It might not seem like it at first glance, but there are minuscule particles floating in your water, ranging from dissolved solids like calcium and magnesium to chemicals like chlorine. These particles spoil the smell and taste of your water, and even attach to your pipes and plumbing fixtures, potentially causing major problems for your home plumbing system (and these are only a few reasons why we treat water!). These particles are normally called contaminants or pollutants because they do more damage than they do any good.
Why is it important to purify and treat water?
Despite the efforts of the federal and state governments to regulate the contaminants in your water, there yet remains hard minerals and chemicals in your tap water. These can cause unnecessary problems for you and your plumbing system. For instance, sediment in your pipeline can attach to your pipes and eventually scale until it clogs your water flow. And if your water is especially hard, then you’ll have to flush your water heater more frequently than its standard regular maintenance calls for.
Also, the remaining presence of chlorine can really dampen the taste and smell of your water, and even dry out your hair and skin as you take showers or bathe in chlorinated water.
What are the 5 stages of water treatment?
The City of Phoenix Water Services Department processes your water through its five water treatment plants, treating your water of potentially hazardous pollutants according to standards set by federal and state regulations.
The typical 5 stages seen in any water treatment process are:
- Screening: when water is extracted from a source like lakes or rivers, it usually enters a water treatment facility through a screen, helping prevent large debris such as plants, wood, or fish from being carried through the water treatment process.
- Coagulation and Flocculation: a chemical process that binds particles such as dirt, clay, and organic matter, making them too heavy and unable to pass through the rest of the water treatment system.
- Sedimentation: ridding of the pollutants from step one.
- Filtration: removing bacteria and other contaminants by passing water through physical elements such as carbon, sand, or gravel.
- Disinfection: a disinfectant, such as chlorine or chloramine, is added to the water to eliminate any remaining disease-causing microorganisms such as parasites, viruses, and bacteria.
How is water treated at a water plant? During the coagulation stage of the water treatment process, a chemical coagulant, such as ferric chloride, is mixed in the water to cause the particulates to bind together, making them heavy enough to sink to the bottom, keeping them from being carried through the rest of the process.
When your water reaches the disinfection stage, a disinfectant like chlorine is used to kill any remaining microorganisms present and prevent any more microbial growth as the water reaches your home.
The state also adds fluoride as a preventative measure for tooth decay.
What are some benefits of treating water?
The City of Phoenix’s water treatment process aims to keep your tap water at a minimal level of safety to use and drink without any extreme hazards like toxicity and disease. But that’s not to say there aren’t any negative effects on your water, home, or you by any leftover contaminants from the city’s water treatment plants that may find their way to your tap.
Contaminant levels fluctuate and even heighten, like in cases of storm runoff contributing to the city’s water supply, meaning that the number of contaminants in your water isn’t always consistent.
During summer and fall seasons, algae grow in the water canals feeding the city’s water treatment plants, and although the algae itself may be removed during the water treatment process, what remains of the algae is strong enough to give your water a “musty” odor and taste that lingers despite its removal.
The city doesn’t place as much importance on regulating the hardness of your water – the presence of minerals – as they are not under health standards for safe drinking water.
This places most of the responsibility for regulating your water hardness on you.
Having a water filtration system, softener, or conditioner professionally installed in your own home plumbing will significantly resolve any leftover contaminant issues that still make their way to your tap.
filtered water
Water Treatment in Phoenix, AZ for your home
We at Deer Valley Plumbing provide Phoenix homeowners with top-of-the-line systems to combat those pesky pollutants dampening your water quality and function of your pipes, fixtures, and appliances. We offer a variety of quality water filtration systems, such as Reverse Osmosis, as well as water softeners and conditioners, making sure we find the right fit for your home and your budget.
We also provide professional servicing for any water quality system you have installed, to ensure the longevity and effectiveness of any water filtration or softening unit you may have, getting you your money’s worth and healthy, delicious water flowing through your tap!