The Information Source for Water Treatment Professionals www.watertechonline.com Volume 34 • Number 4 • April 2011 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Chromium reality check ............ 16 Perk up coffee sales ..................... 32
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The Information Source for Water Treatment Professionalswww.watertechonline.comVolume 34Number 4April 2011ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:Chromium reality check ............ 16Perk up coffee sales ..................... 32Subscribe to the print edition or digitaledition. Sign up for WaterTech e-News Daily.A daily news service for Water Treatment Professionals.Follow Water Technology on Twitter. Become a Water Technology Friend and Fan on Facebook.Want more great info from WaterTechnology? Visit the all new website.Share and view in-the-field experiences,products and tips & tactics.Whether youre looking to buy or browse, find out more about the products seen in our publication.Circle 215AXEON_WaterTechnology '11 Pressure Vessel_AdIF THE ERADICATOR DOES NOT DO WHAT WE SAY IT WILL DO, WELL BUY IT BACK!Were so confdent of The Eradicators efectiveness, we guarantee it. If it does not perform the way we say it will perform, well buy it back. Call 1- 800-272-5511 to be the frst in your town to ofer The Eradicator.Your Complete Residential/Commercial Water Treatment Supplier...Since 1959O WHAT WE SAY IT T BACK!rs efectiveness, we he way we say it will00-272-5511 to beadicator.For More Details Call 1- 800-272-5511The Eradicator utterly destroys rust and sulfur, two of the biggest issues with problem water.Our patented Eradicator is so efective it has been known to take water with 66 parts per million of sulfur and reduce it to zero.Unlike competitive products, the Eradicator does not use harsh chemicals to treat the water so it is easy on the environment.Our patented system uses oxidation technology that eliminates rust and sulfur without chemicals.The Eradicators user-friendly design also means easy and low-cost maintenance:No air compressor to maintainNo inline Venturi to clogAll components separate easily for simple maintenanceEliminates the need for aeration tanksTHE ERADICATOR Chemical-Free Iron and Sulfur RemovalCircle 2052Water TechnologyApril 2011 Cover Story12Physical water treatmentscience and pseudoscience The author discusses the need of scientific support for physical water conditioning devices. Features10 WQA Aquatech post show review/ Trade Show In PrintHighlights from WQA Aquatech USA 2011 and an over-view of some exciting new products.16 Hexavalent chromium in the press againRecent news about hexavalent chromium in drinking water may just be media hype. 20 Residential UVUV disinfection has several advantages over traditional chemical methods. 22 Ensuring optimal POU filtrationsystem performanceCustomers should take ownership of the quality of drinking water entering their home. 24 The power of a well known brandA brand name can signal value, tradition and conjure other positive thoughts. 26 Mood of lenders in 2011Lenders are ready to increase financing for water treat-ment products in 2011.28 Scale control using PWT devicesExamples of financial and environmental benefits. 32 The love-hate of water and coffee brewingPart one of a two-part series on waters effect on coffee and brewing equipment. Water Technology (ISSN 0192-3633) is published monthly (plus an additional issue in December) by NTP Media, 19 British American Blvd. West, Latham, NY 12110, to serve the water treatment industry and its suppliers. Periodicals post-age paid at Latham, NY, and at additional mailing offices. 2011 subscription rates for US, Canada and Mexico: one year, $74; two years, $111. Foreign subscription rates: one year, $150; two years, $248; single issue, $15; issue containing surveys, $25; Buyers Guide, $37. Registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office, Copyright 2011 Grand View Media Group. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher reserves the right to reject any and all materials not in keeping with the publications standards, whether such standards are written or not. The publisher makes no judgments as to claims of products or services advertised. Postmaster: Send changes of address to Water Technology, PO Box 2174, Skokie, IL 60076. Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.Go to:http://twitter.com/WaterTechOnline1216To find editorial topics planned for upcoming issues, go to: www.watertechonline.com, click on the Advertising pull-down menu and selectEditorial Calendar. Water Technology accepts professional, unbiased and informative articles: Contact Rich DiPaolo at: [email protected] Lower is a retired physical chemistry professor at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.Pauli Undesser, CWS-VI, is WQAs director of regulatory and technical affairs and toxicol-ogy manager for WQAs Gold Seal Certifcation Program. Previously, she was product cer-tifcation supervisor.Robert W. Schabes carries an economics degree from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of South Florida. RW has been employed within the ISPC corporate family since January 1990 and was named president of ISPC in January 2011.Roy E. Parker is the senior mar-keting manager for Commercial Products, Global Foodservice and Pentair Foodservice Everpure, SHURfo. Parker oversees global strategic and tactical marketing planning for Everpure.Exclusive expertise... a closer look at the authors in this issue.35 Contaminant of the Month: CopperCopper, which can be discharged from wastewater treatment plants, does not break down in the environment.Column38 Professor POU/POEThis months topics: Mercury removal, metals in city water, GAC before softener, cartridge filters.Product Center40 Products & ServicesA showcase of manufacturers products and services. This month: alkaline water jug; ground water disinfection; commercial filtration; and much more. Departments4...............................................................Upfront6........................................ Around the Industry34................................. Reader Service Center36............................. Certification Action Line 41...................................................Marketplace44......................................................ClassifiedsCover design: Erika Talbot, NTP MediaTABLE OF CONTENTS: Volume 34Number 4April 2011Circle 2164Water TechnologyApril 2011UPFRONTwww.watertechonline.comVice President of Business Publishing205-789-0968Tracy [email protected] Publisher205-408-3718 Don [email protected] Director516-404-4532Rich [email protected] Editor205-408-3723Nick [email protected] EditorDavid [email protected] Executive518-640-9170Lisa [email protected] Advertising518-640-9173Pat [email protected] DirectorErika [email protected] of Business Operations518-640-9156Michael [email protected] Manager518-640-9164Rebecca [email protected], Advertising & Publishing OfficesNTP Media, division of 19 British American Blvd. West, Latham, NY 12110-1405Phone: 518-783-1281Fax: 518-783-1386For Subscription information, Outside the United States: 847-763-1867,Toll-free: 866-721-4807or email [email protected]/Renew/Change of Address:http://www.watertechonline.com/subscribeGeneral ManagerBarry [email protected] President of OperationsBrent [email protected] Marketing Officer, Publishing Services GroupHank [email protected] President of Business PublishingTracy [email protected] President of FinanceBrad [email protected] of Circulation & FulfillmentDelicia [email protected] Director of CirculationBrandy [email protected] Circulation Manager, Electronic ProductsStacie [email protected] Technology Advisory BoardDavidChew,FairmountWaterSolutions,Chardon,OH;Stephen Grandeau,CWS-V,AQUASCIENCEofNewYork,CliftonPark, NY;CangLi,Ph.D.,SelectoScientific,Inc.,Suwanee,GA;Gary Lindsey, CWS-VI, CI, Waterplus of Pinellas, Inc., Seminole, FL; Norm Marowitz, Atlas Watersystems, Inc., Waltham, MA; Steven Richards, CWS-VI,CI,CSR,CCO,TheAquaSourceGroup,Inc.,Honeoye,NY; Gary Schreiber, CWS-VI, The Purolite Co., Bala Cynwyd, PA.AttendingWaterQualityAssociation(WQA)membersgottheirmoneys worth at last months WQA Aquatech 2011 tradeshow, which was held in SanAntonio,Texas,onMarch8-11.WQArepresentatives assuredusthatmembershipisstrongandgrowing,which allowstheorganizationtoreinvestinourindustry,educa-tion and opportunities for all. According to WQAs President BobHague,memberswhoattendedtheshowcouldgetthe most bang for their buck when they invest time and effort not only on the tradeshow floor but also in the meeting halls where several important presentations and educational sessions were held.WaterTechnologystafferswouldliketothankallof the people who took the time to stop by and compliment the quality of our publication and its importance to industry knowledge. We sincerelyappreciateyourcommitmenttoourproductandappreciateallof yourfeedback.Formoreinformationonwhatyoumayhavemissedatthis years show, please turn to page 10 for post-show coverage.There was no shortage of green marketing at this years show. For example, oneareaofinnovationphysicalwatertreatment(PWT)systemswas ondisplayanddrewinterestfromattendees.Accordingtoexpertsthatwe spoke with at the show, there seems to be a fair amount of miscommunication regarding the benefits and capabilities of these systems.In this months cover story, Physical water treatment science and pseudo-science, author Stephen Lower, who is a retired physical chemistry professor, sortsthroughsomeoftherecentstudiesandhistoryonthistopic.ArePWT devices right for your customers? The lack of credible scientific support for the efficacy of present-day PWC devicesstandsinstarkcontrasttoclaims,writesLower.Still,scienceis never complete, and if qualified investigators could be motivated to follow up on some of the more well-founded leads that have appeared in the literature, it is possible that some of these PWC technologies could be shown to be effec-tive. Turn to page 12 to read Lowers complete account of these devices. WTProduct innovation and educationimpress crowdBy Rich DiPaoloEditorial DirectorWater Technology MagazineCircle 2126Water TechnologyApril 2011AROUND THE INDUSTRYAWWA advocates federal invest-ment in water infrastructureThe American Water Works Association (AWWA)sentalettertotheSenate Environment and Public Works Committee advocating for the value of drinking water infrastructure.Theletter,datedMarch2,stressedthe need to invest in water infrastructure, espe-ciallythroughtheStateRevolvingFund (SRF) program.Customerratesandotherlocalcharges areandwillremaintheprimarymeansof payingforwaterserviceandinfrastructure, butthescopeofneedsinmanycommunities requiresadditionalassistance,theletterstat-ed.Inadditiontodemonstratingleadership byencouraginggoodassetmanagementand appropriateratesetting,thefederalgovern-mentcanalsoincreaseaccesstocapitalwhile limitingthecosttothefederalgovernment. This requires continued investment in the SRF programs for drinking water and clean water.Daytona Beach, Fla., winsfirst place in municipalwater tasting competitionDaytonaBeachscitywaterwonfirst placeintheMunicipalWatercategoryat theBerkeleySpringsInternationalWater Tasting,whichwasheldFeb.24-27in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. DaytonaBeachcompetedagainst34 othermunicipalwatersfrom13statesand Canada.Thecityalsotookhomethegold medal in 2005.Arrow Industrieslaunches new websiteArrowIndustrieshasannouncedthe launch of their corporate website www.arrowindustries.com. The new website has beenredesignedfromthegroundupand features entirely new content.Apart from learning more about Arrow, vis-itors can now download all or part of Arrows catalog, request a quote and see Arrows terms of service at a glance. Further website advance-ments,suchastheabilitytouploadafileto Arrow,photogalleriesandaccesstoallmar-keting collateral, are in the works.Foundation(WQRF),thestudiesreveal thatsoftenedwatermightnotonlysave consumersmoney,butcouldalsobeenvi-ronmentally friendly.Accordingtothestudies,washing machinedetergentusecanbereducedby 50 percent and energy saved by washing in 60 F cold water, instead of 100 F hot water, achieving the same or better stain removal andwhiterclothescomparedtoresultsin hard water. And in dishwashers, residents living in areas with very hard water can cut detergent use by more than 50 percent after softening and get the same results.EPA proposes thirdUnregulated Contaminant Monitoring RegulationTheU.S.EnvironmentalProtection Agency(EPA)hasproposed30currently unregulatedcontaminantsformonitoring inwatersystems.TheSafeDrinkingWater ActrequiresthatEPAidentifyupto30 unregulatedcontaminantsformonitoring every five years. This current proposal is the third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR 3) and includes require-mentstomonitorfortwovirusesand28 chemicalcontaminantsthatcouldbepres-entindrinkingwateranddonotcur-rentlyhavehealth-basedstandards.EPAis requesting public comment on the proposed list of 30 contaminants until May 2, 2011.Culligan International to sell company owned dealershipsin North AmericaLastmonth,CulliganInternational Companyannouncedamajorinitiativeto sellmanyofitscompanyowneddealer-shipsinNorthAmerica.Morethan100 totaldealershipsareavailable,manyof whicharelocatedinlargemetropolitan markets,suchasLosAngeles,Dallas, Milwaukee, Toronto and Denver.Accordingtoapressrelease,This refranchising initiative is being undertaken aspartofCulligansstrategicpriorityto focus exclusively on strengthening its posi-tionasthebestfranchisorinthewater treatmentindustry.Thecompanyintends toredoubleitseffortstodeliverbest-in-classproducts,brandmarketing,sales training and operational support.Results of detergentsavings studies releasedConsumerscancutbackondishand laundrydetergentuseby50percentor moreandlowerwashingmachinetem-peraturesfromhottocoldjustbyusing softened water, according to two new inde-pendent studies released in March.Conductedbytheindependenttesting firmScientificServicesS/DofNewYork and funded by the Water Quality Research WaterTechnologyisproudtoannounce thelaunchofitsnewlyredesignedwebsite, WaterTechOnline.com.Visitorstothenew site will enjoy all of the benefits from the older siteaswellassomenewfeatures,suchas podcastsandnewsletters.Thestaffofthis publicationisveryexcitedaboutthecapa-bilitiesoftheredesignedsiteandweowea specialthankyoutothefollowingfortheir hard work in preparing for the transition: Paul Welch,MattGallinger,CynthiaRein,Nick Phillips, Rich DiPaolo and the entire Water Technology team. Redesigned WaterTechOnline.com site recently launchedCircle 2108Water TechnologyApril 2011AROUND THE INDUSTRYSacramento on Feb. 22-23, allowing members the opportunity to discuss water issues face-to-face with many California lawmakers. Thevisitcoincidedwiththeintroduction ofseveralbillsthatwillprovideopportuni-tiesforthePWQA.SenateBill877,spon-soredbySenatorJoelAnderson(R-Alpine), wouldallowtheuseofPOE/POUdevic-thatarechallengingtoremovefromwater through any other treatment process.PWQA membersmeet in SacramentoThePacificWaterQualityAssociation (PWQA)helditsLegislativeDaysin MIOX Corporationreceives NSF research awardMIOXCorporation,amanufacturerof water disinfection technology, has received a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)awardfromtheNationalScience Foundation (NSF) in the amount of $497,746.This funding, obtained by the MIOX science teamincollaborationwithProfessorShane SnyderattheUniversityofArizonaandDr. BenjaminStanfordatHazenandSawyer, provides a two-year extension for a previously awarded NSF SBIR Phase I project investigat-ingtheuseofaqueouschlorineaspartofan Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP).AOPs are advanced water treatment pro-cesseswherehydroxylradicals,extremely powerfuloxidizingagents,aregenerated byseveralprocessesincludingreactinga chemical oxidant with ultraviolet (UV) light. The generated hydroxyl radicals are capable ofcompletelyoxidizingorganicchemicals Circle 222Call today for our Winter Specials!NEWBottled Alkazone Antioxidant Water16.9 oz., 23.7 oz. availableRegional Dealerships AvailableWATER AS NATURE INTENDED IT TO BE!WATER IONIZER turn your tap into a pure Antioxidant Water FountainA Healthy Life begins with Alkazone Antioxidant Water everyday! pH adjustable from 3 to over 10 Powerful, Natural Antioxidant Micro-structured, Alkaline Enhanced Rich Minerals800.810.1888www.alkazone.comTHE ONLY U.S. MANUFACTURERAlkalizing drops to add to your puried water Does not affect taste of water Great source of potassium & other mineralsBetter Health Lab. Inc71 Veronica Ave Suite 2, Somerset, NJ 08873Circle 224 protecting LifeGet Involved [email protected],500 children die every day due to water borne illnesses. One child every 20 seconds.ANon-Protorganizationbringingclean safe drinking water to developing areas. For more information about these and other events, go to: www.watertechonline.com. April4-5,2011:WEF/AWWAWaterMattersFly-In,Washington,D.C.Contact: www.wef.org/governmentaffairs/default.aspx. April 19-21, 2011: Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWEMA) Washington Forum, Washington, D.C. Contact: www.wwema.org. May2-5,2011:WasserBerlinInternational,Berlin,Germany.Contact:www1.messe-berlin.de, e-mail: [email protected]. May 23-25, 2011: Sixth International Conference on Sustainable Water Resources Management, Riverside, Calif. Contact: www.wessex.ac.uk, e-mail: [email protected] industry eventsAROUND THE INDUSTRYwww.watertechonline.com9Circle 21899991 INSTRUMENT, 9 PARAMETERSCONDUCTIVITYRESISTIVITYTDSALKALINITYHARDNESSSATURATION INDEXORP/FREE CHLORINEpHTEMPERATUREbluDock WIRELESS DATA TRANSFER AVAILABLEMYRONL.COM9P comes in complete kit with all necessary accessories to measure 9 parameters.throughoutIndiana.Since October2006,Brunshas beenvicepresidentand regional manager for Aqua Illinois Vermilion Division andAquaIndianas IndianapolisDivision, overseeingutilitymanage-ment,regulatoryaffairsandmarketingand acquisition efforts in the two-state region.WatertechnologyfirmVoltea announcedthatDeanSpatz,former chairmanandCEOofOsmonicsInc., hasjoinedthecompanysboardaschair-man.SpatzisaRegisteredProfessional ChemicalEngineerandpastorpresent memberoftheAmericanInstituteof ChemicalEngineers,AmericanMembrane TechnologyAssociation,AmericanWater WorksAssociation,NorthAmerican Membrane Society, International Desalting AssociationandAmericanSocietyfor Testing and Materials. WTwatertechnologysolutions,theirvaluein application and the companies core team.Hach acquires Accurate Detection and Accurate MeasurementHachCompanyhasacquiredAccurate Detection and Accurate Measurement, dis-tributors of analytical and detection instru-mentationinAustraliaandNewZealand. The acquisition gives Accurates customers accesstoHachswaterqualityproducts and service support. Hach will continue to supplyAccuratesleakdetectionandpipe and cable location equipment to Australian and New Zealand customers.PEOPLE AquaAmericaInc.hasannouncedthe promotionofThomasBrunstopresidentof AquaIndianaInc.,anoperatingsubsidiary thatprovideswaterandwastewaterservices estoprovidequalitydrinkingwaterto communitiesofupto2,500connections whenacentralizedtreatmentplantisnot economicallyfeasible.Anotherbillintro-ducedbyAssemblymemberNoraCampos (D-San Jose), AB 403, will regulate the maxi-mumlevelsofhexavalentchromeindrink-ingwater.AssemblymemberJoseSolorio (D-SantaAna)hasproposedAB275,the Rainwater Catchment Act of 2011.Artemis Project Top 50 winners to be honored in MayThe 2011 Artemis Project Top 50 winners willbehonoredattheH2OntarioGlobal Water Leadership Summit on May 17-18 in Toronto.OneofthegoalsoftheSummitisto addressthepromiseofwatertechnology asanewengineforeconomicgrowth. Thecompetitionbringstogetherleading expertsinthewaterindustrytoevaluate Thomas Bruns10Water TechnologyApril 2011FEATUREPost show report: Aquatech USA 2011Here are some products, companies and information that you may have missed.By The Water Technology editorial staffFor more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): WQA, Aquatech, tradeshow.Opening General Session The Opening General and Keynote Session, which was held in the Lila Cockrell Theatre, offeredsomberintroductoryremarksabout thepastfewyears.Then,WQAsPresident RobertHaguediscussedtheindustrys promisingfutureaswellasnewopportuni-ties that will be afforded to all. [Theyear]2009wasthebottomofthe recessionaccordingtomosteconomists, notedHague,whoaddedthattheindustry welcomedmorethan100newmembersin 2010comparedto2009.[And,]Iamvery optimistic about 2011.ThesettingforthisyearsWQAAquatechUSA2011wasbeautifulSan Antonio.HeldintheHenryB.GonzalezConventionCenter,theWater QualityAssociationsannualtradeshowandexhibitiondrewattendeesand exhibitorsfromallovertheworld.Thosewhoattendedwereexposedtoa weekchock-fullofeducation,awareness,news,importantannouncements and updates, networking, product technology and so much more. Warm welcome back This was the first Aquatech USA tradeshow to be held in the area for nearly twodecades.But,accordingtowqa.org,SanAntoniowasanideallocation forthewaterindustrytocometogethertonetwork,learnanddiscovernew ideas, opportunities and resources.Beyond the tradeshow floor, the city offered a multitude of social opportuni-tiesforattendees.FromFatTuesdaythroughtheendoftheweek,Riverwalk attractions, bars, nightclubs and restaurants were packed andlively.Thisenergyandexcitementcarriedoverto the exhibition hall and educational sessions. Presentationsandbreakoutsessions,includingthe Opening General and Keynote Session, How to Use the NEW Detergent Savings Study and the 2011 Consumer OpinionStudyinYourMarketingandtheIndustrial Water Forum/Networking Event, helped to provide an appropriatebalanceofindustryeducationandaware-ness to the droves of product and equipment seekers of the tradeshow. Our editors reported from the convention on several of these events and here is a brief recap of a few. VIZIONbyA.J.Antunes& Co.usesthreetechnologiesto deliverbetter-tastingwater throughoutthewholehouse. Themulti-boreultra-filter reduces99.999percentofsolidsandsubstan-tially reduces microbiological contaminates. Thecarboncartridgeprovidestasteless andodorlesswater.Thetemplate-assisted crystallizationreduceslimescaleby96-98 percent without chemicals or wasting water.www.ajantunes.comClick here for more informationA.J. Antunes & Co.H2O International Inc.H2OInternational,Inc.manufacturesPOUandPOEGAC/KDFsystems and 100 percent KDF shower filters. The company also distributes more than 45 brands of products, which include ready-to-install systems as well as a variety of components to suit the needs of every water treatment dealer.H2OisaPlatinumSponsorofWishingWellInternationalFoundation,a non-profit organization bringing clean safe drinking water to developing areas.www.h2owaterwarehouse.com Click here for more informationHM DigitalHM Digital, a leading manufacturer of water testing instruments,proudlyintroduceditsnewPH-80atthe WQASanAntonioshow.ThePH-80isastreamlined, fast-acting,digitalpHmeter.Thougheconomically priced,thePH-80doesntskimponqualityorfea-tures.Thismust-haveiswaterproof,hasdigital calibration,onscreentemperaturedisplayanda resolution of 0.1 pH.www.hmdigital.com Click here for more informationwww.watertechonline.com11TRADE SHOW IN PRINTJohn Guest USA Inc.JGsStandardLineofPush-InProductsnow comeswithnewlowleadbrassmaleconnectors, malestemandfemalestemadaptersandangle stopvalves.Thesenewlowleadversions,contain-inglessthan.25percentweightedaverage leadcontentonwettedsurfaces,complywith thenewCaliforniaHealth&SafetyCode 116875-116880(formerlyAB1953)andthelead free law in Vermont S. 0152. www.johnguest.com.Click here for more informationLaMotte CompanyLaMotteCompanyintroduces theColorQDW,anewhandheld Photometerkitforon-sitetest-ingofdrinkingwater.The ColorQDW(Code2059) digitallymeasuresseven factorsimportanttothe drinking water professional including hardness, pH, iron, nitrate, free chlorine, total chlorine and sulfide. The large digital display elimi-natestheguessworkwithtraditionalvisualcolormatchingmethods.Asturdy blow-molded case contains the ColorQ DW meter, test solutions and illustrated instructions.www.lamotte.comClick here for more informationMyron L CompanyThenewUltrameterIII9PtitrationkitbyMyronLCompanyisapowerful comprehensivewaterqualityanalysistool thatfeaturesfast,one-touch measurementsforconductivity, resistivity,TDS,ORP,free chlorine, pH and temperature.The9Pcanalsoperform in-cellalkalinityandhardness conductometrictitrationseitheras stand-alonemeasurementsoras part of an LSI calculation. www.myronl.comClick here for more informationShelcoTheShelcoMicroVantageSeries isthepremierchoicewhenabsolute retentionisessentialtotheprocess. Thesehigh-gradepleatedcartridges aredesignedspecificallytomeetthe moststringentapplications.Forcriti-calanddemandingapplicationsthat requirepurityanddurability,Shelcos Sanitary Housings are the solution.www.shelco.comNetworkingEventwasheldatthe IndustrialGallery.TechnicalAdvisory BoardmemberGarySchreiber,CWSVI, of ThePurolite Co., was onhandandalso encouragedbythisyearsturnoutand ideas that were generated. Thegoaloftheeventistogetindus-trialsystemsupplierstogethertohelp watertreatmentdealers[augmentsales in]thecommercialandindustrialbusi-ness,notesSchreiber.Theturnoutwas excellent,similartothepasttwoyears, andtheassociationisdoingaterrificjob togrowawarenessinthisareaofour industry.Individualssharedinformationand ideas at two roundtables. At one table, par-ticipantsdiscussedhowtoconfigureaDI installationand,attheothertable,proper methodstohandlethewastestreamwere addressed. Next year, the show heads to Las Vegas, Nev.,whichisalwaysapopularlocation fortradeshowconventions.Startplanning nowandbeaheadofthecompetitionfor the years ahead. WTwater to those using softened water.Amongitsmanyfindings,thisnew studyconcludedthat,byusingsoftened water,consumerscancutbackondish andlaundrydetergentuseby50percent ormoreandlowerwashingmachinetem-peratures from hot to cold, thus providing anotherweaponinthearsenalforthose inthebusinessofsellingwatersofteners. Duringthepresentation,WQAunveiled four new customizable advertisements that watersoftenerdealerscanusetomarket their products. Rosenthalstressedtotheaudiencethe importanceofmakingsurecustomersare familiarwiththeWQAbeforeintroducing themtothestudy.Weneedtorethink how we present the study. [Dealers need to] setup WQA upfront so people know its an objectivebody[andthatthestudy]repre-sents objective, quantifiable data, he said. Roundtable ignites CI ideas and networking OnThursday,March10,theassocia-tionspopularIndustrialWaterForum/Hague,reflectingonrecentnewsabout watercontamination,suchashexavalent chromium, lead, arsenic and fluoride issues andassociatedpotentialhealtheffects, notedthatthisnewshashelpedgrowcon-sumerawarenessinrecentyears.Ladies and gentleman, urged Hague, you cannot buyadvertisinglikethat.[Furthermore], people are telling us they want to do some-thing about their water [quality] and, fortu-nately, we have the solutions. New Detergent Savings Study: A valuable marketing toolDuringoneofthekeynoteaddresses atAquatech2011,WQAsDirectorof RegulatoryandTechnicalAffairsPauli UndesserandEricRosenthal,seniorvice presidentofmarketingforCulligan,dis-cussedthefindingsoftheWaterQuality ResearchFoundations(WQRF)new Detergent Savings Study.The study, which was conducted in 2010 in conjunction with Scientific Services S/D Inc.,comparedtheperformanceofdish-washers and washing machines using hard Click here for more informationWhenrainfallsthroughunpollutedair,itpicksupcarbondioxide,asmallpor-tion of which reacts with the water to form carbonic acid. Thus, pure water in contact with the air becomes acidic, eventually reaching a pH of around 5. If the rainwater permeates into the soil, it can become even more acidic owing to the additional CO2 produced by soil organisms.Rocksandsoilsedimentscontaincarbonates,mostlyofthehardnessionscalcium, magnesiumandiron.Limestones,whichunderliesoilsinmanyregions,consistentirely of carbonates. Carbonates act as bases and, as such, react with acids. Thus, the portion of the global water cycle that transports carbon from the air into natural waters constitutes a giganticacid-basereactionthatyieldshydrogencarbonateions,commonlyreferredtoas bicarbonate. The natural waters that result have pH values between 6 and 10 and are essen-tially solutions of bicarbonates.12Water TechnologyApril 2011thing, usually implying that the condition-ingmakesthewatersuitableforgeneral domestic use. Most commonly, this means removingionssuchascalciumandmag-nesiumthattendtoformcarbonatescale deposits on surfaces, either through simple contact(aswithinpipes)orasevapora-tiveresidues(boilers,teakettles,shower walls,etc.).Thiscanbeaccomplishedin various ways, the simplest and best-known being conventional ion exchange or reverse osmosis treatments.Whenbicarbonate-containingsolutionsbecometoo concentrated, their contents tend to deposit on surfaces. Butcalciumandsimilarbicarbonatescannotexistas solids,sowhathappensinsteadisthatthehardness ionsjoinupwithcarbonateions(alwayspresentas minorityspeciesinsuchsolutions)toformcarbonate-containing scale deposits.The other problem with such water is that the hard-nessionsreactwithsoapstoformunsightlyscum deposits on laundry and in bathtubs.Conditioning of water can refer to any treatment that altersitscompositioninordertorenderitappropri-ateforaspecificuse.Softeningisessentiallythesame The lack of scientific support stands in stark contrast to claims.COVER STORYBy Stephen LowerMORE INFORMATIONFor more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.comandenterkeyword(s):PWT,ion exchange,magneticwatertreat-ment.COVER STORYwww.watertechonline.com13in an article published by Mike Powell. The authorprovidesafewreferences,mostly tonon-refereedjournalsandconference proceedingsofdubiousquality.Powell observesthattheutterlackofpublished dataisrevealing.Ifitactuallyworkedas claimed,itseemslikelythatitwouldby now be commonplace. It is not. Similarly,inaconferencetechnical paper,theauthorstatesthatincontrast tothetestimonialscommontoNCD[non-chemical devices] marketing literature, the manycontrolledstudiesundertakenby variousgovernmentandindustrialorga-nizationshaveresultedinaconsensus opinionthatNCDarenotcapableofpro-ducing the effects claimed in the literature. Ingeneral,thetheoriesadvancedbythe NCD suppliers to explain operation of their devicesshowalackofagreementwith acceptedscientificprinciples.Inspiteof an extensive history of installation failures, findingsofnoeffectincontrolledstudies and no acceptable theory of operation, new NCD are accepted in the market on a rou-tinebasis,oftenobtainingsignificantsales before the inevitable disasters result in that particular device being discredited. Anunfortunatereportissuedbythe U.S.DepartmentofEnergydidlittleto clarify the issue. It presented a suspiciously uncriticalcaseforbothmagneticandelec-trostaticwatertreatment.Itprovidedno referencestosupporttheclaimsmadeand theexplanationsofhowthesedevicesare supposed to work were scientifically nave. Although this flawed report was eventually withdrawn, copies of it are still widely dis-tributed by some PWC device promoters.exchanger application has been published, butithasnotbeenestablishedgenerally. Thepresenceofsuspendedsolidcarbon-ateswouldrequirethecarbonateioncon-centrationsinthetreatedwatertoremain at saturation levels, so that the water would still be subject to scale formation on heated surfaces and it would form soap scum and evaporativedepositsonshowerwallsand in teakettles.Amongthesmallnumberofscientists whohavegivensomethoughttoPWC, thereisnoconsensusaboutthepossible mechanisms.Thisisnotsurprising;the entireprocessbywhichionsformpre-cipitationnucleiispoorlyunderstoodand there is the additional complication that the bicarbonateionspresentinhardwaterdo notformsolidprecipitates,butdepositas carbonates instead. Bare ions do not exist in solution, but are protected by a hydration shellofloosely-attachedwatermolecules and surrounded by an electric double layer ofcounter-ionswhichmakesformationof incipient crystallization nuclei unlikely.Supporting literature Scientificandengineeringstudiesof PWChavedonelittletosupportthevari-ous technologies involved: A 10-year study at the 3M Corporation involving a variety of magnetic, electronic, catalyticandelectrostaticdevicesshowed nosignificanteffectsinreducingthescale formedinside-by-sidesteam-heatedtube shells. In2001,ataskforceorganizedbythe WaterQualityAssociation(WQA)report-edonasurveyof106technicalpapers dealingwithPWC.Ofthese,only34were judged to meet the scientific criteria estab-lishedbythegroup.Mostofthesearticles dealt with the effects of various factors that mightinfluencesofteningorscalecontrol; noneofthemdirectlyaddressedtheques-tionofwhetherornotPWCworks,nor was this judgment made by the Task Force, whosemainobjectivewassimplytobring togetherscientificallyusefulinformation thatmightinformfurtherresearchinthe field.Areadingoftheabstractsofthese paperssuggestssomepossibilities,but offers little support. Thesituationwasnicelysummedup Physical and saltlesswater conditioning (PWC)Thesetermsrefertotreatmentmethods (usuallyotherthanreverseosmosis)that involvenodirectchemicalprocessesand whichinmostcasescanbeprovidedbya devicethatisinstalledinorattachedtoa water-supply line.Although a wide variety of these devices have been available for some time and one mightthinkthatthequestionoftheireffi-cacywouldnowbeclearlysettled,thisis unfortunately not the case: Mostreportsofthesuccessfuluseof PWChavebeenanecdotalandlackingin quantitative data and proper controls. Mostscientistswhohavelookedinto PWCremainveryskepticalastheytend to be of any field for which there is no obvi-oustheoreticalmodelandinwhichquan-titativeandreproducibleresultsarehard tocomeby.Manyscientistsareputoffby the stigma the field has acquired due to the claims made by some of its promoters and by thewidespreadpromotionofvariousques-tionable applications involving magnets. Mostwatertreatmentengineerswho haveinvestigatedmagneticwatertreat-ment(PWC)incontrolledindustrialset-tings report negative results. The very small number of reports that mightlendcredencetoPWCaremost-lyrelegatedtoobscure,non-mainstream journalsandconferenceproceedings. Scientifically-validatedstudiesofdemon-strablysuccessfulPWCperformanceare virtually unknown. FewPWCvendorsspecifytheparam-etersofwatercomposition,magneticfield strength, treatment geometry and flow rate required for satisfactory performance; many failtoofferanyquantitativeperformance data. The few case studies cited are rarely thoroughly researched to engineering stan-dards,andarefrequentlydifficultifnot impossibletoverify.Explanationsofhow thedevicesworkarecommonlysimplistic and scientifically untenable.AcommonclaimmadebyPWCdevice managersisthatthehardnessionsare madetoprecipitatewithinandbecar-riedalongbythewaterbeforetheyhave anopportunitytoformadherentscale deposits. Some evidence for this in a heat-(Continued on page 14)COVER STORY14Water TechnologyApril 2011COVER STORYstrengths.ItiswidelyclaimedthatMWT worksbyforcingoppositely-chargedions to move in opposite directions in the water, causing them to recombine and precipitate out.Thissimplisticmechanismisunten-able for a number of reasons. An analogous effect,knownasmagnetohydrodynamics, occursinplasmas(ionizedgases)buthas neverbeenobservedinliquidsolutions. Dissolvedionswiththeirhydrationshells are too large to diffuse rapidly through the hydrogen-bonded structure of water.Despitethepaucityofscientificsupport forMWT,manyusersofthesedevices claimtobesatisfiedwiththeirperfor-mancefarmorecommonlythanwith otherformsofPWC.Itisalwaysdifficult to evaluate anecdotal reports of these kinds in the absence of reliable information both on the composition of the supply water and the criteria by which the results are judged. Still,scientificunderstandingisnever complete,andtheremaybeconditions underwhichMWTmaywellbeeffective. Inthiscontextitisworthcallingattention toastudypublishedinaSouthAfrican technicaljournalthatdescribesaseriesof experimentsinwhichoneoftwoparallel heaterswasfittedwithapermanentmag-netdeviceshowedscaleformationreduc-tions varying over a rather wide range (17-70 percent), with an average of 34 percent.Alternating or pulsedelectromagnetic fieldsElectromagnetic scale-control devices are probably now more widely marketed than anyotherkind.Theyusuallyemploya solenoidcoilthatsurroundsanon-ferrous tubethroughwhichthewaterpasses.The coilisexcitedwithanalternatingcurrent, usuallyintheaudio-frequencyrange,or withpulses,oftenofvaryingduration. Analternativeschemeinjectsaradio-fre-quency signal longitudinally into the water stream.Manyofthesedevicespurportto removescalefromexistinginstallations, but this has never been satisfactorily docu-mented.Manyoftheclaimsabouthowthese devicesworkaresimilartothosemade forpermanentmagnetdevices,andthey sufferfromthesameweaknesses.Inspite ofthegreaternumberofelectromagnetic conferencebyKlausKronenbergin1985, inwhichheobservedthatevaporation ofcalciumcarbonatesolutionsthathad passedthroughasuccessionofupto16 fields produced crystalline deposits whose physicalformssuggestedthattheywould be less adherent than ordinary scale. Watermoleculesarediamagnetic andareinsensitivetofieldsofordinary Permanent magnetsDevicesinwhichoneormoreperma-nentmagnetsproducefieldsthatcutper-pendicularlyacrossthedirectionofwater flowhavebeenknownforover60years andarenowwidelymarketedasmag-neticwatertreatment(MWT)appliances. Muchoftheirmorerecentpopularitycan beattributedtoapresentationmadetoa Circle 201YOUR FIRST CHOICE FOR WATER TREATMENT SOLUTIONSUnparalleled customer service and technical supportwww.aqua-wholesale.comSarasota, Florida800-591-1094Aqua Wholesale is your complete OEM warehouse with over thirty-eight years of water treatment experience. We offer full a line of residential, commercial and industrial water treatment equipment. Stocking most of the major manufacturers in the industry.AQUA-WT (0411-Half).indd 1 3/9/11 4:22 PMCOVER STORYwww.watertechonline.com15Acatalystcanonlyinfluencetherateof achemicalprocess,notitsfinaloutcome, whichdependsentirelyonthermodynam-ics. There is absolutely no scientific support for any of these claims.Ifatrulycatalyticscale-precipitation processexists,itmightbeoneinvolving epitaxialcrystallization.Thisisbasedon theprinciplethatnucleation(formationof thefirsttinycrystallite)isaidedwhenthe solution is in contact with a surface whose crystal structure is built up from units hav-inglatticespacingssimilartothatofthe substance to be deposited. There is a fairly extensivescientificliteraturerelatingto the use of epitaxial crystallization in semi-conductorfabrication,corrosioncontrol andself-assemblingstructures,butnoton precipitation from aqueous solutions.Althoughnodetailedstudiessupport-ingepitaxialtechnologyforPWChave appearedinthescientificliterature,some makersofthesedevicesdoclaimpositive lab test results.PWCdevicesonthemarket,thenumber ofanecdotalreportsthatattesttotheir efficacy is very small, and there is virtually nopublishedscientificsupport.Inseveral verydetailedcasehistoriespublishedby chemicalengineerT.Keisteronhisweb-site,heremarksthat,ineveryinstance, theobservedreductioninscalingcouldbe attributedtochangesinoperatingproce-duresortootheraspectsofwaterchemis-try, particularly the presence of phosphates.Catalytic devicesMostoftheproductsinthiscategory employ precious metals that are purport-edtoneutralizeCa2+,Mg2+andHCO3(bicarbonate) ions by supplying orremov-ingelectronsasrequired.Theproblem withthisisthatitisthermodynamically impossibletoaccomplisheitherofthese inthepresenceofwater,sincewateritself ismoreeasilyoxidizedorreducedthan anyoftheseions.Theuseoftheterm catalyticinthiscontextismisleading: Circle 228National Testing Laboratories provides you...Technical Representatives with Industry ExpertisePackages designed to meet all of your water testing needs from Residential to Large Scale Commercial applicationsFor more information visit www.ntllabs.comntlsales@ntllabs.comConclusionThelackofcrediblescientificsupportfor theefficacyofpresent-dayPWCdevices standsinstarkcontrasttotheclaimsmade bymostvendors(andevensomeusers)of these products. Given the potential economic benefits of a widely-applicable chemical-free softeningprocess,especiallyinaridregions, such as the U.S. southwest, one would expect muchmorescientificandengineeringsup-port for the claims that have been made. Still,scienceisnevercomplete,andif qualifiedinvestigatorscouldbemotivated tofollowuponsomeofthemorewell-foundedleadsthathaveappearedinthe literature,itispossiblethatsomeofthese PWCtechnologiescouldbeshowntobe effective,althoughalmostcertainlyunder very constrained conditions. WTStephenLowerisaretiredphysicalchemistry professoratSimonFraserUniversity,Burnaby BC Canada. He can be contacted through his Web page: http://members.shaw.ca/slower/SteveChem/.16Water TechnologyApril 201150 ppb since 1977. The U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency(EPA)followedthe sameleveluntil1991whentotalchro-mium was increased to 100 ppb. Moreover, knowledgeoftheharmfuleffectsthrough ingestionspecifictohexavalentchromium was widely dispersed through a recent piv-otal toxicity study released by the National Toxicology Program in 2008 and the scien-tificassessmentforhexavalentchromium released by the EPA in September 2010. Peopleoutsideofthewatertreatment industry are aware of hexavalent chromium becauseitwassensationalizedinthe2000 movieErinBrockovich.Hexavalentchro-miumwasusedtoaddresscorrosionina coolingtower.Thehexavalentchromium dissolvedfromthecoolingtowerandwas dischargedtounlinedponds.Thecontami-nant leached into the groundwater at levels several fold above the regulated limit, affect-inganareaneartheplantapproximately two miles long and nearly a mile wide.Recent studyMakingrecentpressreleasesisanew studyconductedbytheEnvironmental WorkingGroup(EWG)inDecember2010 whichannouncedthathexavalentchromi-um was detected in 31 out of 35 city water suppliestested.Comparedtothe100ppb EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), whichisthehealthprotectivestandardto bemetbypublicwatersystems,thehigh-est level detected in the study was ~8 times lowerandtheaverageconcentrationwas ~550 times lower. Regardless, 25 out of 35 municipal waters testedinthestudycontainedhexavalent chromiumabovethePublicHealthGoal (PHG)of0.02ppbbeingproposedby Chromiumisanaturallyoccurringmetallicelementthatisfoundin variouselementalstatesinrocks,soil,plantsandanimals.Variousforms of chromium are used or produced in industrial products and processes, such assteelproduction,metalplating,leathertanning,paints,dyesandwood preservatives.Ofthevariousstatesofchromium,themostcommonaretri-valent(chromium3,orIII),hexavalent(chromium6,orVI)andmetalform (chromium0).Hexavalentchromiumisconsideredthemostharmfulofthe various forms. Thedetrimentaleffectsaremainlythroughtherouteofinhalation,butthe effects through ingestion are becoming intensely scrutinized as well. Depending ontheconditions,hexavalentchromiumcanbereadilyconvertedtotrivalent chromium, a nutrient present in the body and consumed in food. Some toxicolo-gistsdeclarethatthisfactalonereducesthetoxicityofhexavalentchromium throughingestionbecausethestomachshould providetheconditions necessarytocon-vertittotrivalent chromium.Thisis aheavilydebated declarationanda consensus amongst toxicologistshas not been reached.RegulationFormembersof thewatertreatment industry,chromium and its various forms areknownbecause theyhavebeenregu-latedinCaliforniaat Hexavalent chromium in the press againFor the POU industry, this problem does not seem to be as big a deal as the media is making it out to be.By Pauli Undesser, CWS-VIFor more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Chromium, EPA, drinking water.FEATUREFEATUREwww.watertechonline.com17theCaliforniaEPA.APublicHealthGoal (PHG)istheconcentrationofadrinking watercontaminantthatposesnosignifi-cant health risk if consumed for a lifetime. This value is different than an MCL, which accountsformanagementissuessuchas, but not limited to, detectability, treatability and costs of treatment. Thecatalystforthemediahypeisthe fact that the California EPA proposed PHG value of 0.02 ppb for hexavalent chromium is5,000timeslowerthantheEPAMCL fortotalchromium.Withsuchadrastic difference in the PHG and current MCL, it is logical for people to think that the MCL fortotalchromiumisoutdatedandisnot health protective based on new studies. Toaddressthehypersensitivityof theissue,EPAistryingtoexpeditethe assessmentofhexavalentchromiumand discussionsregardingMCLrevisions. Unfortunately,whereregulationsare mainlybasedonsciencetheywillalways lagbehindbecausethesciencejustifica-tioncomesfirst.Toavoidextremegaps betweenscienceandregulations,contami-nantsgothroughacyclicreviewprocess withintheEPAtoensurethatregulations areperiodicallyupdatedwithnewinfor-mation.Themostcurrentstudiesspurred therevisedPHGinCaliforniaandthe expedited review by the EPA.Forthepoint-of-useindustry,where manufacturerscurrentlycertifyproducts for the reduction of hexavalent chromium, thisproblemdoesnotseemtobeasbiga dealasthemediaismakingitouttobe. Thesimplesolutionistoinstallthebest availabletechnologycertifiedforhexava-lent chromium reduction. Although, if you look closely at the details, the solution may not be as simple as it appears.Testing requirementsNSF/ANSI 53, 58 and 62 standards have testingrequirementsforhexavalentchro-mium reduction. The main criterion to pass thetestistoreduceaninfluentchallenge of300ppbhexavalentchromiumtoless than 100 ppb. This ensures that the current EPAregulationfortotalchromiumismet. However, since the passing level is 100 ppb, certificationalonedoesnotguaranteethat Circle 203The Innovation,SupportAnd DistinctionYou NeedTo Break Away FromThe Pack.It takes much more than the best equipment to succeed in todayscompetitive market. You need cutting edge products to outsellyour competitors, technical support to solve your uniquelocal water problems and marketing assistanceto grow your business. If youre not getting all this and more from your current supplier,give Watts a call. as the industrys largest single sourcesupplier of innovative equipment, Watts Water Qualityis dedicated to partnering with you for success. Get More, Get Watts.to view our current catalog, visit watts.com and click theWater Quality Products tab or, email [email protected] a FREE Catalog and CD.A Watts Water Technologies Company800-659-8400(Press 2 for sales)Brea, CA Dunnellon &Tampa, FLHouston &San Antonio, TX Peoria, AZWatts 2011BreakAway_Watts_WT-411_Layout 12/23/114:13 PMPage 1(Concluded on page 18)18Water TechnologyApril 2011FEATURECircle 220thedrainthroughirrigation,firefighting, showers, laundry, etc.Formoredetailedinformationabout water contaminants, how contaminants can beaddressedandlistingsofmanufacturers of certified water treatment products, please visittheWaterQualityAssociation(WQA) websiteatwww.wqa.org.Notethatsome informationmayberestrictedtoWQA membersonly.Youcanalsolearnhowto supportresearchprojectsthroughWQRF, become a member of WQA and find contact informationforlocalwaterprofessionals that are members of WQA.WTPauliUndesser,CWS-VI,isWQAsdirectorof regulatoryandtechnicalaffairsandtoxicol-ogy manager for WQAs Gold Seal Certification Program.Previously,shewasproductcer-tificationsupervisor.UndesserholdsaMS degreeinbiochemistryfromNorthernIllinois UniversityandaBSDegreeinchemistryfrom the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign.Thisproductselectionandcompliance evaluationapproachisnottrivialoreasy, butitisthebestoptiontohelpsensitive consumersmeettheproposedhealthgoal inCalifornia.Inthefuture,anMCLwill be set by the California EPA and U.S. EPA takingintoaccountfeasibilitytoachieve andmonitorthecontaminanttotheMCL. Atthattime,theNSF/ANSIstandards shallbeupdatedwithnewmethodsto ensure that the revised limits are achieved. Untilregulationscatchuptoscience, membersinthewatertreatmentindustry shallremaincalmdespitethemediahype andusethetestedandcertifiedproducts tothebestofourabilitytomaintainpub-lichealthandsafety.Atsomepointin thefuture,weneedtonationallyaddress whetherthecurrentmethodofcontami-nantreductionistheproperapproach totreatallmunicipalwaterwhenonly1 percent is consumed as drinking water and theremaining99percentisflusheddown the 0.02 ppb proposed value would be met. Toemploypoint-of-usedevicesto achieve reduction of hexavalent chromium to0.02ppb,onealsoneedstoreviewthe averagepercentreductionandinfluent hexavalentchromiumconcentration.For example,aproductthatreduceshexava-lentchromiumwithanaveragepercent reductionof>99percent,theinfluent wouldneedtobe~2ppborlessinorder to achieve 0.02 ppb. To ensure this level is met, confirmatory testing of effluent water shallbeconducted.Furthermore,when testingtheinfluentoreffluentconcentra-tions, the detection limit is crucial to know because the lab results may return as non-detect, but if the detection limit is 20 ppb, thenyoumayhaveupto20ppbhexava-lentchromiumpresentwithoutitbeing detected. This parameter alone may be the deciding factor in choosing an appropriate analytical laboratory.(Continued from page 17) Meaningful statistical data is crucial to our company. Without solid facts, its a lot of guesswork. WQAsresearch studies are valuable resources availableexclusively through WQRF and my WQA membership.Water Quality AssociationInternational Headquarters & Laboratory4151 Naperville RoadLisle, Illinois 60532-3696 USAA-not-for-profit organizationJoin WQA Today!Call us at 630 505 0160or visit www.wqa.orgLEAD GENERATION TECHNICAL SUPPORT EDUCATION NETWORKING PRODUCT CERTIFICATION PROFESSIONALCERTIFICATIONCREDIBILITYREGULATORYINTERVENTIONINDUSTRYFORUMSWhen it counts. Where it matters. WQA is there.Proud WQA DealerMember since 1946John Packard, CWS-VCulligan Water ConditioningMinnetonka, MinnesotaFREE CONFERENCE REGISTRATIONJoin WQA and youll receive FREE conference registration to the convention!SAVE THE DATE!2012LAS VEGAS NV06 MAR- 09 MARCMYCMMYCYCMYKCircle 21320Water TechnologyApril 2011FEATUREbe checked from time to time to make sure itsclean.[Wetellnewusers]tocheck the sleeve after a month and clean it and if its not very dirty maybe wait two months beforetheycheckitagain,saysStone. Andprettysoon,theyllknowhowoften they need to check it and clean it.Consumer educationWhileultraviolet(UV)disinfectionsys-temsarequitecommoninCanada,well ownersintheU.S.needtobebetteredu-cated on the necessity for disinfection. In Canada, when they drill a well, its almost always a given that the consumer understandsthattheyregoingtoneed someformofprotectionontheirwell. And,typically,thatprotectionisUV, explains Stone. In the U.S., the consum-erisnoteducatedtothepointtowhere theyunderstandtheneedfordisinfec-tion.And,accordingtoStone,onepieceof evidenceindicatingthelackofconsumer knowledgeonthesubjectisthefactthat the UV industrys biggest competitor is not chlorine or ozone, its a well-known bleach product.Whensomebodygetsabadwatertest, they[mightbe]toldtogodumpacouple gallons of Clorox into their well and have ittestedagain,Stoneexplains.Thenthe testcomesbackgoodandthehomeowner thinkstheyresafe,butwhattheydont realizeisthatoncetheresidualisgone theyre still drinking bad water.Stoneemphasizesthatwatertreatment dealers, plumbers and drillers need to help customersunderstandtheimportanceof welltestingandmakethemawarethat quickfix,band-aidsolutionsarenotin theirbestinterest.UVisaprettyinex-pensive insurance policy to know that you willneverhaveunsafedrinkingwaterin yourhouse.Itsallabouteducation,he concludes.WTStudies show that one in four wells in the U.S. will test positive for coliform bacteria. This alarmingstatistic underscores the importance of proper dis-infection and accurate, periodic water testing. Ultraviolet (UV) light has been usedsincetheearly20thcenturytodisinfectwater,butincreasedconsumer awareness about waterborne pathogens such as E. coli and Cryptosporidium has led to a rising demand for UV systems in private homes. We recently spoke to two experts to find out why they believe UV is a supe-rior disinfection method for residential applications. AdvantagesUnlikeotherdisinfectionmethods,suchaschlorination,UVdoesnot require the use of potentially harmful chemicals. So while chemical disinfec-tion opens consumers up to possible adverse effects from overtreatment, the potential for overtreatment with UV is virtually nonexistent. The nice thing about UV is that youre not adding anything to the water, so you cant really over-treat with ultraviolet, says Bruce Eccleston, president of UV Superstore. If youre pumping a certain amount of chemical based upon a100gpmflowrateandyoureactuallyhaving5gpmgoingthroughthere, thatwater[is]goingtohaveanexcessiveamountofchemicalsintherefor what it needs. AccordingtoSteveStone,NorthAmericansalesmanagerforVIQUA,an additionalbenefitisthatUVhasnoaestheticeffectsonwater.UVdoesnot contain any chemicals, so it doesnt change the structure of the water, he says. But with chemicals, youre adding something to your water and typically those chemicals will cause a change in the taste and odor. UV does none of that.EaseofmaintenanceisanotherareawhereUVholdsadistinctadvantage overitschemicalcompetitors.Iftheproperpretreatmentisemployeda sedimentfilterorreverseosmosissystem,forexampleUVsystemsonly require users to replace the lamp once per year. If I was putting in a system, IdmuchratherhaveaUV,Ecclestoncomments.Ifyouhavetheproper pretreatment, you dont have to touch [a newly installed UV system] until the next year. Its as simple as that.DisadvantagesWhile UV is much more effective at reducing coliform bacteria and cysts, it is not the right treatment for every application. For example, UV light is not as effective on water that has high levels of tannins, such as that found in Florida. Furthermore,explainsEccleston,areaswithextremelyhardwaterarenot ideal for UV systems. A UV lamp is enclosed in a protective quartz sleeve, but if scale builds up on the sleeve it can have a negative effect on the lamps abil-ity to disinfect. If your quartz sleeve gets any buildup or biofouling on there maybe you have really hard water and you get a scale that starts building up on the quartz sleeve the UV light cant penetrate through it to disinfect the water properly, he says. However, he adds, scaling can be minimized if the proper pretreatment is employed. Even if a customer does not have hard water, the quartz sleeve should still Residential UV: Pros and consExperts discuss the advantages of UV over traditional chemical disinfection methods.By Nick Phillips, Assistant EditorFor more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): UV, disinfection, chlorine.Your search is over. ISPCs financing is the best sales tool in the water industry period.Recognized by Inc Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in America, ISPC is once again accepting new dealers*.ISPC revolutionized water treatment financing over a decade ago with their unique brand of lending designed to simply help dealers sell more equipment.ISPC provides nine different finance plans including their flagship 991 and Crazy 8s (9.9% APR with 1% payment and 8.8% APR with 0.8% payment respectively).So get out of the trash can and give us a call.Well provide you with everything you need to get back in the fast lane.800.345.4772 ext. 1840www.ispcfinancing.comfor Financing?EverywhereLooking*ISPC financing is not available in CA at this time.Circle 20722Water TechnologyApril 2011claims,includingbacteria,virusandcyst reduction, should be installed and operated inordertoobtainmaximumperformance. Best practices would include the following:1.Determinetheoptimalsystemto installatthecustomerslocationbasedon appropriate testing and analysis of the cus-tomers drinking water and infrastructure, water pressure, water usage and any other pertinentfactorsthatmayimpacthowthe filtration system is used.2. Teach the customer about the filtration systemandhowitworks.Ifthecustomer understandstheirfiltrationsystem,they will be better enabled to use it correctly and knowtheimportanceofmaintainingtheir system.3. Ensure the customer knows the model numberandpartnumbersfortheirfil-trationsystemandreplacementfilters. Dealersshouldensurethefiltrationsys-tems and filters have the dealers name and contactinformationonthem.Thedealers name,contactinformationandthefiltra-tionsystemmodelandreplacementpart numbersshouldbeplacedprominently next to the system. 4. Make it easy for your customer to con-tactyouforservice,repairorreplacement parts.Dotheyhaveyourphonenumber? Do you have a website you can share with them?Doyouhaveawaytheycanfind ArecentitemseeninTheQuad-CityTimesofIowa,datedFeb.9,2011, draws attention to a serious issue: How customers are notified when their water supply may be contaminated and they are requested to boil water as a precaution. According to the article, boil orders are mostly handled door-to-door in DavenportandBettendorf,Iowa.IowaAmericanWaterstatedthatthey are able to manage the leaks so as to not need an advisory at all or if they do, they notify the small number of customers affected on a door-to-door basis. We do not typically notify the news media when these small, isolated advisories occur because it affects a very small number of customers and itwouldcauseconfusionandmisunderstandingforthemajorityofour customers not in the affected area or under the advisory, said Lisa Reisen ofIowaAmerican.Sheadded,Iftheboilwateradvisoryareaislargeand door-to-door notification is not feasible or timely, the company relies on news media and also has used a reverse 911 system. What if you, as a customer, are not home at the time of the boil water alert, and thus are not notified of the issue? Or you didnt hear the doorbell? Should you still be concerned? The answer is yes.A solution for this situation is to install a point-of-use (POU) water filtration system that is certified for bacteria reduction, virus reduction and cyst reduction.Enhanced performance claims including bacteria, virus and cyst reduction canbemadewithcarbonblocktechnologyforPOUwaterfiltrationsystems byspeciallymodifyingmicroporousactivatedcarbon.Anextrudedcarbon blockcanbemanufacturedcontainingamicrobiologicallyhigh-molecular-weightpolycationicinterceptionagentandacationicsilverhalidecomplex. Cyst reduction occurs via mechanical filtration. Figure 1 is a graphical repre-sentation of this mechanism. Microbiological-reductioncarbonblocksundergorigorousproducttesting andcertificationprocesses.Theymustmeettheperformanceandmaterial safetyrequirementsofNSF/ANSIstandards42and53.Microbialcystreduc-tionclaimscanbecertifiedusingNSF/ANSIStandard53;bacterial,cystand virusreductionforthemicrobiologicalinterceptioncarbonblockisverified using protocols adapted from the EPAs purifier guide protocol.Microbiological-reduction carbon blocks include a patented fail-safe shutoff mechanismensuringnomicrobiologicallycontaminatedwatereverpasses through the system. This fail-safe feature is a key requirement for certification by the State of California. By comparison, hollow-fiber technology is not able to meet this shutoff requirement if one of the fibers is broken, consumers will not know if they are receiving contaminated water.Maintain POU performancePOUfiltrationsystems,whetherofferingarelativelysimpleperformance claim,suchaschlorinetasteandodorreduction,orenhancedperformance Ensuring optimal POUfiltration system performancePOU microbiological purification provides a measure of confidence in drinking water.By Frank A. Brigano, Ph.D., Thomas A. Burke and Steve WebbFor more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): POU, filtration, carbon.FEATUREFigure 1FEATUREwww.watertechonline.com23alerts)maypreferPOUmicrobiological purification that will provide a measure of confidenceintheirdrinkingwaterregard-lessofwhethertheyreceivednoticeof analert.Inthisway,customerscantake ownership, as they should, of the quality of drinking water entering their home.WTFrankA.Brigano,Ph.D.,isvicepresident, TechnologyforKXTechnologiesLLC.Brigano canbereachedat(203)764-2506ore-mailat [email protected] A. Burke is product/marketing manager forKXTechnologies.Burkecanbereachedat (203) 764-2512 or e-mail at [email protected] EcoWaterSystemsLLC.Webbcanbereached at(651)731-7039ore-mailatwebbs@ecowater.com.VisitKXTechnologiesatwww.kxtech.com,onTwitterfindusatkxtech,andon FacebookfindusatKXTechnologiesLLC. Visit EcoWater Systems at www.ecowater.com.8. The filter change-out contacts provide opportunities to sell other water treatment products.The importance of POUCustomerswhorelyondrinkingwater suppliedbyamunicipalsystemmaybe subjecttoinfrastructurefailuressuchas those that require them to boil water before consumption.Therehasbeenanincrease overthepastseveralyearsofboilwater alertsasinfrastructurecontinuestosuffer breakdowns due to age, materials, weather or accidents. A bigger issue is whether the customershavebeeninformedofwhether a boil water alert is in effect in their area. Dealerscanassisttheircustomersby providinginformationonfiltrationsys-temsdesignedtoprovideclean,clearand safedrinkingwaterintheeventtheir municipally-suppliedsourceiscompro-mised.Customerswhohavebeensubject to boil water alerts (or perhaps several such theirfiltrationsystemandreplacement partsonyourwebsite?Doyoumaintain aFacebookpagetheycanlocatesoyou canshareinformationeasilywiththem? Did you give them a business card for their files? Do you keep track of all of their con-tact information?5. Keep a record of the customers filtra-tionsystempurchaseinyourfilessoyou can assist the customer if they do not have theinformationyouneedinordertoser-vice their account. Remember, labels can be torn off and manuals can be misplaced.6.Considersettinguparegularfilter replacementappointmentforyourcus-tomer based on the estimated filter perfor-mance life. 7. Contact the customer on the anniversa-ry of their filter system purchase to inquire abouttheiruseofthesystemandifthey wouldlikeaserviceappointmentsoyou can check the filtration system, clean it and replace any parts that need replacement.Circle 219Patented Removes scale from pipe work Removes scale from heat exchangersand steam boilers Saves energy by keeping heatingelements scale free Increases life of capital equipment Reduces cleaning costs, chemicals & labor Saves 50% on cooling tower make up water Saves irrigation water Provides short term paybackScalewatcher North America Inc., Oxford PA, Call Toll Free (800) 504-8577 or email [email protected]. Dealer territories available.Applications:Residential Commercial IndustrialBeforeAfterwww.scalewatcher.com24Water TechnologyApril 2011customerstopushacartupanddownthe aisles and only half think about what theyre buying,addsMarkovsky,whostatesthat thisdynamicissimilarinthewatertreat-mentmarket.Theallureofthesebrandsis [influential to the buying process].In addition to the power and allure of the brand name itself, a tremendous amount of marketingandsalesassistancecanalso comewiththepackage.Mostwellknown brandsinthisindustryhaveinvestedsig-nificant funds in water treatment research, advertising campaigns, websites and other fundamentaltoolsthatcanassistingrow-ingyourbusiness.But,abrandname cannot do it all and dealers must be aware thatitistheirresponsibilitytoupholdthe brands value.Dealersshouldknowthatthoughthe brand they choose is indeed very important, a good deal of their success or lack of same willbeintheirownhandsanddependon how well they can create an ongoing, viable business,withallthatentails.Awellcho-senbrandcanmake[selling]much,much easier since one with good support, training and sales resources and a substantial exist-ingdealernetworkcansuperchargeyour efforts, concludes Boerner.Committingtoarecognizableproduct canholdmanyopportunitiesandbenefits fordealersinthewatertreatmentindus-try.However,itisimportantthatyoudo yourhomework,knowyourtargetmarket andchooseabrandthathasahistoryof performingwellwithinthosemarketsand prospect types. Depending on the company associated with the brand, you will ride the highs when that company makes advance-ments and endure the lows if that company receivesbadpressoroperatesinappropri-ately.Still,whenitcomestopurchasing, expertssaythepowerandallureofawell known brand is unmatched. WTWhats in a name? Apparently, according to two experts we spoke with for this article, a lot. As dealers mine for new customers, a brand name in this industrycanhelpaugmentsaleseffortsandsolidifysupplyrelations.And, since customers want to feel good about their water treatment purchases and beassuredafirst-classencounterwithadealer,promotingarecognizable product may help on both ends before you even step foot in the door. With thousands of products and intense regional and national competition, your dealership needs to find ways to stand out from the pack. Make your business alluring to customers[Selling] a [well known] brand is a really good way for a reputable water dealer to basically assure people that it is going to be a positive experience, says Michael Markovsky, vice president of marketing for Haws Corporation, manufactureroftheBritaHydrationStation.Associatedwiththepowerof a brand name, he says, is that most customers will associate positive experi-ences and attributes to what you are selling. Depending on the brands history and level of quality, marketing a popular producttypeinthisindustrywillmeanthatcustomersrecognizetheequip-ment or products as well as your company as being valuable, trustwor-thyandanadequatefittoanswertheirwaterconcerns.Inadditiontoallof the benefits of having a prestigious brand in your product portfolio, including access to more desirable accounts and high level decision makers, dealers can also advance their companys image. Alloftheattributesthatpeopleattachtothebrand,suchasqualityof product, service of the organization and general good feelings about the prod-uctorequipment,theywillassociatetheseattributesto[yourdealership]as well, states Markovsky, adding that dealers will notice an immediate impact. Tosomecustomers,acompanysservicecapabilitiesarealeadingfactor inthepurchasingdecision.Awellregardedbrandnamecangivenewand existing customers reassurance that the dealer they are selecting is a reputable company and one that is likely to be in business for years to come should their system need attention and service. The perception is that a larger and recognized company has grown to what itisduetotheirexpertiseandsoundbusinesspracticesovertheyears,adds BobBoerner,presidentofCulliganSouthwestInc.,whichisheadquarteredin San Antonio, Texas. There is some comfort in knowing that thousands of fellow consumers have previously placed their faith in the business with their wallets and the company has apparently grown strong enough to be self-sustaining. Subconscious selling In many ways, a brand name can do the thinking for the customer. This type ofcustomerconditioningworkssuccessfullyacrossthenationatgrocerystores each day. In an average grocery store, there are approximately 50,000 SKUs and this number increases each year. The power of a brand in a grocery store enables The power of a well knownWater treatment professionals advise aligning with popular, trusted trade names.By Rich DiPaolo, Editorial DirectorFor more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Brita, Culligan, sales, brand.FEATURECircle 20626Water TechnologyApril 2011nowistheyhavealladjustedtotheCCA and legislative uncertainty has waned.Onedecisionwasmadebyvirtually alllendersbackin2008,orso,thatcredit wouldbeapprovedonlyforthemost certainre-payers.Fastforwardnowtwo yearslater.Thatdecisionisnowhaving aprofoundeffectonlendersportfolios. Naturally,withtwoyearsofnewloans being approved for nearly 100 percent pay-ingborrowers,lendersdelinquencyrates haveimproved.Simultaneously,property depreciationhasslowedorstoppedin muchoftheU.S.andlendershavehan-dled the worst of the foreclosurecrisis.To topofftheimprovement,unemployment, whilestillhigh,seemstohavesettledat its peak and most economists believe well experience improvements in that area, fur-ther reducing uncertainty. All of the stimu-li that created fear for lenders in 2008-2009 are recovering and have a positive forecast. If lenders feel comfortable about the future, they are much more likely to lend to a con-sumerwhostillhasgood,ormaybeeven adequate, credit.Need for profit and consumer demandTheotherphenomenonthatismotivat-inglenderstodayistheneedforprofit. Obviously,lenderscantdiscontinuewrit-Since late 2008, lenders have been through an economic period that doesnt compare to any weve lived through before. The crisis that befell the finan-cialcommunityinOctoberofthatyearrattledthefoundationsoflenders capabilities, their confidences and their thinking. The significant question for today is, Are lenders ready to increase lending for water treatment products in 2011? The short answer to this question is yes, but it is helpful to under-stand what happened two years ago, and what is happening today, to appreci-ate the degree to which the answer is yes.The financial crisis of 2008In mid-October 2008, the financial community suddenly became aware that the real estate crisis had eroded the financial health of lenders to the point that they werent certain who may fall next. Confidence in the lending community declined so dramatically and abruptly that banks began restricting overnight loans to each other. Banks that had always been considered financially secure couldntbetrustedanymore.Thisphenomenon,amongothers,reduced liquidity in the marketplace.Similarly,therealestatecrisisledtoaborrowingproblemforconsum-ers.Rapiddepreciationofpropertyvaluesreducedequityinconsumers homes.Withoutequity,consumerscouldntrefinancetheirAdjustableRate Mortgages (ARMs). Larger mortgage payments led to payment defaults, fore-closures and bankruptcies in record numbers. Individuals at all income levels had over-reached on their new houses and weregettingcaughtinthespiral.Consumerscreditscoresbegantoplum-metandevenformerlyhighcreditscoresweresusceptibletodefaultingon loans.Tomakemattersworse,thistimeperiodwasthebeginningofthe employment crisis and no one knew just how deeply job losses would plunge. Uncertainty like that can paralyze lending decisions. In an environment where lenders were short of liquidity, where they were see-ing excessively high delinquencies and therefore losses for charge offs, lenders alsocouldnotdependonanyhistoricaldatatodeterminewhowouldremain creditworthy. The overwhelming result was that new lending nearly went to a standstill.Thisconditionwasmostvisiblenationallyinthemortgagemar-ket,butalllendingwasbeingaffected.Loansforautos,creditcardsandother consumer products were substantially affected. Water treatment home improve-ments were just one tiny market being impeded by the lack of lending.The Credit Card ActOne other negative event for lenders occurred during 2009. The passage of theCreditCardAct(CCA)thatspring,andthewritingofitsregulationsby theFederalReservethatdraggedoutuntiltheendofthatyear,leftrevolv-ingcreditlenderswithsignificantuncertaintyabouthowtheirplanswould bepermittedtooperate,howtheywouldreplacelostincomeandhowthey would motivate on-time payments. Remember, for lenders, uncertainty is bad. At the least, this legislation was a major distraction. The good news for lenders mood of lenders in 2011Lenders see an improving horizon and are hungry again.By Robert W. SchabesFor more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Lenders, financing, profit.BUSineSSBUSineSSwww.watertechonline.com27ago, and the year before that.Allthingsconsidered,2011willbethe bestyearforwatertreatmentdealerssince atleast2007.Lendersseeanimproving horizonandarehungryagain.Consumers seethesameandarebeginningtospend again.And,aslongastheunforeseen doesntoccur,theseconditionswillcon-tinue to gradually improve. As a lender, Im far more optimistic about this year than Ive felt in quite some time. Best wishes all.WTRobertW.Schabescarriesaneconomics degree from Vanderbilt University and an MBA fromtheUniversityofSouthFlorida.RWhas been employed within the ISPC corporate family sinceJanuary1990andwasnamedpresident ofISPCinJanuary2011.ISPCisaconsum-erfinancecompanyspecializinginlending forwatertreatmentproductsandotherhome improvements.TolearnmoreaboutISPCcall 1-800-345-4772, ext. 1840, or visit the website at www.ispcfinancing.com.reserves, tightened their purchasing habits. Large,non-essentialpurchaseswere deferredtothefutureasconsumerspro-tectedwhattheyhad.In2011,unemploy-menthasebbedandothereconomicnews hasgrownmorefavorable;theproverbial consumerconfidencehasbegunrising,so demandforproductswillincrease.As demand increases, loans will also.Now, lets not get all too excited just yet. Whiletheplayersinthemarketmaybe readytomakedealshappen,therearestill significant impediments to overcome. There are still very few homeowners with equity. Foreclosures are still happening in volume. Bankruptciesareincreasing.Incomeisstill low.Therearentmanypeoplewithgood creditsincesomanysawtheircreditdete-riorateoverthelastcoupleofyears.And, there remain a few foreboding national and worldeventsthatthreatenanotherdown-turn in our economy. But, all that said, these conditionsarebetterthantheywereayear ingnewloanswhilechargingoffalarge portionoftheirportfolioandexpectto keepmakingthesameprofits.Lenders havebeensittingontheircapitalformore thantwoyearsnowandtheyvereduced theirworkforcesandotherexpensesin ordertostayinbusiness.Now,theyneed torefocustheireffortsonthemoretradi-tionalbusinesschallengeoffindingand earning new business. Without the intense anxietiesofthelasttwoyears,motivation is rising for the drive for profit.Theresonemoresignificantchangein our economy that is and will contribute to more lending in the water treatment indus-tryin2011:Consumerdemand.Thebad newsstoriesof2008-2010didnthappen inavacuum.Lendersarenttheonlyones thatreadthenews.Consumersdidtoo. And, consumers know when they lose their joborwhentheiremployerlaysofftheir colleagues.Evenconsumerswhodidnt lose their jobs, and had low debt with cash Circle 21728Water TechnologyApril 2011detailedexplanationofthesephysical-chemicalinteractionswouldrequiremore spacethanwehaveforthisarticle,butthe following is a list of some that are associated withheatexchangesystemsthatmakeuse of high voltage physical water treatment:Theionsofinterest,calcium,magne-siumandbicarbonatesthatareinsolution mustcomeintocontactorcollidewithone another.Thesereactions,inaverysimpli-fied form, are like putting pieces of a puzzle together.Theyrequiretheproperorienta-tion with respect to each other and the ener-gyofthecollisiontogetthepiecestomate together.Intherealworldofwatertreat-ment not all such collisions have the proper force or orientation to form compounds and must try again (probability of reacting).Higherlevelsofconcentrationofthe ions(thiswillincludethepHandassoci-atedions)ofinterestwillincreasethe frequencyofcollisionsbetweenreactants andthereforethehigherprobabilityof bonding.Agitating,mixingorturbulence can accelerate the rate of chemical reaction via the creation of localized areas of higher concentration. Increased temperature results in high-er kinetic energy aiding in overcoming the activation energy necessary for bonding to take place. Theabilityofsurfacestoactasnucle-ationsitesforthegrowthofcalciumcar-bonatecrystalsareseenonthemetallic surfaces as well as suspended solid matter, dustandcolloidalparticles,asthesesur-facescanactascatalystsfortheformation of seed crystals for further precipitation. An electric field (PWT) imparts a force ontheionsresultingintheseionsbeing pushedorpulledtowardionsofopposite charge. The positive and negative ions move inoppositedirectionscausinglocalized areasofconcentrationleadingtoahigher Today the demands for environmentally-friendly technologies are pushing all sorts of new technological advancements in many areas of our lives. We all have a respect for the proper stewardship of our environment and the short and long term impacts of how we do certain things, like treating cooling tower systems. Lets begin with a review of the basics.Allchemicalreactions,includingthoserequiredtotreatwaterinacooling tower system, rely on the bonds between atoms and molecules. These reactions find their roots in the electrical charges of the participating ions. All chemical processes rely on the outer electrons in each molecule and the resulting electri-cal charge distribution in and around the atoms and molecules. There are many well-known examples of technologies and natural processes that utilize phys-iochemical reactions, for instance: Photosynthesis, enzymes and electrolysis.PWTsPhysicalwatertreatment(PWT)normallyreferstodevicesorsystemsthat treathardwaterforscalepreventioninre-circulationheatexchangeequip-ment, such as cooling towers. These systems can optimize the water treatment program and may reduce or eliminate the need for additional chemicals. There are many types of PWT systems and most can be categorized as magnetic, elec-trostatic, catalytic, mechanical or induction. The first such device permanent magnetic device was granted a German patent in 1890. Since then we have seen a growing number of these various devices available in the market.BothlaboratoryandfieldobservationssuggestthatthemajorityofPWT devicesworkbypromotingbulkprecipitationofcalciumcarbonateoutof solutionsoitisnotavailabletoformcrystallinescaleonheatexchangesur-faces. The details of this mechanism were developed by Dr. Y. I. Cho of Drexel University. This process produces colloidal particles that provide an enormous surface area for preferential growth of the scale forming minerals in solution.One can conclude from the references that these PWTs are not true water-softeningdevices,sincetheydonotremovemineralsfromthewater.In addition, it can be stated that PWTs do not change the structure of the water molecules. Therefore, if the effects of PWT devices are directed at the scaling problems associated with the heat exchange surfaces, one should focus on the performance of the heat exchanger and the scaling mechanisms at those sur-faces. PWT systems function by enhancing the bulk precipitation; that is, the formation of colloidal particles move minerals from solution to suspension to prevent scaling (crystalline fouling).Chemical and physical water treatmentWaterchemistryisverycomplex.TheprecipitationofCaCO3anddisso-ciationreactionsinvolveseveralchemicalstepsinfluencedbybothchemical and physical factors, such as concentration, pH, temperature, pressure, active surface sites and electromagnetic forces.Astherearemultiplestepsandpathsfromachemicalpointofview,the kineticsofthesereactionscanbeenhancedbyphysicalinteractions.Amore Scale control using PWT devicesThe financial and environmental benefits of physical water treatment systems are receiving more and more attention.By David McLachlan, Ph.D.For more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Scale, PWT.mainTenance & oPeraTionS(Concluded on page 30)Circle 20830Water TechnologyApril 2011mainTenance & oPeraTionSpHof~9andaconductivityofbetween 4,130and4,680withnovisualevidenceof scale. Operating temperatures and pressures are stable and maintained across the chillers. To ensure reliability and robustness, mul-tiplepowersupplieswereusedtosupply 35kvdctoseveralsizesandconfigurations oftheelectrodes.Thiscombinedsystem providesover7,000in3ofactivetreatment volumeineachtower.Onesetoftubular electrodes is shown in Fig. 2 shows the elec-trodes positioned directly over the exit drain. Generally,watertreatedcoolingsys-tems have a smaller overall environmental impactthanconventionalaircooledsys-tems.Byreducingthewaterconsumption withinthecoolingtower,greenhousegas emissions associated with the operation of the tower can be further reduced. By operating a cooling tower at six cycles overoperatingattwocycles,thetowerwill save 20 percent of the makeup water required and reduces discharge from the tower by 64 percent. This can become a substantial finan-cial and environmental savings. Estimates of the amount of energy required to pump, dis-tributeandtreatpotablewateraccountsfor about 5 percent of the total energy produced in the U.S. When we apply the water savings by operating at higher cycles and the energy savedfromwaterdistributionwealsohave reducedthegreenhousegasemissionsasso-ciatedwithacoolingtowerbyabout1,400 pounds for each 100 tons of cooling capacity.Weappreciatethemanyfactorsthat must be considered when choosing a water treatment program. However, the financial andenvironmentalbenefitsofPWTsys-temsarereceivingmoreandmoreatten-tion throughout the industry. WTDavidMcLachlan,Ph.D.isthevicepresident oftechnicaldevelopmentforFluidTreatment Solutions Inc. For further information, David can be contacted at [email protected] electrodes. These electrodes are now sub-mersible and are surrounded by a grounded metal(negative)cagesothatmultipleelec-trodes can be placed directly into an operat-ing cooling tower basin, thereby eliminating theneedtocutpipes.Theselaterdevelop-mentshaveresultedinimprovingtheuni-formity of the high electric field and increas-ingthedwelltimeofthewaterinthePWT systems active regions, resulting in a higher probability of colloidal particle formation.Field resultsThisArizonaofficecomplex(Figure 1)utilizes8-100tonfluidcoolersandhas makeup water with a conductivity of ~1000 /S and a pH of 8.1. These towers operate at a conductivity between 4500 and 5500mohs resulting in an average of 8.8 pH. This gives avalueforCOCofapproximately6.The otherparametersthataremonitoredwere corrosion;3.1mpyformildsteeland0.10 mpyforcopperwhilethebacterialcount was normally found to be < 102 CFU. Comparisonsshowasignificantwater saving(metercomparison)overconven-tionalchemicalwatertreatmentofover 200,000gallonsofwatersavedinthe monthofAugust2008.Inaddition,dur-ingthemonthsofMayandJune2008,the discharge of 4 units, approximately 300,000 gallons/month, were diverted to dry wells or used for irrigation.An Arizona school complex (Figure 2) has 2-924 ton cooling towers for HVAC systems foralocalhighschoolandmiddleschool complex.Themakeupwaterforthesetwo towershasapHbetween7.9-8.2andcon-ductivity between 880-990/S. The chemical treatment system, prior to the installation of the high voltage PWT system, allowed these towerstorunat2.2COC.Afterinstallation of the PWT electrodes, the conductivity was setat4500/S,andresultedisanaverage probabilityofcollisionsandanincreased rate of colloidal particle formation. The localized electrostatic interaction of thenaturallyoccurringpositiveandnega-tive particles (ions) at surface irregularities is enhanced.Forsmallirregularities,thelocal electricfieldproducedwouldbeincreased significantly,acceleratingthedissociation processofbicarbonateionsleadingtopre-cipitation of CaCO3 or scale formation.Thesephenomenaarealldocumented inscientificliteratureandindicatethatthe physical,chemicalandelectronicconcepts allmaybeactiveandinterrelated.These interactinghypothesesareprimarilycon-cerned with the effect of high intensity elec-trical field PWT devices on the bulk precipi-tation process. In addition, the rate of these kineticenhancedreactionsleadtoatime factor that must be taken into consideration in conjunction with the strength of the driv-ing force resulting from the applied electri-calfield.Dwell-timeinanactivetreatment zone (or electrical field) must be allowed in order to allow sufficient time for the forma-tionofcolloidalparticles(bulkprecipita-tion).Thesesuspendedparticlestendto form soft-sludge, which can be removed by the shear force produced by flow velocity.Tomovethedesignandapplicationof PWT devices forward, an understanding of themechanism(s)ofscalingfundamentals needstobeutilized.Usingthehypothesis outlined above, supported by scientific and fielddata,improvementshavebeenmade inthedesignsandapplicationofPWTs, leadingtoenhancedperformance,lower installation cost and application flexibilityEvolution of highvoltage electric field PWTsThemaximumflowrate(gpm)andthe totalvolumeofthesystemmustbetaken into account to determine the dwell time in the treatment zone of a given strength elec-tricalfieldinordertoachievethedesired results.Thisinformationisusedtodeter-mine the size and number of the electrodes to be used in treating the system.Inconjunctionwiththeincreasedelec-tricfieldstrength(presently35kvdc),the placementandshapeoftheelectrodeshave also evolved. This evolution was directed at increasing the size and changing the shape of Figure 1. Offce Building 8-100 Tons Units.Figure 2. Tubular electrodes(Continued from page 28)Pure Water is vital for your familys health and wellness. Aries products improve your drinking water by removing harmful contaminants and eliminating unwanted tastes or odors. Call or visit our web site for more information about the Aries FilterWorks full line of cartridges and water purication systems.8567689600www.arieslterworks.comWest Berlin, New Jersey - USAPure, Clean and Delicious.Enjoy your water the way it is supposed to be:Untitled-2 1 3/9/11 4:30 PMCircle 211Whetheritstoperkupinthemorningorforthesheerenjoymentofthe taste, many Americans depend on at least one good cup of coffee to get the daystartedontherightfoot.AccordingtotheNationalCoffeeAssociation, onehalfofallAmericansconsumecoffeeeveryday.And,thisconsumption isfairlystable84percentofconsumerssaytheircoffeehabitshavenot changed in the last six months in response to the economy.Whiledripcoffeeisbyfarthemostcommoncoffeebeverage,specialty espressobeveragesaredrivingawayfromhomeconsumption.Afterwater, coffee is the second most widely-consumed beverage in the world.There are a number of differences between espresso brewing and drip cof-fee, but both have water as the primary ingredient. Coffee is about 98.5 per-cent water and espresso is about 85-96 percent water. However, water impacts each type in different ways.Brewing a perfect espresso beverage requires the proper management of a number of variables, including the grind of the bean, the dosing, the tempera-ture of the water, the brewing pressure, the tamp pressure, the extraction time andthemineralcontentofthewater(andofcourse,theblendofbeans,the roasting, the quality of the espresso machine and the skill of the barista). Even the temperature of the portafilter and basket are important, which is why the portafilter is left in the group head of the espresso machine even when shots arent being drawn. Each of these determines whether the espresso shot will be bitter, sour, weak or strong.Drip brewing is far less labor intensive and more forgiving, but still requires acertaingrind,thecorrecttemperature(typically190-205F)andtheproper extraction time.Tap waters effect on coffeeAsyouknow,tapwaterisacomplexsolutionofchemicals,organicsand minerals, and has pH and alkalinity characteristics. Each of these has an effect on the quality of coffee-based beverages. TotalDissolvedSolids:During the brewing process sol-idsareextractedfromthe coffee grounds and with-outconsistentTDS levelsthequalityof coffee and espresso canrangegreatly fromstrongand bittertoweak andunderdevel-oped.Without By Roy ParkerFor more information on this topic, go to www.watertechonline.com and enter keyword(s): Coffee, filtration, water quality.The love-hate of water and coffee brewing: Part oneThe impact of water on coffee and brewing equipment.controllingtheTDSleveltheconsistency ofthebeveragewillvary.LowTDS(500 ppm) could mean that sodium, calcium, chloride andmagnesiumaredetectableinthefinal product.Also,highDTSsaturatedwater willnotextractatfullstrengthasthereis no space left to add the finest of the coffee. TotalHardness:Hardnessions,such ascalciumandmagnesium,bindwiththe extractedcoffeebeanorganicsfromthe brewingprocesstogivethecorrectfla-vortothecoffeeandespressobeverages. Minerals also help to reduce the acidity of water. Without the proper amount of hard mineralyourcoffeewillhaveahighlevel of astringency or be very bitter. pH: Water below 7.0 is acidic and cor-rosive, water above 7.0 is basic and caustic. Natural low pH indicates a lack of mineral in the water, so water will taste flat or bitter (its like drinking distilled water, which has a pH of about 5.5). As pH increases (>7) the result is an astringent taste. Higher pH also usuallyindicatesahigheralkalinityand possibility of limescale. Due to the fact that apersonwithsensitivetastecannoticea pH shift of as little as 0.1, controlling your pHisvitaltoconsistencyandtaste.The ideal is a pH of around 7. Alkalinity:Highalkalinityisacata-lystforscaledevelopmentinthebrewing equipment. Total chlorides: Elevated levels of total chloridesaremostcommonlyassociated withsalt.Innormallevels,chlorideswill result in a sweet taste to brewed beverages, butatelevatedlevelscancausesourness. Chloridesarealsoespeciallycorrosive onstainlesssteel,quicklyeatingawayat exposed components.SaLeS & marKeTinG32Water TechnologyApril 2011SaLeS & marKeTinGwww.watertechonline.com33begins.Thishelpstoseepwaterthrough thecoffeeevenlysoitdoesntchannel.If theresunevenwaterflow,theresulting espresso will be under extracted and weak. If the
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