Household Water Treatment
Janice Woodard, Blake Ross, Kathleen Parrott
Virginia Cooperative Extension
| Problem | Typical corrective procedures |
|---|---|
| Fine sand, clay, other particles | Remove using a mechanical filter |
| Bacterial contamination | Remove the source of contamination or treat using chlorination or other forms of disinfection |
| Hydrogen sulfide gas (rotten egg odor) | Remove using chlorination and a sedimentation filter or an oxidizing filter followed by activated carbon filter |
| Suspended iron and manganese particles | Remove using a mechanical filter |
| Small amounts of dissolved iron | Remove using a water softener |
| Higher amounts of dissolved iron and manganese | Remove using a potassium permanganate regenerated oxidizing filter |
| Very high amounts of dissolved iron | Remove using a chlorinator followed by a mechanical filter |
| Hardness | Treat using a water softener |
| Acidity | Treat using a neutralizing filter |
| Volatile organic chemicals, trihalomethanes, certain pesticides and radon | Remove using an activated carbon filter |
| Heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic cadmium) | Remove using a reverse osmosis unit or a distiller |
| High total dissolved solids, sodium, sulfates, nitrates | Remove using a reverse osmosis unit or a distiller |
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Publication #: 356-481
Disclaimer and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
Reviewed for NASD: 04/2002