Today, your professional water treatment contractor offers innumerable treatment options designed for homeowners who receive their water from a private well. Systems like filtration and ultraviolet light treatment are designed to be used as point-of-entry systems effectively treating your entire water supply before it enters your home. UV treatment is specifically designed to treat water contaminated by common bacterial organisms.
While most well water is free from bacterial organisms ultraviolet light adds a layer of protection and is an extremely cost effective solution. It's important that any treatment system is properly installed and regularly maintained so make sure to work with a state-certified well water contractor.
Let's take a look at, and answer some questions as we examine the benefits ultraviolet light treatment systems offer.
What exactly is ultraviolet light water treatment?
UV is a form of light/radiation not visible to the naked eye. It removes living organisms and organic contaminants from water by passing water through a UV light source. This irradiates the contaminants altering their DNA and preventing them from reproducing while rendering them inert. A UV system produces light in a narrow range of wavelengths known to kill most common viruses, bacteria and protozoa.
UV light is especially effective as a point-of-entry system for residential homes. Flow rate is important in order to keep the water under the light source long enough to kill contaminants. This system relies on water clarity so if your well suffers from turbidity or sediment issues you may need to pass it through a pre-filter before UV treatment.
What are the benefits of UV light water treatment systems?
A UV system can be wired to start and stop with your well pump saving energy and lengthening bulb life. UV light effectively kills 99.9% of biological contaminants including viruses, bacteria and protozoa. They are relatively low maintenance but must be kept clean in order to maximize effectiveness. Some units have an automatic cleaning function further lessening maintenance. Bulbs last approximately 9000 hours or about a year.
Used in conjunction with filtration a UV light system adds another layer of protection to your water safety efforts. UV light is environmentally friendly, a chemical free process, effective and essentially trouble free.
Are there different types of UV water treatment systems?
Not per se, but there are different factors that are customized at install to fit your homes unique characteristics such as water flow rate, length of the lamp, and diameter of the purification chamber. For example a single lamp system can handle any flow rate up to 2400 gallons per hour. By placing purifier units in parallel higher flow rates can be treated.
What about the maintenance of UV water treatment systems?
As mentioned earlier, UV systems require little maintenance beyond an occasional cleaning. Build up of scale or debris can lessen system effectiveness. Most systems will require an annual bulb change and periodic replacement of filters. With accessories like flow controls, automatic cleaning, UV bulb monitors and electronic water shut off valves and alarms, UV systems require little monitoring and minimal preventative maintenance.
How do I know if a UV water treatment system is right for my well?
UV light system is specifically designed to treat biological contaminants including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Used in conjunction with filtration it can be a part of a total treatment system. Your water professional can help you to test your well to determine if contaminants are present and can advise you if a UV system is right for you. They can explain the benefits, maintenance and costs of installing a UV system either alone or with a filtration system component.
UV light point-of-entry water treatment system is an effective choice to eliminate biological contaminants from your home's water. It's important to test your well prior to installation to determine if UV light is your best treatment option. Speak with your well water professional at Skillings and Sons. They can help you understand your options.
