Water treatment at home

If you are concerned about your own water supply at your home or business there are a number of ways you can carry out your own treatment.  Fortunately these treatment processes don’t have to be expensive or time consuming; in fact it may be as simple as installing a tap-attached filter or using a filtered water jug.  It is important to find out from your local water authority what type of water you have in your area, as hardness and softness can be a factor.  In areas such as London, where water recycling and intensive treatment are present, the water may be noticeably harder than in the Lake District (which is renowned for its soft water).

The main way to treat water from home is through the use of a filter system.  You may choose to use an activated carbon (AC), ultraviolet (UV), sand or distillation filtration method.  Hyper-filtration (sometimes referred to as reverse osmosis) is another effective treatment whereby the water is forced at pressure through a thin membrane, allowing the purified water to pass but collecting any unwanted residue.   If you instead want to alter the hardness of your water supply, you can employ a softening process.  In general terms, softening takes place when the calcium and magnesium in the water are removed and sodium is added.  Water softeners can be purchased as a tap attachment.  Water conditioners are another popular treatment which can eliminate scale build up from home appliances.