Chemical Contamination of Water & Exposure Reduction Strategies
Posted by Ted Mullen on
The train derailments and subsequent chemical spills in East Palestine, OH, and other locations, have concerned individuals asking us, at Danbury Manufacturing, for ideas to make water safer. We share here 3 strategies to reduce exposure to known and unknown industrial chemicals:
Prior to acquiring treatment systems, the first strategy is to immediately reduce exposure to the chemicals in the water. While plastic water bottles are not ideal, this is the best water source you, and your pets, may have, in an emergency situation, for drinking and cooking. Facilities bottling water are regularly inspected, as are the sources from which the water is drawn.
The second strategy, if you are not able to vacate the home in which you reside, is to take very fast showers. Many chemicals are readily absorbed through your skin, the largest organ in your body, and can readily escape hot water while you shower. The inhalation, and skin absorption of chemicals, will likely be in larger amounts than the chemical amounts found in all the water you drink in a day.
Finally, the third strategy, is to install permanent water treatment systems: a whole house carbon filter system and reverse osmosis drinking water system.
The first system we recommend is a 10"x54" granulated activated carbon (GAC) filter. A non-backwashing filter, set-up to work in down-flow mode, is best, because this mode forces the granules to pack closer together so the water and contaminants have better contact with the GAC, so more chemicals will be removed. If the best carbon is used, and system set up correctly, the GAC can last several years, in the case of the chemical load that was leached into the water in East Palestine, OH, before needing to be replaced.
The second system mentioned is a reverse osmosis drinking water system as the final defense for toxic compounds. Install this at the kitchen sink to provide drinking and cooking water for humans and pets. Reverse Osmosis technology consists of filters and a reverse osmosis membrane. Some of the internal filters are GAC, and so provide another layer of protection against contaminants.
Danbury Manufacturing sells a German designed and Polish Manufactured Reverse Osmosis on its website, and provides water treatment consultation services. Please call us at 203-313-8291 if we can help in any way.