Do you know how clean your water is?

 

Look at these two pictures, which would you rather drink? I'm going to go ahead and guess that you chose the water on the right, right?

 

These pictures were taken in Mayerthorpe, AB before and after the clients water was shocked by Green Shock! Can you believe they were actually drinking, and bathing in the water on the left?! Sometimes you don't realize how bad your water is until you actually have it cleaned. The client tasted her new water straight from the hose, still bypassing the filter system and couldn't believe how great it tasted!

 

You can read her testimonial as well as two new other testimonials on the website now!

 

www.greenshock.ca

 

Do you know how clean your water is? What are you waiting for? Call Green Shock today for an assessment!

What treatment do you think is best?

As mentioned in yesterdays post, here are some treatment options and some info behind each, followed by comparisons with Hypochlorous Acid treatment.

Copper-silver Ionization: Ions are electrically generated from electrodes made of copper and silver.
Advantages: Easily installed and maintained, efficacy is not affected by higher water temps, bacteria like Legionella are killed rather than supressed.
Disadvantages: Does not reduce scale, scale must be removed from the electrodes regularly to ensure best performance, excessively high ion levels have turned water a blackish color and stained sinks lavender, Elevated pH reduces the effectiveness of copper-silver ions, long term treatment can theoretically result in development of resistance to these ions.
Comparison to Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl): HOCl is easily installed and maintained, efficacy is not affected by water temp, bacteria throughout system is killed, scale is controlled, no staining of plumbing fixtures.

Thermal eradication: Hot water tank temps are elevated to 70 degrees C, and then all water outlets, faucets, and showerheads are flushed for 30 min.
Advantages: Requires no special equipment, so it can be initiated expeditiously.
Disadvantages: Time-consuming, a large number of personnel are needed to monitor hot water temps and flushing items, mixing valves and scald guards must be bypassed, scale is not effected, disinfection only temporary, scalding can occur.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl is easily installed, demands minimal attention, disinfection is constant, safe and inconspicuous to well owners.

Ultraviolet (UV) Light: The water flows in one port of the hydraulic chamber and is sterilized by UV light generated by mercury lamps.
Advantages: easy to install, do not harm water or plumbing, forms no disinfectant by-products.
Disadvantages: Does not provide residual protection because bacterium will persist in biofilms where UV light cannot penetrate, does not eliminate scale.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl do not harm water or plumbing, pathogens, scale and biofilm will be eliminated.

Hyper-chlorination: Shock hyper-chlorination and continuous hyper-chlorination.
Advantages: Residual disinfectant is provided throughout the entire water distribution system.
Disadvantages: Does not reduce pathogen harboring scale, will contribute to scale formation, highly corrosive and damaging to pipes, may only suppress pathogens rather than kill it, if a chlorinator fails or malfunctions, bacterium can re-emerge within days, the reaction of chlorine with organic materials produces THMs (See blog post: I'm drinking what?!)
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl has destruction of spores, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogen organisms, contact time is lower, better solubility, minimally corrosive, eliminates existing scale, biofilm is eliminated, does not involve hazardous chemicals.

Chloramines: Formed when chlorine and ammonia-nitrogen are combined in water.
Advantages: will not mix with organics to form THM's, can penetrate biofilm, very stable.
Disadvantages: more harmful to dialysis patients than other oxidizers, most difficult to remove from water systems, toxic to fish, do not affect scale.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl not only eliminates contamination and scale, but can help provide pathogen free water within Cl2 limits of dialysis equipment.

Chlorine Dioxide: Generated in equipment on site from precursors including sodium chlorite, sodium hypochlorite, and hydrochloric acid.
Advantages: not nearly as corrosive as chlorine, can penetrate and destroy biofilm, does not form THMs.
Disadvantages: do not reduce pathogens harboring scale, will contribute to scale formation, poisonous gas, significant maintenance issues, WHO has warned that Chlorine Dioxide has been shown to impair neurobehavioral and neurological development in rats exposed prenatally.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl systems have performance characteristics that are similar or superior to chlorine dioxide but it does not have the dangerous and onerous handling issues as well as the associated costs, health, and risk management considerations.

Ozone: This technology uses Aozone which is activated oxygen.
Advantages: Like UV, Ozone is an extremely effective point-of-contact biocide.
Disadvantages: Very unstable, does not carry well through system, no residual disinfectant, does not inhibit nor destroy scale or biofilm.
Comparison to HOCl: HOCl treatment is highly effective throughout a system, has residual disinfectant, and destroys scale and biofilm.


Which treatment would you prefer?

Source: An Overview of Hypochlorous Acid



www.greenshock.ca

What does your well look like?

When living in rural Canada, digging a well comes with the territory because chances are that's going to be the only way you can get water. Do you know what your well looks like? Not just above the ground... but below it too? Here's a diagram of a typical well system.

 

This diagram gives you an idea of what your typical well looks like underground. You can also see how easily it is for a well to get contaminated through ground seepage. This is why it's important to have your well tested and treated regularly.

There are many types of treatments for wells, most by chemicals. At Green Shock we have an environmentally friendly approach using non-hazardous, and non-toxic hypochlorous acid.

On tomorrow's blog entry I will outline other well water treatments, their benefits, and their risks; Then you can be the judge of which is better for maintaining your safe, reliable well!

But why should I test my water?

 

Most people in rural Canada rely on wells to provide their homes and farms with safe water. Whether it be for drinking, washing, or watering, wells are important. Monitoring your water quality by having it tested regularly is an important part of maintaining a safe, reliable source.

If you live in rural Canada and have an underground well to provide water, chances are you also have an underground sewage system. Contamination of underground water sources by sewage usually occurs from a ruptured septic tank or underground sewage lines. Bacteria and waste leach through the soil to contaminate underground aquifers and running water. Outhouses also can be dangerous to have near wells, as waste is untreated and concentrated in a big hole. However, this kind of contaminate is mitigated if water sources are beneath nonporous rocks and protected from seepage above.

Rotting vegetation, deal animals, pesticides and fertilizers can also be problematic for well owners by seepage into the earth around a well.

Another danger that can arise are mineral impurities. The surrounding rock of where a well is located may contain heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, or other minerals such as manganese or rock salts. These various compounds may be toxic if continuously ingested, and most minerals also impart an unpleasant odor or taste to well water. (see blog post- "What's that smell" for more info on minerals and unpleasant odors, tastes, or stains)

The best way to ensure your well is reliable and safe is regular testing, and regular treatment.

Do you test your well often? If not, will you now?

Sources:
Water Quality Testing
Well Water Dangers

www.greenshock.ca

I'm drinking... what?!

 

One of the most common chemicals for water treatment is chlorine. I don't know about you, but when I think of chlorine I think of that distinct swimming pool smell, and burning eyes after trying to swim with my eyes open as a child. This is what goes into our drinking water?!

While chlorine as drinking water treatment is obviously less potent than that of swimming water treatment, it still can bring risks when ingested.

Chlorine is used to combat microbial contamination, But it can react with organic matter in the water and form dangerous, carcinogenic Trihalomethanes. According to Dr. Joseph M. Price, MD, in Moseby's Medical Dictionary, "Chlorine is the greatest crippler and killer of modern times. It is an insidious poison."

Lab animals exposed to very high levels of THM's have an increased risk of cancer. Several studies on humans have also found a link between long-term exposure to high levels of chlorination by-products and an increased risk of cancer. For example, a recent study showed an increased risk of bladder and possibly colon cancer in people who drank chlorinated water for 35 years or more.

High levels of THM's may also have an effect on pregnancy. A California study found that pregnant women who drank large amounts of tap water with high THM's had an increased risk of miscarriage.

While ingesting one or two glasses of water treated with chlorine most likely won't harm your body, the long term effects don't look very promising. Is it worth it? Especially considering there are other options out there? What are your thoughts on treating water with chlorine?

Sources: www.pure-earth.com/chlorine.html
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vsv/environ/chlor-eng.php


www.greenshock.ca

What's that smell?

 

It's Monday morning and your alarm clock goes off for the 4th time... you know it's time to stop hitting that snooze button and drag yourself out of bed. You make your way to the bathroom, and turn the shower dial on to warm up, and before you know it... rotten eggs.

It's definitely not the most pleasant of smells to start your week off, and unfortunately most of us just learn to "live with it". Did you know that nose turning rotten egg smell is caused by Hydrogen Sulphide? and did you know you don't have to "just live with it", treating your water can eliminate it!

When your well water is having an unpleasant effect on you, your plumbing fixtures, your laundry, etc... you can bet there is a reason! Here is a list of common well water complaints and their causes.

Hard Water (Scales/deposits in kettles and water heaters): Excess Calcium
Rusty (red to brown) staining of fixtures and laundry; and/or metallic taste: Excess Iron
Black staining of fixtures and laundry; and/or metallic taste: Excess Manganese
Rotten egg smell: Hydrogen Sulphide
Water has laxative effect: Excess Sulphates
Turbidity/grittiness: mud/salt/clay/sediments in water
Organic (tea) colour: Tannins (natural organic matter that can result from nature’s fermentation process)

Do you have any of these problems? Did you realize there were causes behind them? Surprisingly many well owners just believe these things come with owning a well. It doesn't have to be that way!

www.greenshock.ca

Did you know? - HOCl Facts

Green Shock uses an environmentally friendly approach to well maintenance! We break away from conventional chlorine treatments to bring you something ground breaking.

Introducing Hypochlorous Acid. Don't let the name fool you. It may not sound environmentally friendly but let's let the facts speak for themselves!

There are many options out there for treating water. From bleach and chlorine, to bromochlorodimethyl hydantoin and Sodium hypochlorite. While each treatment has unique advantages, they also carry unique disadvantages. Hyperchlorous Acid, or HOCl is found to have the advantages of other biocidal alternates, without their disadvantages.

HOCl is being found to bring a significant, new standard of safety to well owners by being able to completely eliminate pathogens from water, while also eliminating scale from every faucet, every piece of water-using equipment and every other plumbing outlet.

Tests show that not only is HOCl a sanitizer, and disinfectant, it is also a sporicidal (eliminates bacterial spores and biofilm). HOCl also prevents the formation of insoluble calcium and magnesium salts such as carbonates and chlorides. This conditioning effect of water is found to be similar, in some ways superior, to other conditioning systems like filtering and reverse osmosis, which wastes large quantities of water and still allows a passage of percentage of minerals.

FDA certified lab testing proved HOCl is non-hazardous, non-irritating to the skin, eyes, nor the environment. HOCl is rated safe for transportation and storage and does not require containment or ventilation. The only place HOCl should not be stored is in direct sun as it will break down the components making the treatment ineffective.

Because HOCl is safe and tasteless, the water can be consumed and used without disruption, or the slightest notice, of the home patrons.

Hand washing in sinks supplying treated water will result in greater eradication of bacteria on the hands and, subsequently, fewer cases of cross contamination and nosocomial infection.


Source: An Overview of Hypochlorous Acid