Treatment options for removing iron, sulphur, and other contaminants

You would think that turning on your kitchen sink tap here in Canada would mean that you can easily fill your glass with clean, drinkable water, but unfortunately this isn’t always the case. There are many reasons why common water contaminants, such as iron, sulphur, or calcium, are found in your drinking water, causing a range of problems from clogged plumbing to health concerns. If you are concerned about the quality of your household and drinking water, check out our water treatment options , or come by to get your water tested professionally.

Iron and manganese contamination is often visible as darks specks, which can leave stains on your plumbing or clothing. Excessive levels of iron and manganese can also lead to the growth of bacteria, which clogs pipes with its black slime. Calcium and magnesium can make your water hard, which leads to clogs in your pipes, the burning out of your water heater, and leaving a filmy residue in your sink. Sulfur in your water can cause it to smell like rotten eggs and drinking water with excessive sulfur contents can cause unpleasant gastrointestinal effects.

Depending on which contaminants are present and how the water is used, there is a wide range of treatment options available. One of the most popular approaches is reverse osmosis treatment for overall purification, although specialized units and approaches can be recommended depending on the type and level of contamination. Customized treatment systems are also available from quality water treatment centers, which analyze and track the results of your water results and help find the best ongoing solution to your water contamination.

At London Pump Supply Ltd., we offer UV disinfection systems along with a full selection of Waterite Fusion 2 water conditioners, water softeners, and chemical-free iron removers in addition to providing customized analysis and water treatment system. Our systems and accompanying sizes of filters and filter housings are popular across Southwestern Ontario for residential use (both with a water well and main line residential water), agriculture and greenhouses, along with food processing and service locations.

Point-of-use treatment is often considered to be much more cost effective than removing the contaminants at the source and is usually more than sufficient to ensure that the water is safe for human use, but if you have a well and it is in severe disrepair, it may be necessary to undergo structural repair to the well itself.

Many homeowners who discover microorganisms in their well, will often pour bleach into the well to solve any problems through shock chlorination. While this can certainly kill many contaminants, it is generally not considered to be a viable long term solution as it can be difficult to monitor on an ongoing basis. It’s not always a safe approach if not executed and tested professionally, and will not be effective at reducing all contaminants that are present.

Until a treatment unit is professionally installed and monitored, be sure to boil any water prior to human consumption. Most treatment systems can be installed yourself, but water treatment technicians are often the preferred approach, and at London Pump Supply Ltd., we offer only the best when it comes to service and installation.