Thanks for having a look at this Blog! Below you will read a few common questions we get.
We generally give the following information to those questions, so have a quick read and we hope you find the answers to your questions.
You can visit our website to enquire about any of the products listed or to get more information
https://www.filteredwatertoowoomba.com.au
Can you make my bore taste good and will be it be safe to drink?
My bore runs clear so it is safe to drink?
Will my carbon filter treat the bore water?
What are my options for treating the bore?
Should i be worried about my tank water?
What are my options for treating my tank water?
Lets get to it!
Can you make my bore taste good and will be it be safe to drink?
Short answer, in most cases yes! There are a variety of ways to do this. First thing you need to do is collect a sample of your water directly from the bore, before any filterers. Let the water run for 30 seconds first and ensure the container is rinsed with the water you will use to sample. Take this sample to your local water council for lab testing. If you are unsure about any of these steps, we would be happy to assist.
We can then work out what minerals and metals are effecting the water. In some cases there can be synthetic chemicals and harmful bacteria.
There have been some extreme cases where the bore has been unfit to treat or to costly however, that is few and far between so it is worth investigating.
My bore runs clear so it is safe to drink right?
Maybe? But your toilet water is clear as well so would you drink that?
The difference here is you know what the source is. But with a bore its difficult to tell just looking at it. Aside from the obvious aesthetics of the water like, How salty it is, the foul smell or horrible taste, you still don't know unless you get a water sample done by a laboratory Yes you can buy kits to test this yourself, we carry them for basic quick testing. These tests however only give you a ball park yes/no hidden nasties.
A laboratory test will define in micro percentages, and classify exactly what is excessive, harmful or lacking.
Testing requirements for private bores
Both microbiological and chemical quality tests need to occur prior to use, particularly where the previous history of the bore is unknown. After the initial analysis the bore water should be checked every 2 years and monitored for any undesirable changes in water quality. If at any stage there are changes in appearance or odour, further water quality testing is advised.
Test parameters:
E. coli (as an indicator of faecal contamination)
Fluoride
Nitrate
Total dissolved solids (where not already known)
Antimony
Arsenic
Barium
Beryllium
Boron
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Lead
Managnese
Mercury
Molybdenum
Nickel
Selenium
Silver
Uranium.
Take a look at this bore water analysis below. The first image is dated 2019.
Looking at this test over all the water is pretty good. The total hardness is low, the TDS (total dissolved solids) is reasonable, and the PH is slightly on the alkaline side which is good. Conductivity is average but not bad. This anylisis does not show bacteria readings. If there is none then some simple filtration might be all you need.
The image below is of the same bore a few years later.
If you you look closely you can see that there is a radical difference. This goes to show that bores do change and it is recommended you have it checked.
As you can see, the total hardness has gone from 27 mg/L to 645 mg/L. well above a satisfactory level of around 150 to 200 mg/L This will present some heavy calcification issues damaging appliances, showers taps and fittings. Not to mention the aesthetics of the water are not real nice. The conductivity has risen way above the recommended limits at 1260 micro Siemens per centre meter. (uS/cm) but the PH has lowered to a pretty good 7.1
Will my carbon filter treat the bore water?
Yes and No. The use of a carbon filter is to absorb chlorides, chlorines, lead, taste and smells. They also assist in lowering the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) which in turn can lower the conductivity result as well. However sodium and metals can increase conductivity and carbon filters do little to treat these things. Bacteria can be captured by a carbon filter if the filter is below 1 mic. The smaller the better. The trade however is your flow rate and pressure will take a hit. Usually we recommend a carbon filter set up with a UV lamp for sterilisation.
Carbon filters are great when used correctly. In this application they should be used a step in the process.
What are my options for treating the bore?
This depends on your test results. If there is little to be concerned about then you may very well get away with a series of standard filters. A sediment pre filter to capture heavy solids and one or two carbon filters. In some instances we may swap one of the carbon filters for a specific media or mixed media filter. These consist of things such as ion exchange resin, to treat high iron and even mild bacteria, (KDF) Phosphate can assist in hard water treatment. The trade oft here is sometimes the resins can be expensive and require a regeneration process to scrub the resin.
Below is a standard 20 x 4.5 x 1 inch filter system with a limetron water conditioner
In most cases of bore water treatment we suggest the following.
A set of 20 x 4.5 x 1" twin filters, a UV lamp 1" and a Hydrosmart water conditioner 25mm.
As shown below
This system works like this.
The bore flows through the Hydrosmart system treating the water using high frequency to break down the molecular structure of the water, softening and reducing salinity, hardness etc. It has no filters and requires almost no maintenance. Australian made and very reliable.
See link for further information. https://hydrosmart.com.au
The trade oft here is that the water will change back to its original state after a few days so it can't be stored.
The water then passes through a set of filters. 1 mic sediment and carbon to treat the solids and taste. It then flows through the UV lamp sterilising the water.
In some cases we have seen the test results of the bore to be very high in a variety of minerals and metals.
In such instances and due to the client requesting a particular level of purity and a little mechanical knowledge, we ended up choosing to go with a reverse osmosis system. (RO)
RO works differently to a filter system. RO utilises a semi permeable membrane rolled tightly to approximately 0.001 mic depending. It also separates the water of sorts. This removal of minerals, metals, bacteria is then rejected and disposed of. The good water is referred to as permeate and the bad water is called brine.
RO units are considered to be the highest level of water treatment but with a few costs and a fair amount of maintenance
A few things to know and consider when choosing an RO system.
Ro units produce water very slowly due to the pressure required to force the water through the membrane. Because of this you will not get sufficient water on demand unless you have a holding tank for the permeate (good) water. This should be of large enough in volume for your daily water demands.
You will also need to consider the production rate. For Example the unit below can produce up to 4000 litres per day. Because these systems dispose of brine there is a percentage loss in volume. This loss of water depends greatly on what the quality of feed (inlet) water is. Therefore this unit was producing water at a rate of around 60% with a loss of 30 percent brine, resulting in 2800 litres per day. So you must take your water source quality and the units production rate into account and work out if the volume is correct.
The larger the production rate the more expensive it gets. These type of units are costly but do a great job of just about anything thrown at them.
Regular maintenance is required especially in the pre filtration as the membranes do not like heavy solids and breakdown from chlorine. As i stated earlier carbon filters are great for treating chlorine. These units will need to be monitored periodically to ensure the flow and balance of brine to permeate is correct. If the unit is equiped with a recycle function then you will need to manage this as well. Recycle allows a small percentage of the brine water to be put back through the system. This helps is water waist and changes the production value.
The image below is an RO unit connected to a bore suppling the house hold
Should I be worried about my tank water?
Worried is such a strong word. You shouldn't trouble yourself like that. That's our job. In all seriousness though, I would ask a few questions.
Is your tank water used for drinking, washing and toilets, showers or cooking?
What are your concerns potentially with the water?
Is your tank underneath trees or near railway, roads, construction sites or even mining?
If your not planning on drinking your tank water then the treatment is fairly simple and cheap. A single sediment filter changed every 6 to 12 months would do the trick.
If your tank is near trees, construction, rail or mining. You may need to consider upgrading the treatment a little to a twin or triple filter to capture things like, lead, coal, diesel and iron. These things can cause discolour on your appliances or damage your home. Bacteria from animal droppings, leaves, frogs and lizards can become a problem you will only want to takle once.
What are my options for treating my tank water?
If you are planning on drinking your tank water and let's be honest why wouldn't you?
Then we would defiantly recommend a UV lamp (ultra violet) to kill those nasty bugs.
Now, there are a couple ways to do this. If you would like the whole property treated including the bathroom showers and taps then you will need to go to a large whole house system. This is high flow and will ensure you have no smells, stains and the water tastes like tank water without the nasties. Filters are usually 5 mic spun fibre and carbon.
Shown below.
If you just require the water for drinking only. Then you could save some money and put a smaller version of this system under your sink. Connect this to the additional tap provided or connect this to a 3 way mixer faucet.
Shown below
You can even have a combination of both. For example. The whole house filters( no UV lamp) to treat the water you won't be drinking, just to capture the excess nasties, and a under sink system (UV lamp) for just the drinking water.
Thanks again for having a read we hope this was simple and informative. If you have any further questions you can click the link below and go to contact us and we will be in touch soon.
Thanks Ben