Author: Filter Inc.

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Blue-Green Algae Toxins Found in West Palm Beach, Florida, Drinking Water!

Toxic algae forces closure of Palm Beach County flood control structure

West Palm Beach, Florida, is in the process of removing cylindrospermopsin from its drinking water supply. Cylindrospermopsin, a toxin produced by cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae), was detected in the drinking water from the city of West Palm Beach’s Water Treatment Plant. West Palm Beach is in the process of removing cylindrospermopsin from its drinking water supply after alerting its 120,000 customers May 28, 2021, that it was found in levels above U.S. EPA guidelines. According to the Palm Beach Post, the city activated emergency wells, added powder-activated carbon and increased chlorine-free levels in the treatment process to mitigate the issue. The EPA guideline for this unregulated contaminant is 0.7 ppb and the highest results seen over the last few days is 1.5 ppb and at that level, it is the vulnerable population that needs to take care. Residents in vulnerable populations are urged not to drink tap water and boiling tap water will not destroy the cylindrospermopsin toxins, according to the Florida DOH. Will your water filter take care of removing cylindrospermopsin? There are numerous challenges for the water filtration industry when it comes to emerging contaminants. Largely, there are no ANSI/NSF certifications for equipment to solve these issues. Cyanobacteria are not actually an algae, but rather a freshwater bacteria with no nucleus that thrives in high nutrient environments and the right weather conditions utilizing photosynthesis to reproduce. The algae itself is nontoxic until it dies and the cell wall breaks down releasing the intracellular toxin. The toxins can be particularly harmful in large quantities for humans, animals and pets ingesting, inhaling or through direct skin contact. This is problematic for cities that rely on vulnerable surface water sources for drinking water. Municipalities have guidelines for treating cyanotoxins provided by the EPA. Treatment techniques range from oxidation and coagulation to membranes and the use of PAC (powdered activated carbon) and other carbons. Treatment effectiveness is largely influenced by the concentration of the bacteria and the type and level of toxin it is producing.

The following is Pentair’s recommended procedure for cleaning and start-up of Pentair water treatment systems using Pentair filters and RO membranes for commercial foodservice applications for communities dealing with a boil water advisory.
PENTAIR® OBEYING BOIL WATER ADVISORIES: 
Obey them, period!
Contamination due to breaks in the mains, general flooding, or damage to the municipal waterworks itself should not be confused with situations in which contamination by protozoan cysts (e.g. Cryptosporidium, Giardia) is discovered in a water supply. Everpure submicron filters and RO membranes are NSF-Certified for removing such cysts, but not for killing or removing dangerous bacteria and viruses, which must be assumed to be present during the aftermath of a disaster, chemical spill or other water emergency.
When a Boil Water Advisory is announced and it is clear that there has been gross contamination, operators should stop using their filtration or RO system and boil their water as advised by their local authorities, until:

  1. The “all clear” is given by local water authorities
  2. Plumbing systems in your facility have been disinfected
  3. Your Pentair system has been cleaned and any old or contaminated filter or RO cartridges have been replaced with new ones
    CLEANUP OF PENTAIR SYSTEMS: 
    When safe water is available again, all water-using equipment should be sanitized with an approved disinfectant such as diluted chlorine bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite). The recommended dosage is 100-200 mg/L chlorine, which is easy to make. Fresh bleach has about 50 mg of chlorine in each mL, or about 500 mg in a capful. Four capfuls or an ounce in a 2-1/2 gal. bucket of water makes about 200 mg/L. Add a few drops of cleaning concentrate (e.g. dish detergent) to this solution and use it to clean external surfaces. Unexposed, interior plumbing surfaces can be sanitized in place using a Pentair Everpure JT Sanitizing/Flushing Cartridge. (Contact your local distributor or sales agent to acquire the JT can). This is an empty housing which can be filled with any cleaning or sanitizing solution and then be inserted into Everpure-branded filter heads. When the flow of water resumes, the disinfectant will be fed into the lines. When a strong chlorine smell is evident at the closest outlet, the flow should be stopped and the sanitizing solution left to soak for at least 30 minutes. When sanitization is complete, remove the flushing cartridge and install new, unused filters or membrane cartridges. Rinse the equipment by flushing water through the system as directed in your system’s Installation and Operation manual. Return your filtration or RO system to service.
    POST-EMERGENCY SYSTEM OPERATION:
    Follow the replacement cartridge change-out schedule per your system’s specifications. We suggest that you continue to monitor and follow your local water authority’s post-emergency recommendations. Please note that water problems caused by natural disasters often include high turbidity, even muddy, conditions. As a result, filter cartridges may clog faster and need replacing sooner than usual.
    If you have any questions regarding these instructions or require additional assistance please call us at 1-800-942-7873 or email us at info@filterpure.com
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A 2021 Post Pandemic Fountain Beverage Boom?

The late spring and early summer quarter is usually a time of year when Coca-Cola does some of its best business, but last year, sales were down 28% — more than $2 billion off — when compared to 2019. The company saw a 22% decline in concentrate sales, which generally is for businesses that serve its beverages in soda fountains. And this contributed immensely to the cratering sales. In its earnings press release, Coca-Cola noted that a full half of its sales come from away-from-home channels. With restaurant dining rooms, leisure activities and destinations shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was far less demand for the concentrate. For the first quarter of 2021 Coke said its sales volume in March returned to pre-pandemic levels as the rollout of covid-19 vaccines allows more people to eat out again. Add a record number of thirsty post pandemic travelers to Convenience Store chains like Circle K adding monthly beverage subscription programs, (U.S. customers who pay $5.99 per month can have one tea, coffee, Froster slushy or Polar Pop fountain drink of their choosing every day), and you have the makings of what could be a bag in the box boom this summer. Temperatures in the southeast are already kicking up into the 90s so you can expect record demand from thirsty customers this year and commercial ice machine/s and soda water filters to be working overtime to keep up as the season kicks in! So there is no better time than now to make sure that your Dispensers and Ice Machines are ready for the season and Everpure water filters are ready to help. Now is the best time to check your system and order replacement water filters if you need them.  These filters are critical in making sure your machine not only produces the freshest, cleanest tasting beverages and ice, but also so that it runs efficiently and doesn’t use more energy than necessary. Understanding that you may be managing more demand on your systems, the Everpure Fountain Beverage and Commercial Ice Machine water filter cartridge line up for 2021 gives you the ability to change water capacity and flow by simply changing the Everpure cartridge that you are using. Always been using the MC2, EV9612-55/56 but now 1.67 gpm, (gallons per minute) and a 9,000 gallon capacity aren’t keeping up, just change your MC2s to 7FCs, EV9692-61 and you have jumped to 2.5 gpm and a 25,000 gallon capacity. The exact same numbers apply for commercial ice machines. Change out the i2000, EV9612-22/27, 1.67gpm with a 9,000 gallon capacity to a 7FC-S, EV9692-71, 2.5 gpm with a 25,000 gallon capacity. Not sure what your dealing with as far as your own systems, give us a call at 800-942-7873 or email us at info @ filter pure.com for more information.

EV9612-55/56 MC2 Rated capacity of 9,000 gallons.

EV9692-61 Insurice 7FC Rated capacity of 25,000 gallons.

EV9612-22 Insurice i2000   Rated capacity of   9,000 gallons.  

EV9692-71 Insurice 7FC-S Rated capacity of 25,000 gallons.

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Enjoy Commercial Grade Pentair Everpure Water Filtration Everywhere in your home with no Additional Faucet Required!

The Pentair Everpure EF-Series “Full Flow” systems are designed to bring you crisp, clean filtered water at every regular faucet in your home. The highly engineered submicron design rids water of unwanted lead and chemical impurities while maintaining a high capacity. Every EF system is ready to easily install anywhere in your home that you already have a faucet. Plumbed to the cold side it is ready to go under your Kitchen sink, Bathroom sinks, Wet Bar Outdoor Kitchen, pot filler, coffee & espresso machines, ice maker/s….you name it. Built in water shut off makes cartridge change outs easy with just a couple of twists of your wrist the old cartridge is out and the new one is in.

EF-series_brochureDownload

For more information on the EF-Series Full Flow Systems please contact us at 800-942-7873 or email us at info@filterpure.com.

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Worried about elevated levels of Arsenic in your Drinking Water?

According to a recent USGS study, an estimated 4.1 million people in the lower 48 states are potentially exposed to arsenic levels that exceed EPA’s drinking water standards. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study showed that drought may lead to elevated levels of naturally occurring arsenic and that the longer a drought lasts the higher the probability of arsenic concentrations exceeding U.S. EPA drinking water standards.  According to researcher estimates, during drought conditions, 4.1 million people in the lower 48 states who use private domestic wells are likely exposed to unsafe levels of arsenic, reported the study. This is an increase of 54% from an estimated 2.7 million people exposed to unhealthy arsenic levels in private wells during non-drought conditions.  “The population potentially exposed to arsenic levels exceeding the EPA standard during simulated drought conditions amounts to roughly one-tenth of the estimated 37.2 to 43.2 million people in the conterminous U.S. who use domestic wells for household water supply,” said Melissa Lombard, a USGS hydrologist and lead author of this study, reported USGS. Regardless of whether you have your own well and could face the exposure to Arsenic that this USGS study is anticipating or if your goal really is just to avoid everything bad in your water coming from your tap, you may want to consider a very affordable reverse osmosis system to put under your sink to take everything out of the water. Reverse osmosis drinking water systems are the number one recommendation for removing a wide variety of these contaminants including arsenic, atrazine, chloroform, Lead, Fluoride and other industrial chemicals. The Pentair Everpure ROM IV (EV929650) system is an NSF/ANSI Standard 58 system rated to reduce contaminants including, Arsenic V, Barium, Cadmium, Chromium III, Chromium VI, Copper, Cysts, (Cryptosporidium and Giardia), Fluoride, Lead, Radium 226/228, Selenium, TDS, ( Total Dissolved Solids), Turbidity, Chorine tastes and odors plus carcinogen byproducts and dissolved minerals and salts. Since 1933, Pentair Everpure has been one of the most trusted global brands in the foodservice industry and those who serve it. Their proven solutions help to protect water at your home and where you work. From premium quality ingredient water for foodservice; fresh, clean, drinking water at home or away; or treated water for the whole home, Pentair Everpure delivers peace of mind and water you can trust.

Everpure ROMIV Reverse Osmosis System | Efilters – Efilters.net
Download a copy of the spec sheet ….4005000_rom-iv_spec-sheetDownload

For more information on the ROM IV please call us at 800-942-7873 or email us at info@filterpure.com.