. By knowing which contaminants exist in your water and which are removed by your equipment you may be able to avoid purchasing a costly and unneeded level of technology.

I recommend: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides local drinking water quality information. Aqua Solutions provides an explanation of different categories of water impurities and the purification capabilities of different filtration and purification technologies. Pure Water Products offers more information on other various water conditions as well as a glossary of basic terms used in water treatment.

Choose the water purifier system technology that best fits your water quality

From distillation to reverse osmosis to UV radiation, there are many varied ways of purifying water. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and many water purification equipment combines two or more of these processes. For the most cost-effective solution, find the processes that best take care of your water impurities without adding unneeded technologies.

I recommend: APEC Water Systems and Millipore Corporation both offer detailed explanations of various water purification processes along with the benefits and limitations of each process.

Have an emergency plan for when your purification technology fails

Even the best water purification equipment is not foolproof. To ensure your business can still function in a water quality emergency, educate yourself on emergency water purification options. While not resulting in as high a quality of water as using a water purification equipment, you will have drinkable and usable water to continue your business operations.

I recommend: The Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water and North Carolina State University offer instructions on how to purify and store water in an emergency situation.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep abreast of your water quality information. As municipalities change procedures or potable wells change conditions, your water quality may improve or decline. This will affect your water purification equipment needs.