Knockanstockan Music festival
The festivals water purification equipment was supplied by Smart Water Solutions
How to find a good water softener
Some general facts you want to know, before you buy a water softener.
The purchase of a water softener can be a confusing experience. It not your fault to feel that way. There are plenty of different choices, that one can make. From your local plumber to internet websites, to real water treatment specialist. The list is endless, and so are the prices. Anything between €350.00 and all the way up to €3000.00.
So, what is a water softener made of? A water softener comprises of the following elements. The first is the resin tank, which contains a filter material, that actually softens the water, a control unit on top of the resin tank and a brine container, that holds water softener salt, that is needed to maintain proper function. This is the basic construction, which has not changed much since water softener were invented. What has changed, is the resin capacity and the control unit, which uses now computer chip technology to keep the water softener perfectly functioning. The modern units ensure soft water at all times and keep the use of water softener salt and water at a absolute minimum.
When choosing a water softener, it is important to compare the water softener systems on offer . Here are some features that are important for every water softener purchase. You save a lot of money and the environment, when you pay attention to those features.
Certified Water Softener. To ensure, you get a top quality system, it is important to look for proof of performance and safety. A certified system will give you that confidence. Tested and ready for service. Look for NSF or WQA certification, or in Europe look for WRAS or DVGW certifications. Your family will enjoy soft and safe water for years to come.
A metered water softener: This refers to the control unit and means, that the water softener meters the usage of the water and calculates the capacity based on the water hardness. This feature benefits you, because it will save up to 50 % salt, when compared with timer units.
Sodium reduction valve. This feature benefits you, because it will ensure, that your water has a certain hardness left, which does not scale and protects your health. This feature also saves up to 30 % water softener salt.
Installation and Commissioning. Get the right people to install the system for you. If you choose a plumber, ensure, that they can test for hardness and program the water softener system. The best choice are water treatment professionals, who install the systems on a daily basis. They test the water and program that system for best performance. They support you in the fight against scale.
Online clean water petition launched
by ANNE LUCEY
RESIDENTS AND business owners in Waterville, Co Kerry have begun an online petition seeking clean water and a proper sewage treatment system for the town.
Lucy Hunt, a local businesswoman, said that businesses were also planning to withhold summer water rates from Kerry County Council.
“Even boiled, it has sediment. It is a case of water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink,” Bob O’Mahony of the Sheilin restaurant complained.
Waterville’s population triples to 3,000 in the summer and development has stalled because of the lack of treatment plants, residents claim.
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Northern Ireland Water has been fined £2,000
The offence happened in August 2007, when the pollution in Belfast Lough, near Ballyholme Beach, was detected by the NI Environment Agency.
The sewage was found to be coming from a pumping station at Luke's Point.
NI Water had temporarily diverted the sewage flow to a storm tank during maintenance work at the station, but this had overflowed.
The Environment Agency said it had been particularly concerned about this incident as it occurred close to an identified bathing water area.
Northern Ireland Water admitted the offence at Bangor Magistrates Court. The company was fined £2,000 plus court costs of £25.
Read the full article here
Water Quality in Ireland
FRANK McDONALD Environment Editor
WATER QUALITY: MOST HOUSEHOLDS in Ireland have been supplied with contaminated drinking water that violates EU standards, according to a paper in the ESRI’s latest quarterly review.
Describing the situation as alarming, it says: “The water we drink should be safe. The cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Galway in 2007 reminded us that it sometimes is not. But bad water quality does not only cause acute health problems. It also causes chronic ailments, including cancer.”
Breaches range from over 10 per cent in the case of enterococci bacteria to 35 per cent for nitrate, manganese and chloride, to 45 per cent and more for E.coli, aluminium and coliform bacteria and to nearly 70 per cent for fluoride and arsenic. The paper, compiled by Nicola Commins, Seán Lyons and Richard Tol, says drinking water in 2007 failed to meet at least one of the EU standards in numbers ranging from 52 per cent in rural north Cork to 100 per cent in densely populated urban areas.
Read here for the full article
