Iron/Manganese and Chloramines

Knowing About the Water

Iron/Manganese
(Rusty Color, Sediment, Metallic taste, Reddish or Orange Staining) Iron in water, either alone or in combination with other troublesome water conditions, is frequent due to the fact that about 5% of the Earth’s crust is made up of Iron. Though not found in a pure state, Iron ores are abundant and widely distributed over the Earth. Iron water, if not treated can lead to serious complications in many industrial applications. In fact, there is hardly any wet process work that can be carried out successfully with water that contains Iron. 

There is little doubt when water contains Iron. “Iron Water” readily stains plumbing fixtures porcelain cooking utensils, laundry machines, dishwashers, etc. Iron build up in pressure tanks, water heaters, and plumbing cause automatic water pressure reduction in the house/building reducing also the efficiency causing homeowners costly repairs throughout the years. 


Chloramines

Chloramines are a compound formed by feeding both Chlorine and Ammonia to the water reservoir. This treatment has been used for controlling bacterial growth in long pipe lines and in the applications where slower oxidizing action is of particular benefit.

Sulfur/Hydrogen Sulfide (Rotten Egg Odor)

Knowing About the Water
Sulfur/Hydrogen Sulfide (Rotten Egg Odor)

In some regions of the United States, the appearance of Hydrogen Sulfide in water sources can be seasonal. For example, in the New England area, Hydrogen Sulfide shows up in the spring and the fall, when the water tables tend to be at their highest levels. Hydrogen Sulfide frequently occurs in well water sources that also contain appreciable levels of Iron, especially along the Eastern US Coastal plains. 

These anaerobic, single cell Sulfide-reducing bacteria can exist in home piping systems, especially on the hot water side. It is more noticeable on the first hot water drawn in the morning. 

There is never any doubt as to when it is present due to its offensive “rotten egg odor”. Hydrogen Sulfide promotes corrosion due to its activity as a weak acid. Furthermore, its presence in the air causes silver to tarnish in a matter of seconds. High concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfide gas are both poisonous and flammable. While these concentrations are rare, their presence in drinking water has been known to cause nausea, illness and in extreme cases death.