Reynolds Water Conditioning

  Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are commonly known as “forever chemicals” due to their inability to break down naturally through time. These toxic chemicals have been found in water supplies in communities statewide. It is in the blood of 99.9 percent of all inhabitants on Earth. Until now, there have not been any stringent standards for PFAS. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soon regulate these human-made toxins that pose severe and life-threatening health risks for millions of people. In 2016, a recommended (yet unenforceable) health advisory limit was set at 70 parts per trillion for PFAS in drinking water. Now, scientists are saying those levels are unsafe for human health. With the new standards set by the EPA, local water utility companies will encounter consequences if they do not follow them. PFAS can be found in much more than water; they have been used for decades in Teflon pans, fire retardants, cosmetics, dental floss, food packa...

  The Yale School of Public Health found that babies born to mothers who were exposed to contaminated water from the Flint River had lower birth weights, according to research published in the Journal of Population Economics. Flint officials switched the drinking water to the Flint River in April 2014 in an effort to save money. It was later determined that the river had unsafe levels of lead, bacteria, and other contaminants, which had leached into the water, and thereby, the affecting residents of Flint. Yale professor Xi Chen said, “Our study shows that the impact {of the Flint water crisis} is evident as early as the beginning of life, and it could be long-lasting for decades to come. It has much larger effects towards minority groups.” The relationship between the Flint water crisis and lower birthweights will help researchers understand the long-term economic and social effects of water pollution. Since birth weight is the most critical factor in predicting long-term d...

  When appropriately applied, chlorine added to drinking water should not result in any type of odor reminiscent of a pool party. When chlorine can be smelled in water, there are exceedingly high levels of toxic chemical compounds reacting together. Typically, drinking water comes from natural sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams. It can also be recycled in water treatment plants throughout cities to remove leaves, dirt, fish, and other organic waste. One of the primary treatment methods used to remove the organic matter is chlorine, which is super-effective at killing harmful organisms (bacteria, parasites, viruses, etc.) Cholera, dysentery, and chronic diarrhea outbreaks were common before water chlorination treatment. Unfortunately, using chlorine to disinfect water isn’t foolproof. The amount of chlorine needed for water disinfection varies and teeters on a thin line between too much and not enough. If the water smells like chlorine, the water utility in charge of ...

 The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recently created a Corrosion Control Advisory Panel aimed at drinking water remediation. EGLE also implemented new standards earlier in the year, including the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), which helps detect lead in drinking water. There are seven drinking water professionals on the Corrosion Control Advisory Panel: -           Elin Betanzo, PE, president and founder, Safe Water Engineering, LLC -           David Cornwell, CEO, Cornwell Engineering Group, Inc. -           Darren Lytle, environmental engineer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Drinking Water Management Branch CESER Water Infrastructure Division -           Susan Masten, professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State Un...

  The standards of water disinfection are currently chlorine and ultraviolet light when pertaining to city water. A project called MIKROOZON backed by Schleswig-Holstein, CONDIAS, and the European Union aims to create a tiny ozone generator for people to use in water dispensers or appliances such as fridges or dishwashers. There are several advantages when it comes to ozone being used for water disinfection, including a positive environmental impact, a short retention time, and tasteless quality. Ozone is an excellent choice when it comes to combatting germs, thanks to its high oxidation potential. The cell membrane in common pathogens is easily broken down by ozone. Ozone water disinfection is the standard in Germany to clean swimming pools, drinking water, and wastewater. However, ozone is not typically implemented to purify water in small appliances such as ice machines, water dispensers, and showers. Norman Laske, a researcher at Fraunhofer ISIT, said, "The ozone gene...

  Water is an essential aspect of our lives; we drink, bathe, cleanse, and use water daily. The chemistry of life is based on water; over 60 percent of the human body is made up of water. In the human body, water is necessary for vital functions, including: -           Manufacturing hormones -           Creating saliva -           Keeping mucus membranes moist -           Allowing the body’s cells to grow and reproduce -           Regulating body temperature -           Acting as a shock absorber for the spinal cord and brain -           Flushing body waste -           Maintaining a sufficient electrolyte bala...

  Throughout the United States, an increasing number of Americans show signs of distrust in tap water. About 60 million did not drink their tap water in 2018, according to a study published by Pennsylvania State University researchers. This marked a 40 percent increase when compared to 2014. The drinking water crisis that emerged in Flint prompted the rise in consumers questioning tap water purity. Despite assurances that the water was safe, scientists proved them wrong by conducting independent tests showing astonishingly high lead levels. Though the water crisis in Flint was broadly publicized, other cities have struggled with lead in their water systems as well. Washington, DC, Chicago, Newark, Toledo, Ohio, and Charleston, West Virginia, have all been publicly grappling with drinking water emergencies. Erik Olson, senior director of the National Resources Defense Council, said, “The fundamental problem with drinking water is that we continue to live off the investments o...