What’s at the Bottom of Your Water Supply May Not Stay There

Turbidity Stirs Up Unwanted Particles

Lack of clarity in your drinking water is a sign of trouble. Turbidity follows the “animal, vegetable, mineral” concept. Bottom-feeder goodies, algae, and silt just need water movement to rise into, and flow from a water supply into the filtration system (e.g. watershed, well). Effects from turbidity include increased water temperature, lower concentrations of dissolved oxygen (both also bad for fish), and a real pain in the neck for drinking water utilities to treat water for consumption.

The Environmental Protection Agency sets the standard for the amount of turbidity allowed in drinking water. Turbidity is measured in nephelolometric turbidity units (NTU) which indicates the amount of light passing through water. An average of daily water samples for a month must yield a sample size of 0.3 NTUs over a period of any one month. 

Your first line of defense against cloudy water is activated carbon filtration. Our division, American Carbon Block, uses activated, coconut-based carbon. It is ecologically greener than coal-based carbon. Our success at Paragon Water Systems is that we take full advantage of the concept of microporosity, as it suits itself well to organic chemical adsorption.

13805 Monroes Park

Tampa, FL 33635 USA

Toll-free 1-800-288-9708

http://www.paragonwater.com

United States of Agriculture -- Part 1 -- Atrazine

Atrazine 

Atrazine (see Figure 1) is one of the most widely-used volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to keep weeks in check on large-scale application areas including farms and rights-of-way. Environmental exposure comes from soil surface runoff. Atrazine and other VOCs leach into groundwater and drain into watersheds. Animals and humans risk exposure through the drinking of contaminated well water.

In the United States, any herbicides, including Atrazine, require licensing and/or certification to purchase and apply. The use of Atrazine is banned in the European Union.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets maximum levels in drinking water of 0.003 milligrams per liter (0.003mg/L). Contamination levels vary by season as pesticide application and the heavy rainfall can combine to produce heavy spikes (as much as 10 times EPA limits) in exposure, promoting a greater level of harm.

Mapping agricultural use of Atrazine (see Figure 2) shows much of the Midwest's farm belt included. Nearly 96 percent of Atrazine's use is applied to the major grain crops -- corn and sorghum. 

It is recommended that if your household relies on well water, you should have it tested annually. Since contaminant spikes are a concern, testing would be best done after pesticide application and heavy rains have already occurred.

Contamination Remedy

Filtering Atrazine from drinking water requires the use of an activated carbon filter with a point-of-use (POU) filtration device. This same filter also removes other chemicals, heavy metals, and bacteria. These filters meet the Water Quality Association (WQA) tested and certified against National Sanitation Foundation/American National Standards Institute. The scope of NSF/ANSI Standard 53 includes “material safety, structural integrity and health-related contaminant reduction performance claims.” 

Paragon Water Systems provides quality activated carbon filters cartridges with a 5 micron nominal filtration efficiency rating. Strong design parameters allow for greater flow rates – efficiency and safety – part of Paragon’s filter advantage.

Our ODM/OEM solutions give manufacturers a chance to promote a quality, label-specific product to your customers. Our new division, American Carbon Block, now manufactures Made in USA carbon block solutions.

Visit us today -- Paragon Water Systems / American Carbon Block 
Call us today for more information 1-800-288-9708.