Water treatment
Water treatment describes those processes used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use. These can include use as drinking water, industrial processes, medical and many other uses. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing contaminants in the water, or reduce the concentration of such contaminants so the water becomes fit for its desired end-use.
Home drinking water treatment devices are used by a home owner to improve the quality of water entering the home. Home treatment devices are categorized as either point-of-entry devices, which treat all the water entering the home, or point-of-use devices, which treat only the water at a single tap.
Where the source is not of adequate quality, home drinking water treatment devices can be used to provide water of adequate quality that is safe to drink. The treatment options vary in both complexity and price.
List of Devices For Treating Some of the More Common Contaminants and Undesirable Minerals
Contaminant and Minerals |
Treatment device |
UV Light |
Ion Exch. |
Mech. Filter |
Actd. Carbon |
Actd. Alum |
Reverse Osmosis |
Distillation |
Aeration |
Chlorination |
Bacteria and Viruses |
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Taste and Odor |
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Lead |
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Nitrate |
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Chlorine, Trihalomethanes |
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Radon |
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Hardness |
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VOCs and other Organics |
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Pesticides, PCBs |
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Iron and Manganese |
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Sulfate |
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Giardia and Crytosporidium Cysts |
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Total Dissolved Solids |
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Aluminum |
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Arsenic |
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Barium |
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Cadmium |
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Chloride |
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Chromium |
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Copper |
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Fluoride |
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Mercury |
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Radium |
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Selenium |
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Silver |
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Zinc |
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You can find some
water treatment devices on this page.