UV (Ultraviolet) water purification, a green alternative for public water treatment

Back in 2008 there was a published report by Global Water Intelligence that came to the following conclusion. One of the fastest growing water treatment technologies is UV water disinfection and purification. The water treatment industry uses a high-powered form of UV light called UV-C or “germicidal UV” to disinfect water. UV water disinfection performance is tied to the first laws of Photochemistry where only the light that is absorbed by a molecule can be effective at producing a photochemical change in the molecule. What this means is that in order for UV Water Treatment systems to work the light must be absorbed by the organism(s) in the water. Then the UV light causes damage to the DNA  and RNA structure preventing it form being able to replicate itself.  UV Water treatment systems are effective in destroying 99.99% of harmful microorganisms, including E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia.

Municipal water treatment facilities are looking to this new form of water treatment as a viable green alternative for public water treatment. Public officials are looking to avoid water contamination problems with public sources such as the 1993 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, WI. Currently California is leading the charge with UV water treatment implementation. Public elected officials, regional labor leaders, and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) have recently broke ground on what will be California’s largest ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection facility when completed in 2011.

Whirlpool Refrigerator water filters

With world, national, and even personal attention now being paid to the use   of energy and our natural resources, businesses are now answering the call for more efficient and eco-friendly products. One of the largest consumers of your home's energy are kitchen appliances. The United States has developed a program to encourage both manufacturers and consumers to produce and shop for what are called ENERGY STAR Qualified products.

Home refrigerators are one of the major home appliances that consumes a lot of power.   Many refrigerators have undergone a revolution in both features and energy consumption. In order to be an ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator, it requires that the appliance use only about half as much energy as models manufactured before 1993. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators provide energy savings without sacrificing the features you want, and one of the leaders in ENERGY STAR refrigerators is Whirlpool.
Of the 38 different refrigerator models offered on Whirlpool's website, 28 of them are ENERGY STAR compliant, and many of those offer the sought after in-door ice and water dispensing capability. Whirlpool refrigerators that offer ice and water dispensing capabilities require that the water running through these systems is kept clean and pure . This means replacing the filter cartridge according to the manufacturer's suggested schedule.

Not only are they energy efficient, but the Whirlpool refrigerator water filters are one of the most effective water filters when it comes to removing unhealthy contaminants from your drinking water.

Choosing the appropriate water filter cartridge is easier than you think. Normally, the filter has the model number right on the cartridge. Simply go to our website, FreshWaterSystems.com, and type in that model number to find the filter you need.

But wait....we've made it even easier for you to find your filter. These are the four most popular Whirlpool replacement filters.

Whirlpool 4396510 rc

Whirlpool 4396841

Whirlpool 8171413

Whirlpool 8171414

FreshWaterSystems is committed to providing the best customer service and the highest quality products, and to improving the quality of life through the quality of water.

NEO•TOTE™ Insulated Water Bottle Holder

 We all have heard repeated over the past several years there has been a plethora of news about the benefits of using stainless steel water bottles over plastic water bottles. We all know about the biodegradable issues of plastics and how these plastic bottles keep piling up in landfills. We have also had scientist, water specialist, and researchers explain about the potential hazards of having BPA a chemical found in polycarbonate (plastic bottles) leached into the water. This leaching generally happens when the water is storage for a long time or over exposure to heat. As we see more and more people using these Eco friendly water bottles such as Kleen Kanteen, there still are two inherent issues

1. How do you we keep water, juice, or sports drink cold in a Steel Water Bottle?

2. Since these metal water bottles are only single walled, condensation on the outside makes them hard to handle and creates a watery mess?

 If you are to look at the diameter of typical size Koozie, quick you realize not only will the water bottle not fit. Even if the fit was right, it would only cover about a third to a half of the bottle, and therefore leaving you with the same issues of how to keep cold and condensation dripping all over. Enter the New Neo Tote - Insulated water bottle holder from FreshWaterSystems.com. The Neo Tote fits and protects all Klean Kanteen Classic Water Bottles and most SIGG Water Bottles. Furthermore the neo tote is made of durable neoprene that can insulate cold drinks for hours, front zipper allows you to quickly add or remove the bottle, and it is machine washable.

Clean Water in South America and Filter Options for Homeowners

A charitable American takes a trip to a South American village. She is inspired. She is empathetic. She wants to do something. So she adopts the village and plans to create a school system. But it turns out the village elders have something different in mind. If you really want to help us, they say, provide our village with clean drinking water.

Here's a snippet from an article in the PressDemocrat.com:

She learned that in scores of isolated villages of Peru’s Amazon Basin, education is of little value to children who are sick or dying because they drink bad water.

The rain forests of the vast Fernando de Lores district of Peru (Ecuador is to the west, Colombia to the north and Brazil to the east) receive about 150 inches of rain per year, but there’s precious little water that’s safe to drink.

With no means of collecting rainwater, villagers walk — sometimes great distances — to dip vessels into the Amazon and tributaries, then they carry the water home. It teems with parasites, bacteria and pollutants.

Because they have to hand-carry water, the estimated 20,000 villagers of the sodden Lores district use it sparingly. “We use more water in our shower in the morning than they use in a week,” she said.

Most of us drink relatively clean water. But there are ways -- such as investing a clean water filters -- that can ensure you and your family are provided for years with the healthy water supply you need and deserve.

Plastic Bottles on the Wan, Clean Water gushing up

The movement for the reduction of plastic water bottles in consumer circulation took an important step forward today. New York state has officially signed into law its decision to ban plastic water bottles.

From the Governeur Times:

Governor David A. Paterson today signed an Executive Order to phase out New York State’s purchase and use of bottled water at State agency facilities. This announcement, made by the Governor at “Earth Day Lobby Day” in Albany, marks another important step New York State is taking to improve the environment while simultaneously saving taxpayer dollars. Today’s actions make New York the second state in the country to eliminate the purchase and use of bottled water.

Consumers in New York and other states can simply invest in a sustainable, environmentally friendly water bottle. The Kleen Kanteen is available through Fresh Water Systems in a variety of styles, sizes and prices.

Culligan Water on the Today Show

Culligan Water Filters are trusted, used, and widely regarded as the premier water filtration technology in the world. A video interview with owner/operator Peter Ritchie is below.

 

Culligan Water on Today Show from Leslie Norden on Vimeo.

Clean Water Initiatives and Faucet Mount Systems

President Obama is nearly one hundred days into his role as commander and chief. He has put together a number of environmental milestones, including increasing the budget for clean water.

From The Daily Green:

$6 Billion for Water Quality, Wastewater and Drinking Water Infrastructure: On the list of least-sexy, most-important public investments, sewers ranks at the top of the list. The Clean Water Act, in the 1970s, vastly improved water quality through a huge infusion of federal money in public works projects to create sewers, drinking water treatment plants and related infrastructure. Since then, not even a simple revolving loan program has remained unscathed... until now. Anyone who has followed this issue -- and many have followed it all too closely in a sewage-filled basement -- knows that these are true shovel-ready projects that have been long waiting investment. 

For homeowners, ensuring your family enjoys clean water every time they go to the faucet is as simple as investing in a clean water filter.

PuroSmart® Faucet Mount RO System

Clean Water Celebration in Illinois

It seems that with all the challenges we face in providing the world with clean water, it is sometimes easy to overlook the fact that here in America we are largely fortunate in that we enjoy a steady supply of clean water.

In Peoria, Illinois, the Clean Water Celebration takes a moment to reflect and give thanks.

From an article in the PJStar.com

The Clean Water Celebration is a joint effort between the Sun Foundation, an arts and science education group in the Tri-County Area, and the Rivers Project, a high school program coordinated by Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Its goal is to educate the community and students about the importance of water conservation and preservation both locally and globally.

Ways to Promote Clean Water -- Statistics, Water Distillers and Bottles

Most people understand that clean water is essential to human health. But sometimes we need a reminder. For those of us concerned with the cleanliness of our water, there are certain measures we can take to limit the waste we produce, like using environmentally sound water bottles, as well as ensure that we have clean water in our homes every day.

The Waterwise 9000 Countertop Distiller




From the Guardian:

More than one billion people in the developing world have no safe drinking water, or water for washing their food, hands and utensils before eating. 2.4 billion also have no adequate sanitation. This leads to:

• water-borne diseases (e.g. cholera, typhoid)
• water-related diseases (e.g. malaria, yellow fever, river blindness, sleeping sickness)
• water-based diseases (e.g. guinea worm and bilharzias)
• water-scarce diseases (trachoma and scabies)
• diarrhoea – a leading killer of children in sub-Saharan Africa
The crisis is worst in sub-Saharan Africa, where 2 in 5 people lack safe water. A baby here is almost 520 times more likely to die from diarrhoea than one born in Europe.

Improving access to clean water and sanitation would dramatically reduce illness and death in poor countries: a clean water supply reduces diarrhoea-related death by up to 25%, while improved sanitation reduces it by 32%.

Watch "Poisoned Water" on PBS on April 21st

On April 21, 2009, PBS will be airing "Poisoned Waters" on Frontline. Frontline will examine the newest health hazards in our nation's contaminated waterways. To get more information on this program, visit www.pbs.org/frontline/poisonedwaters. Correspondent Hedrick Smith examines the rising hazards to human health and the ecosystem, and why it's so hard to keep our waters clean.

If you are concerned about the quality of your water in your household, consider using a water filter system, reverse osmosis system, or a water distiller to remove any harmful contaminants from your drinking water.