Kurt C. Peterson, Publisher
As temperatures rise across the country, it’s time for water treatment dealers to deal with more service calls for biological contaminant issues. Microbes are the one group of living creatures that are known to inhabit extremes and heat is their friend, not yours. As with algal blooms in regional water bodies, biofilms may also develop in water treatment systems, cisterns, cooling towers and more. It’s imperative that the water treatment includes a multi-barrier approach to ensure safe, clean water to those most dependent upon these sources.
Treatment trains often include the mainstay of water treatment: activated carbon. Whether it’s the sole option or part of a more complex system, the benefits of carbon are unmistakable. To address our main topic, we have a general review of activated carbon filters by Dr. Henry Nowicki and the staff of PACS, Inc. Following up on last month’s pictorial coverage of WQA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, FL, we take a closer look at the highlights, awards and perceptions of visitors and vendors alike. On the trade show floor, the number of products is amazing and the ‘marks’ of third-party testing agencies are in full view. When and how often are they tested? IAPMO Group’s Tom Palkon offers insight into the certification and listing process, while trying to answer that question within the limitations of certification itself.
Disinfection of water systems, pools and water coolers is easily accomplished with UV, a treatment option that is in wide use (primarily) in the commercial and municipal markets. VIQUA’s Diane Arnott and Anthony Ooserveld take a closer look at how UV is becoming more useful in the residential arena as well. Everyone has a nightmare story about customer issues and some border on the hilarious. To highlight the latter, David and Joshua Davies of Aqua General, Inc. gives us a few examples of how to handle the odd, the strange and the weird.
Public Health Editor Dr. Kelly A. Reynolds discusses the groundwater risk factors that arise with the onset of summer rains. This is another area of contamination that gets little notice but creates drinking water risk. There is no simplistic approach to water treatment, although some methodologies may be the simplest approach to resolving issues. In the age of emerging contaminants, though, the level of complexity must outpace the the regulatory requirements.
To reassure consumers that water treatment dealers are their go-to candidates, they must take time to expand their knowledge base and gain experience in an ever-widening field of problems, in order to be the resident expert who takes their clients’ concerns seriously. The more you know, the better you perform and the safer the water will be for everyone. Our coverage is meant to broaden your horizons, so to speak, by offering the insights and expertise of water industry experts. If there’s a topic we haven’t covered but should, let us know and we’ll find the experts to educate and guide you.