Ensuring your rural water is safe to drink
If you have an ultra violet system installed in your home, maintaining that system is crucial because it ensures your water is free from bacteria and viruses. If you consume water that has these pathogens, you will likely become very ill with gastrointestinal issues.
Simply having an ultra violet system is not good enough unless you are changing the UV light and pre-filters annually (filters more often in some cases).
Additionally, if the power goes out (as it often does if you live in a rural area) and water is used while the bulb is out, you have now let untreated water seep by. This means your plumbing system (pipes/hot water tank) and hence your water now contains bacteria.
Similarly, if the UV bulb is not changed annually, the bulb will dim and not be effective at killing the bacteria in the water. The bulb will still be “on '' but it's no longer doing its job. Once again your water is no longer safe to drinking at this point.
Here are some things you can do to ensure your ultraviolet system is properly maintained for safe, worry free drinking water
Start with sufficient pre filtration - if your water is unclear, cloudy or contains iron and/or hardness (calcium & magnesium) the UV light won’t be able to penetrate through to kill the bacteria. You may require a complete water test if you suspect your well water has iron or hardness.
Size The UV System Correctly- Ensure the ultra violet system you choose can handle the average water flow in your home. We measure this in gallons per minute (GPM) Typically an 8-10 GPM system is used for an average sized home.
Change your UV bulb annually and check the quartz sleeve to ensure it's clean. If it's not clean, use a soft cloth with some water and peroxide to clean it. If it doesn’t come clean, replace the sleeve.
Disinfect your water lines with chlorine if your bulb hasn’t been changed on time (annually) OR if you had power outage and used water during the outage.
Option: For peace of mind, or if you rent out your home you may choose to have your water tested for bacteria once a year.
An ultraviolet water system can give you the peace of mind you deserve, just remember to maintain it correctly for many years of worry free water!
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