POE Water filtration system?

1736 Views 8 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Nelons, 2 mo ago

Quills

Discussion Starter · Feb 2, 2015

I need some outside expertise, as water systems are most decidedly NOT my forte!

We own a century brick home in an area where the water table is quite high -- right on top of one of the largest aquifers in the province, actually -- and our water is horrible.

It's highly mineralized, and no one here would think of NOT having both a water softener and an iron filter on any water running into their homes, minimum. We have both -- however...

The water is still ridiculously hard. All of my antique white fixtures are stained orange with the iron, and it doesn't matter how often I clean them, there is always a thin mineral film on everything. We've had our systems checked -- multiple times by different people -- and they all say the same thing: it's the water in the area, and the filters we have in place DO remove much of it, but the load is such that they can't get it all.

My younger son won't drink the water from the tap because he says it tastes like blood and makes him feel sick to his stomach -- the iron levels are really high. We've had it tested -- it's safe (no e.coli or other bacteria, etc.) -- it just tastes icky.

DH and I have decided that it's time to invest in a really, really, REALLY good water system to deal with these issues. His work is stupidly busy right now, and so I've volunteered to learn more about household point-of-entry water filtration systems so that we can do something about this.

We are willing to invest in this system, so while I don't want to spend unduly, I am willing to consider all price points.

Anyone have any wisdom to offer? Can I ask for input, please, to help "school" a know-nothing on this matter? Any opinions, expertise, or advice is welcome. I'm pretty good at doing research, but the sheer volume of info out there is overwhelming, and I can't even figure out where to begin.

We know we want a POE system, because the mineral buildup is such that we don't want un-filtered water going through our pipes and causing buildup. I did some preliminary research into reverse-osmosis, but the capacity seems really low for our needs. We have to have something that filters out both minerals and also any contaminants (we live in farm country, lots of industrial farms using lots of industrial chemicals).

Any help would be appreciated!

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hiwall

· #2 · Feb 2, 2015

Unless your water contains salt then a standard water softener of the correct size should remove all the mineral. Your iron filter- is it an air injection system? or does it use potassium permanganate? or is it an ozone system? They did install the iron filter before the softener correct?
After you get the iron and mineral out of the water you could then install a carbon filter to catch 'some' contaminants'. Or use a reverse-osmosis system only for drinking water.

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Tirediron

· #3 · Feb 2, 2015

Big Iron drilling is supposed to be the experts in that type of water.
they are out of Edmonton, I think they use a chlorine doser and multi stage filter system
http://www.bigirondrilling.com/

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Wellrounded

· #4 · Feb 2, 2015

We have the same issue here with our well water. We have rainwater to the house so no problems there but have well water to the indoor toilet and the stains are terrible to keep under control.

If we have a lot of people in the house we can run short of rainwater and run the well water through an RO unit to top up the store tank. The unit I have produces 600 liters a day at about 5ppm TDS. No stains, no taste, no smell

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cowboyhermit

· #5 · Feb 2, 2015

Can't give any real advice on the particular system, but, definitely consider adding some storage capacity into the system imho, like Wellrounded mentioned. The people selling the systems (here anyways) will try to up-sell on capacity (flow rate) rather than installing an appropriately sized holding tank. It might not always be cheaper, depending on particular circumstances and local costs, but there is also the obvious preparedness advantages to having a tank full of water.

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LincTex

· #6 · Feb 2, 2015

We had the same iron problem in North Dakota.

I don't remember the name of the filter we used, but I **DO** remember all the purple Potassium Permanganate my dad was always messing with!!!

http://www.advanced-water-systems.com/technical/faqs/faqs_greensand.html

http://www.uswatersystems.com/blog/2012/06/which-system-do-i-need-to-remove-iron/

http://www.softenerparts.com/Iron_Filter_Repair_and_Maintenance_s/60.htm

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zimmy

· #7 · Feb 2, 2015

http://www.lowes.com/pd_31217-43353-WHELJ1_0__?productId=1082883&Ntt=

This is a whole house sand filter that will back flush every week or two depending on programing, no maintenance required, but has a limited 10 year life. Here is the link.

I have used this for 7 years now with no problems, but requires a drain for back flushing.

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LincTex

· #8 · Feb 2, 2015

zimmy said:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_31217-43353-WHELJ1_0__?productId=1082883&Ntt=
This is a whole house sand filter that will back flush every week or two depending on programing, no maintenance required,

That one doesn't take out soluble/dissolved iron and manganese.

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Nelons

· #9 · 2 mo ago

Based on what you've described, it sounds like a multi-stage filtration system may be your best option. These systems typically use a combination of filters, such as sediment, carbon, and catalytic media, to address a variety of water quality issues. Some multi-stage systems may also include a water softener, which can be especially beneficial if your water is hard.
One type of multi-stage system that you may want to consider is a backwashing filter. These filters typically use a combination of filter media, such as activated carbon and catalytic media, to remove a wide range of contaminants, including minerals, sediment, and chlorine. They are also designed to backwash periodically, which helps prevent the buildup of contaminants and prolongs the life of the filter media.
Another option to consider is a UV (ultraviolet) system. UV systems use UV light to kill bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms in your water. This can be especially important if you live in an area with agricultural runoff or other sources of contamination.
When selecting a whole house water filtration system, it's important to consider your specific needs and the size of your household. You'll want to choose a system that can handle your daily water usage, and that can effectively remove the contaminants that are present in your water.
Finally, I would recommend consulting with a professional plumber or water treatment specialist to help you select and install the right system for your home. They can provide expert guidance and help ensure that your system is installed correctly and functioning properly.
I hope this information helps you make an informed decision about your whole house water filtration system. Good luck with your research!

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