Arsenic Facts - Watts Premier RO-PURE PLUS Manual De Instalación, Operación Y Mantenimiento

Arsenic Facts

Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring contaminant found in many
ground waters. Arsenic in water has no color, taste or odor. It must
be measured by an arsenic test kit or lab test.
Public water utilities must have their water tested for arsenic. You
can obtain the results from your water utility contained within your
consumer confidence report. If you have your own well, you will need
to have the water evaluated. The local health department or the
state environmental health agency can provide a list of test kits
or certified labs.
There are two forms of arsenic: pentavalent arsenic (also called As
(V), As (+5)) and trivalent arsenic (also called As (III), As (+3)). In well
water, arsenic may be pentavalent, trivalent, or a combination of
both. Although both forms of arsenic are potentially hazardous to
your health, trivalent arsenic is considered more harmful than pen-
tavalent arsenic.
RO systems are very effective at removing pentavalent arsenic. A free
chlorine residual will rapidly convert trivalent arsenic to pentavalent
arsenic. Other water treatment chemicals such as ozone and potas-
sium permanganate will also change trivalent arsenic to pentavalent
arsenic. A combined chlorine residual (also called chloramine) where
it does convert trivalent arsenic to pentavalent arsenic, may not con-
vert all the trivalent arsenic in to pentavalent arsenic. If you get your
water from a public water utility, contact the utility to find out if free
chlorine or combined chlorine is used in the water system.
This reverse osmosis system is designed to remove up to 98% of
pentavalent arsenic. It will not convert trivalent arsenic to pentavalent
arsenic. Under laboratory standard testing conditions, this system
reduced 0.30 mg/L (ppm) pentavalent arsenic to under 0.010 mg/L
(ppm) (the USEPA standard for drinking water). Actual performance
of the system may vary depending on specific water quality condi-
tions at the consumer's installation. In addition to the independent
laboratory standard testing conditions we have conducted additional
field testing on our reverse osmosis units to determine trivalent
arsenic reduction capabilities. Based upon field testing, it has been
determined that the RO units are capable of reducing up to 67% of
trivalent arsenic from the drinking water.
This reverse osmosis system contains a replaceable component
critical to the efficiency of the system, and for the removal of arsenic.
Replacement of the reverse osmosis membrane should be with one
of identical specifications, as defined by the manufacturer, to ensure
the same efficiency and contaminant reduction performance. Specific
RO membrane identification and ordering information can be found
in the maintenance section of this manual.
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