Water Filtration System Solutions
If you are a resident of Carlisle, MA, your private well may require some type of water filtration, water softener or both. As is the case with many wells in Massachusetts, there are certain common contaminants that find their way into the water supply. This is not something to fret about as there are tried and true water filtration and water softener systems and methods to remove these contaminants and provide you with consistently safe and excellent water quality.
WATER TEST
Prior to considering any type of water filtration or water softener system, water testing should be conducted by an EPA or Massachusetts state certified laboratory and should include analysis for the parameters in the table below. If you are uncertain as to how to take a proper sample and get it to a lab, you should contact a lab or water treatment professional for assistance. Typical items tested for are as follows:
| Coliform bacteria | pH |
| Arsenic | Radon |
| Chloride | Sodium |
| Iron | Sulfate |
| Lead | Conductivity |
| Manganese | Nitrogen-Nitrate |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Copper |
In addition to the above requirements, for all property located in Residence District A (an area around the traffic circle in the middle of town near Ferns Country Store), the Board of Health requires testing for Volatile Organic Compounds including Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE). The Carlisle Board of Health can give you a more specific interpretation of what territory Residence District A encompasses. MTBE was used in the past as a fuel additive in gasoline to reduce airborne emissions and may have reached some well water in Carlisle from seepage into the ground from fuel tank leaks. This has happened all around the country, however testing and proper water filtration has proven effective.
If Radon test results exceed the current Massachusetts guideline of 10,000 pCi/L in water, then it must be removed from the water and the Board of Health recommends testing the air for Radon as well. It should be noted that New Hampshire requires action if radon is 2,000 pCi/L (pico curries per liter), Maine and Rhode Island are at 4,000 pCi/L. Arsenic has a maximum contaminant level of .01 parts per million. These and other maximum contaminant levels will be identified on the water test analysis provided by the lab. Each of these contaminants has its own unique system for proper and safe removal.
Water Softener with Sediment Filtration
WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS
Water filtration and/or water softener systems can be installed for the removal of any of the contaminants listed in the above table from your well water. Water softeners are typically installed to remove hardness minerals, dissolved iron and manganese in the water through a technology called Ion Exchange. Particulate Iron or Manganese is removed with properly sized sediment filtration. Arsenic is removed with tanks containing a specific media that “grabs” the arsenic out of the water. Removing radon from water requires a system in which the water is agitated in a sealed chamber then vented to the outside, sending the radon gas safely out of the home to ambient air. Other technologies and filtration systems are used to remove the other contaminants.
Sediment & Carbon Filtration
For information from the Board of Health, see link at Carlisle Board Of Health.
H2O Care is an established, Massachusetts water filtration and testing firm, formed in 1989 with offices in Stow & Middleton, MA. Articles published by the Company can be seen in Water Technology Magazines at http://publications. Contact us at [email protected] or 800-539-1100.