Due to the high cost of drinking water and the fact that water is not always easily available from other sources, more and more homes, industries, and municipalities use treated surface water. Because it's open to the air and a range of possible contaminants, surface and pond water treatment normally needs to be performed before the water has the quality required to make it safe to drink. Surface water typically contains a high suspended solids content, bacteria, algae, and organic matter, creating a bad taste and odor. In some areas, like river estuaries, this water can be brackish, reaching up to 8, 000 mg/L of salts, and that is an issue that requires a whole different set of surface water treatment equipment.

EPA Guidelines for Surface Water Treatment

The US EPA has something called the Surface Water Treatment Rule, which seeks to prevent waterborne diseases caused by viruses, the Legionella bacteria, and Giardia lamblia, a parasite. These disease-causing microbes can be found in varying concentrations in most surface waters. The rule requires a surface water treatment process that includes filtering and disinfecting the water from to reduce unsafe levels of these pathogens.

While private water systems in homes are not subjected to this rule, it is an excellent idea to comply with it anyway. You can read the entire Surface Water Treatment Rule at https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/surface-water-treatment-rules

How Do I Treat Surface Water?

The best method for surface water treatment will depend on many factors, including where you live and the time of year. It's important to have your water tested so you know what's actually in it. At US Water Systems, we offer a number of specially designed lake and pond water treatment systems that are made for home use. These systems include the following components:

1. Sediment backwashing filter
2. Chlorine injection system
3. A chlorine storage tank
4. A fiberglass retention tank
5. Granular activated coconut shell carbon backwashing filter
6. 5 micron and 1 micron filters
7. Ultraviolet or Silecte disinfection

You may also need a water softener to remove hardness minerals from your water and a reverse osmosis (RO) system to remove any additional contaminants from your drinking water. A quality water test will tell you what you need to remove. Call the Certified Water Specialists at US Water Systems at 1-800-608-8792 to get started!