[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Acidic Water

[Lawrence Lile]

Jefro wrote: >(profanity from wet amateur plumber) 

How come plumbing stories always end like this? 



-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Jefro
Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 10:35 AM
To: Greenbuilder list
Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] Acidic Water
Importance: Low

I live in the redwoods and have some experience with this.

An ozonating filter can cure some minor pH issues (how?  beats me, but
the pump guy says so).  However, to really resolve them you need what
others have called a "neutralizing filter".  This is essentially a tank
that you fill with mineral salts.  The acidic water passes through the
salts, which neutralize the pH.  Then you have lots of precipitated
matter in your water, so you have to filter that out unless you like
cloudy (but balanced pH) water.  You have to refill it with salts every
so often.

That said, beware also that getting the acidic water from the well to
the neutralizer involves pipes as well.  If you use copper, it will
eventually go away.  Ours was made with thick-wall copper pipe about 30
years ago.  I replaced a run last year between the well and the
neutralizer.  It was as thin as foil, which I discovered when it formed
a pinhole leak that I tried to fix with a gasket and clamp.  (clamp -
crunch - big squirting noises - profanity from wet amateur plumber)

I replaced that section with PVC, not knowing what else to do with it.  
If we were staying here I'd probably replace it with black iron or even
galvanized pipe, on the assumption that zinc oxide is non-toxic and iron
is actually healthy, although those pipes would go away in 30 years as
well.  Such is the way of nature.



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