Why Nitrate Levels Rise

Tri-County Pump Service, a Maryland-based well and water treatment company, explains why private well owners often see higher nitrate readings in spring, even when nothing has changed with their pump or plumbing. The culprit is groundwater recharge; as rain seeps through soil containing nitrogen from fertilizer, manure, septic effluent, or decomposing plant matter, it converts to nitrate and carries it toward the water table. Unlike some contaminants that bind to soil particles and slow down, nitrate moves freely through well-drained or sandy soils. The timing matters too because after a dry spell, nitrogen accumulates in the soil, and the first heavy storms of the season can flush a concentrated pulse of nitrate downward all at once. The EPA limit for nitrate is 10 mg/L, set primarily to protect infants from methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome), but private wells aren't federally regulated.

How Long Do RO Membranes Last?

AMPAC USA published a maintenance guide on RO membrane lifespan with plenty that applies to residential applications. The team says that residential membranes typically last 2 to 5 years, commercial 3 to 5 years, and industrial up to 7 years with proper pretreatment. The single biggest variable is feed water quality, not the membrane itself. Chlorine exposure is the most common cause of premature failure in municipal water applications. TFC polyamide membranes are damaged by sustained chlorine above 0.1 ppm, which is why carbon prefiltration isn't optional. The guide also draws a useful distinction between fouling (contaminant buildup that's often reversible through cleaning) and degradation (permanent chemical damage that requires replacement). The practical takeaways are simple: prefilter changes every 6 to 12 months protect the membrane, a TDS meter is the easiest way to flag when a membrane is failing, and cleaning early extends membrane life far more effectively than waiting until performance drops.

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What the EPA's Microplastics Announcement Actually Means

Dierolf Plumbing and Water Treatment cuts through the noise on the EPA's recent microplastics and pharmaceuticals announcement with a measured, well-framed breakdown. The Pennsylvania-based company notes that the April 2 draft Contaminant Candidate List is not a new enforceable drinking water rule. Instead, it's a formal signal that these contaminants are now part of the federal screening process for possible future regulation (meaningful, but not the same as an immediate compliance requirement). The piece also highlights a detail from the announcement that got less coverage: the EPA also released 374 human health benchmarks for pharmaceuticals, including separate values for the general population and for infants, giving water professionals better tools to interpret detections before any final rule exists. The broader argument Dierolf makes is that homeowners who wait for finished federal regulations before taking action on water quality might be using the wrong standard.

Do Water Softeners Cause Corrosion?

PHC News published a piece by WQA's technical affairs team tackling one of the most persistent myths in the water treatment industry: that ion exchange water softeners make water corrosive. The short answer is no, and the research backs it up. Three independent studies (from the EPA in 1998, METALogic in 2007, and the British Standards Institute in 2012) all reached the same conclusion that softened water shows no greater corrosion rates than unsoftened water. The confusion stems from naturally soft water, which is genuinely corrosive due to low pH and low TDS, conditions that have nothing to do with ion exchange softening. When a softener removes calcium and magnesium, it replaces them with other ions rather than stripping the water of all minerals, which is why the chemistry stays stable. The article is careful to note one important caveat: if your water is already corrosive, a softener won't fix that. But it won't make things worse either.

What else is happening:

• NY Times Wirecutter details their picks for best RO systems, with Cloud RO from Cloud Water as the top pick

• Canada-based Zoltera Mechanical explains why they recommend Kinetico for water softeners

• Central Florida’s Smart Water covers why commercial RO and ultrafiltration plants need a professional maintenance partner

• Rayne Water writes about how effective water filtration for restaurants has become essential for culinary success

PFAS Regulations Are Working

A Rutgers Health study published in Environment International offers some rare good news on the PFAS front: New Jersey's strict drinking water limits cut PFOA levels by 55% and PFNA levels by 50% over nearly two decades of monitoring data. The research analyzed about 12,000 water quality measurements from 47 community water systems between 2006 and 2025. The share of water samples outside of safety limits dropped from 49% to 15% for PFOA and from 24% to 2% for PFNA. It’s worth noting that the utilities didn't wait for regulations to kick in, and once the state's Drinking Water Quality Institute recommended limits, water systems started shutting down contaminated wells and installing granular activated carbon filtration in anticipation. The study has caveats: larger systems were overrepresented, private well users aren't covered, and some unregulated PFAS appeared to increase, suggesting chemical substitution by manufacturers.

$1 Water Tests

Researchers at Colorado State University are developing portable, paper-based water testing devices that can detect multiple contaminants simultaneously for about $1 per test (compared to $100 or more for traditional lab analysis). The team uses colorimetric analysis, where color changes in the sample indicate the presence and concentration of pollutants, with results readable via smartphone camera. Their most advanced devices can detect up to seven metal ions at once, including lead and mercury, at very low concentrations, without any pre-treatment of the sample. The devices are durable enough for four weeks of field use and are designed specifically for deployment outside of lab settings. The team is now working on mass production and has already spun out six companies through CSU's tech transfer program, with U.S. Army partnerships in the works to further develop the technology.

Press-Fit Fittings: No Threading or Soldering (Sponsored)

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Check out Darrin's video on how press-fit fittings work (3 min), or read the complete guide on our blog:

Interested in press-fit technology for your projects? Contact us by clicking here or reply to this email and we'll get you connected. 

Added to EPA Contaminant List

The EPA took a notable step, proposing to add microplastics and pharmaceuticals to its Contaminant Candidate List for the first time, in a move that could eventually lead to enforceable limits for public water systems. The list, updated every five years under the Safe Drinking Water Act, identifies contaminants not yet regulated under federal law and is used to prioritize research and regulatory decision-making. The announcement came jointly from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Health Secretary RFK Jr., who has pressured the agency for months to take a harder stance on environmental contaminants. The 60-day public comment period is now open, with the final list expected by mid-November. The only catch is that being on the list rarely leads to actual regulation. In five previous cycles, the EPA has determined that no regulatory action was necessary for most contaminants it considered.

What Is ORP?

ClearWater Industries breaks down oxidation reduction potential (ORP), which is a water quality metric that's common in commercial water treatment but rarely discussed in residential circles. The short explanation: ORP measures how effectively water can neutralize contaminants through chemical reactions, expressed in millivolts. A high ORP means strong oxidizing conditions and effective disinfection, while a low or negative ORP means disinfection may be failing even if chlorine is present. That last point is the key insight. Two water systems can have identical chlorine concentrations but very different ORP readings depending on pH, organic load, and other factors, meaning chlorine levels alone don't tell the full story. ORP is most commonly used in cooling towers, large building plumbing, and commercial water systems where biological growth is a constant risk, but the concept applies anywhere disinfection matters.

What else is happening:

• A company in Ohio is helping help fire stations permanently destroy forever chemicals using a technology aptly named “PFAS Annihilator”

• Related: a new study is showing how protein found in egg whites can be used to bind with (and dispose of) PFAS

• AMPAC USA explains how (and why) reverse osmosis is still the best performer at removing PFAS in 2026

• Florida Water Process Services (FLWPS) acquires South Florida Water Consultants, a move to help bolster their water treatment offering

Glyphosate Executive Order

SpringWell covers the drinking water implications of a February executive order, which directs the U.S. to ramp up domestic glyphosate production to protect agricultural supply. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is already the most widely used herbicide in the country, with nearly 300 million pounds applied annually, and it's been detected in 94% of U.S. streams and rivers. Health advocates are concerned that increased production means increased runoff into drinking water sources, and the research behind those concerns supports it: studies have linked glyphosate exposure to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, neurological disorders including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, endocrine disruption, and gut microbiome changes. The EPA's current MCL for glyphosate is 700 ppb (one of the more permissive limits on the books) and because the chemical has no taste, odor, or color, testing is the only way to know it's there. SpringWell recommends RO and activated carbon filtration as the two most effective removal methods.

High Schooler’s Microplastic Filter

Smithsonian Magazine profiles Mia Heller, an 18-year-old from Warrington, Virginia who built a membrane-free microplastic filter in her garage after watching her mother constantly replace filter membranes in the family's home system. Her solution uses ferrofluid, a type of magnetic oil, that binds to microplastic particles as water flows through the system. This allows a magnetic field to pull the plastics out and then recover and reuse the ferrofluid in a closed loop. The prototype, roughly the size of a bag of flour, removed 95.52% of microplastics in testing and recycled 87% of the ferrofluid. The removal rate is comparable to or better than traditional water treatment plants, which remove 70-90%. The membrane-free design is the key breakthrough: no membranes means significantly lower maintenance and replacement costs. The system is currently sized for individual home use (about one liter at a time), since ferrofluid remains expensive to produce at scale. Heller was a finalist at the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and says she'd eventually like to bring it to market.

Immunocompromised

Dierolf Plumbing and Water Treatment makes the case for why standard municipal water isn't always enough for households with immunocompromised members. The team explains that public water systems are designed around safety thresholds for healthy adults, but not for people undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, or those on immunosuppressant medications. For those people, even trace levels of microorganisms can cause serious illness. The main culprits are Cryptosporidium and Giardia, two parasites that can survive standard chlorine disinfection, plus bacteria like Legionella and E. coli that can enter water through aging plumbing or biofilm growth. The guide walks through three filtration technologies by level of protection: microfiltration (0.1 micron, removes parasites and sediment), ultrafiltration (0.01 micron, adds bacteria and some virus removal), and reverse osmosis (the most comprehensive option, removing parasites, bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, PFAS, and pesticides).

Preparing for Temperature Swings

Aqua Science, an Arizona-based water treatment and plumbing company, breaks down how the state's extreme climate puts unusual stress on residential water systems year-round. Most homeowners think of Arizona as a heat problem, but the guide covers three distinct seasonal threats. Summer brings UV degradation to outdoor PVC and PEX piping, thermal expansion pressure buildup, and heat stress on expansion tanks. Winter, while short, brings freeze risk to hose bibs, irrigation lines, and pipes in unheated garages, particularly in higher elevations. Monsoon season introduces heavy sediment loads that clog aerators and appliance filters, plus pressure surges from sudden spikes in municipal demand during storms. The practical takeaways are: UV-resistant coatings on exposed outdoor pipe, foam insulation on exterior lines, pressure-reducing valves for monsoon season, and a monthly inspection routine covering leak checks, water heater sediment, and pressure testing.

What else is happening:

• Water professionals from the WateReuse Association joined industry partners in Washington, DC, for a presentation about PFAS

• WQA Podcast drops a new episode about how systems serving schools, campgrounds, and mobile home parks create pathways for recurring revenue

• Ampac USA releases a technical engineering guide on how to size a commercial reverse osmosis system

• Lifestyle blogger BoredMom reviews (and promotes) the Cloud RO water filter system

Texas Restaurant Puts RO to Work

A local news segment out of Robstown, Texas shows what a commercial RO installation looks like from the customer side, and validates the case for RO in restaurants and food service businesses. Rod N Rolls, a community staple, recently installed a commercial reverse osmosis system in response to ongoing water quality concerns in the area. Co-owner Rodney Flores says customers noticed the difference right away, particularly in the tea and ice clarity. "We sell tons of tea, so the clarity of the tea changed pretty drastically," he said. The system filters incoming water through a membrane, stores clean water in a reserve tank, and feeds it directly to the tea and ice machines on demand. The trade-off is that four gallons of wastewater are discarded for every gallon produced. Flores says the decision came down to brand consistency, and he's now recommending the system to other local businesses.

What NSF Certifications Mean

Culligan Quench (Culligan’s “Workplace” arm) breaks down the NSF certification landscape for water filtration systems. The piece clarifies a common point of confusion right away: a product can be certified to an NSF standard without displaying the NSF logo, because there are three accredited bodies that can certify compliance (NSF, WQA, and IAPMO). The logo on a label is the certifier's stamp, not NSF's stamp specifically. From there, the guide walks through the five standards that matter most: 42 (taste and odor, typically chlorine reduction), 53 (health-related contaminants like lead, PFAS, and Cryptosporidium), 58 (reverse osmosis system performance), 61 (ensures system components don't leach contaminants into the water), and 372 (verifies low lead content in hardware materials). That last distinction is worth noting: a system can be certified lead-free in its construction while still needing a separate filter to remove lead coming in from the municipal supply.

Endocrine Disruptors

Kinetico takes a closer look at how the EPA regulates endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in drinking water. EDCs are chemicals that block, mimic, or interfere with hormones, and chronic exposure has been linked to thyroid disorders, diabetes, reproductive issues, and certain cancers. The piece walks through four categories: PFAS (where PFOA and PFOS have an MCL of 4 ppt but a health goal of zero), plastics and pesticides (BPA has no federal MCL at all), disinfection byproducts, and heavy metals. To illustrate the gap between legal limits and what health scientists consider safe, Kinetico references guidelines from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). For example, for total trihalomethanes (a common disinfection byproduct) the EPA limit is 80 ppb while the EWG's health-based guideline sits at 0.15 ppb. The recommendation throughout is RO, which Kinetico positions as the most effective solution.

iSpring RCC7: There’s a Catch

Water Filter Guru put the iSpring RCC7 under-sink reverse osmosis system through a detailed lab and real-world test. The good news: at $269 upfront and roughly $0.17 per gallon ongoing, it's one of the most affordable tank-based RO systems on the market. It's also NSF 58 certified, and it reduced most contaminants by over 90% in testing. But the concerning news: arsenic and vanadium were both detected in the post-filtration water despite neither being present at meaningful levels going in. The team suspects trace impurities leaching from the remineralization media itself, a notable red flag given that arsenic has a health guideline of zero. Beyond that, the unit's real-world flow rate came in at 35 GPD against a claimed 75 GPD, installation took 90 minutes with extra steps not required by competing systems, and iSpring's marketing claims filtration of over 1,000 contaminants while the unit is only certified for nine.

What else is happening:

• Researchers with Florida Atlantic University have developed a moon lander-like device to help detect water quality threats earlier

• WQA highlights its upcoming 2026 WQA Convention & Expo schedule

• SpringWell overviews PFAS in private wells and how to lower exposure

• PureSize, which appears to be affiliated with SpringWell, launches sizingwatersoftener.com a free online calculator for softener sizing

• Washington-based Pure Water Northwest explains fast-track ways to remove lead from school water

MCLG vs. MCL

Dierolf Plumbing and Water Treatment wrote a homeowner-friendly breakdown of two terms that appear on every water quality report but rarely get explained: MCLG and MCL. The short version is that an MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal) is the EPA's ideal health-based target, while an MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) is the legally enforceable limit. The two numbers are often different, and that gap is the key insight. MCLs are set by starting with the health goal and then factoring in what's realistically achievable across thousands of public water systems given available technology and cost. For known carcinogens like lead and arsenic, the MCLG is zero (meaning no level of exposure is considered fully safe) but the enforceable MCL is higher because eliminating them entirely isn't always feasible at scale. The practical takeaway for homeowners: water that meets the MCL is legally compliant, but it isn't necessarily at the ideal health threshold.

Water Treatment for Medical & Dental

Kinetico makes the case for on-site water treatment in medical, dental, and orthodontic offices, and the business argument is straightforward. Most practices either rely on municipal tap water (which contains chlorine, minerals, and sediment that can damage sensitive equipment) or pay for bottled water delivery, which the company prices out at up to $9 per gallon. Kinetico says their K5 Drinking Water Station brings that cost down to $0.29 per gallon across up to six point-of-use locations, with ROI typically seen within 12 to 24 months. Beyond drinking water, the guide covers the full range of commercial water problems in healthcare settings: scale buildup on dental chairs and sterilizers, corrosion from hard water, and the need for UV sanitization in offices on well water. Medical and dental offices can be an underserved commercial segment that have consistent, high-volume water needs, and real equipment protection concerns.

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Tools for Leak Detection

Mermaid Water & Plumbing breaks down how acoustic sensors and thermal imaging have changed the way professionals locate hidden plumbing leaks. The Virginia-based company explains that acoustic detection works by picking up the distinct vibration created when pressurized water escapes through a crack or pinhole. Sensors placed along a pipe path compare sound intensity to pinpoint the exact source, even under concrete slabs or behind finished walls. Thermal imaging works differently, using infrared cameras to detect the temperature changes that moisture causes on surrounding surfaces. Neither technology is foolproof on its own: acoustic readings can be affected by pipe material and ambient noise, while thermal cameras can't distinguish moisture from insulation gaps without additional confirmation. Used together, though, the two methods give technicians a high-confidence fix point before a single wall gets opened.

Semiconductors

ClearWater Industries covers the water treatment demands behind semiconductor manufacturing and the purity standards involved make residential and even most commercial water treatment look straightforward by comparison. Semiconductor fabrication uses massive volumes of water for rinsing wafers and cleaning equipment, and even trace amounts of contaminants (dissolved metals, organic compounds, microscopic particles) can cause defects in finished chips. The target is ultrapure water, a standard so strict it's measured by electrical conductivity rather than contaminant concentration. Achieving it requires a multi-stage system: pretreatment filtration, reverse osmosis to strip dissolved salts and metals, ion exchange polishing to remove remaining ionic compounds, and advanced oxidation to tackle trace organics.

What else is happening:

• The EPA sent a cybersecurity alert to water system owners and operations nationwide, urging utilities to strengthen cybersecurity amid Iran concerns

• WQA Podcast drops a new episode tracking the industry’s growth through 2027

• PNW-based United Water Services explains how homeowners can shock a well for iron bacteria to eliminate the orange slime

• Family-owned Tri-County Pump Service explains how home water treatment can remove PFAS

Modern Marketing

​​WCP Online published a practical guide on organic social media strategy, written by water dealer marketing specialist Cari Berman. The piece opens with a common scenario: a homeowner notices hard water symptoms and when their water heater fails they call the local water company they've been passively following on Facebook, without ever Googling a competitor. Berman's core argument is that organic social media isn't about reaching people who are actively shopping, it's about being the name that comes to mind when they finally are. The guide notes that community partnerships (e.g. tagging a local coffee shop after installing their filtration system) are the primary engine for reaching new audiences without ad spend. For content, Berman recommends rotating through five categories: educational posts about local water quality, myth-busting, video testimonials, employee spotlights, and timely advisory content during boil water notices or water main breaks.

Cost of PFAS Compliance

In a story from across the pond, Jersey Water, the sole water utility on the island of Jersey off the coast of France, is sounding the alarm on what strict PFAS limits could actually cost ratepayers. If local lawmakers approve a new legal limit later this month, the utility says bills would need to rise 15-25% every year for five years (a 70-110% total increase) that would make Jersey's water among the most expensive in the world. The reason: hitting the new threshold would require building an entirely new treatment facility estimated at £140-210 million, a project the company says realistically takes seven years, not the five proposed.

Jersey Water isn't opposing the limit itself. PFAS contamination around the island's airport from firefighting foam is well documented, but the utility argues that the funding plan and timeline are unresolved. As the U.S. EPA pushes toward its own 4 ppt federal limit for PFOA and PFOS, the infrastructure and cost implications for small and mid-sized utilities are going to be significant.

Verifying a Water Filter's Claims

Last week WIRED published a practical guide on how to verify whether water filter certification claims are actually legitimate. The piece breaks down the three main NSF/ANSI standards that matter: 42 (aesthetic effects like chlorine and taste), 53 (health effects including lead, arsenic, and PFAS), and 401 (emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals and pesticides). The author explains that three bodies are accredited by ANSI to certify against these standards (NSF, WQA, and IAPMO) and that consumers need to check all three separately since a product certified by one won't necessarily show up in another's database. The article uses Clearly Filtered as a case study, noting the company is currently transferring its PFAS certification from WQA to NSF under newly revised standards, which means their PFAS certification temporarily doesn't appear in search results despite being legitimate.

Water at Every Stage

WCP Online sat down with Jackie Goranson, general and operations manager at Water Doctors Water Treatment Company in Minneapolis, for their ongoing industry profile series. Goranson's story is a classic family business arc: her parents Bob and Laurie Hoey founded the company in 1984, and she grew up around it before stepping away for a few years and ultimately returning over a decade ago. Now, with her parents stepping back, she's navigating the transition of taking the reins of an established business (inventory, field technicians, office operations, and all). On the industry's learning curve, she quotes her father: "You don't know what you don't know, you know but have to think about it, you know without thinking about it." Outside of Water Doctors, she also serves on the Board of Directors for Women in Construction (WINC), a local organization focused on advancing women in the trades.

What else is happening:

• Culligan has added to its global network by purchasing Perth’s Complete Home Filtration, a rapidly-growing Australian company

• Waterdrop debuted its first whole-house RO system and iSpring showcased its water filtrations for kitchen remodels at KBIS 2026

• Rusco has expanded its product lineup to make it easier for users to address water quality challenges with a single supplier

• WCP Online releases a detailed and technical guide regarding RO system design (part 1)

• WCP Online also explains atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) and how it might expand in the future

Lower Water Quality for Data Centers

Ohio is the hottest data center market in the Great Lakes region, with nearly 200 facilities already operating and 77 more planned. But a proposed permit from the Ohio EPA could come at a significant cost to water quality. Right now, data centers pre-treat their wastewater before sending it to municipal treatment plants. The new permit would let them skip that step entirely and discharge untreated water (containing PFAS, nitrates, and other chemicals used to prevent corrosion and microbial growth in servers) directly into rivers and streams. The Ohio EPA's own draft language openly acknowledges "a lowering of water quality" is necessary to support economic growth. Environmental groups point out that the permit would apply to every data center in the state regardless of size or location, with no baseline water quality testing required and no mandate to consider less harmful alternatives.

The Science of Scale

LeverEdge published a guide breaking down why hard water scale is tougher on modern homes than most homeowners realize. The company explains that scale forms when hard water, which carries elevated levels of calcium and magnesium, gets heated or exposed to air, causing those minerals to crystallize and cling to pipes, heating elements, valves, and internal components. The damage is mostly invisible as scale acts like insulation, blocking heat transfer and restricting water flow before homeowners ever notice a problem. The team calls out modern appliances specifically saying high-efficiency dishwashers, tankless water heaters, and smart washing machines are more sensitive than older models, meaning even a thin layer of scale can interfere with sensors and disrupt performance. The fix, as you'd expect, is water softening: by replacing hardness minerals before they can crystallize, softeners protect plumbing, preserve appliance efficiency, and extend equipment lifespan.

Spears Lab Products (Sponsored)

If you're familiar with Specialty Sales, you probably know we stock Spears Schedule 40 PVC and Spears Schedule 80 PVC pipe and fittings for industrial applications. But did you know Spears also makes specialty products specifically designed for laboratory environments?

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Check out the full blog post here, or watch Darrin walk through the lineup (3 min).

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Golf Course Water Supply

Kinetico posted an article on how living near a golf course can impact home water quality. The company anchors the piece around a 2024 study that found people living within one mile of a golf course have 126% higher odds of developing Parkinson's disease compared to those six or more miles away. The connection runs through water: golf courses rely heavily on herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, and fertilizers to stay green year-round, and those chemicals don't stay put. The study found that residents on public water systems containing a golf course had 96% higher odds of Parkinson's than those whose water system didn't include one. The chemicals raising the most concern include glyphosate (linked to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma), atrazine (a hormone disruptor), and nitrates (dangerous for infants). Kinetico recommends professional water testing and RO systems as the primary solutions for households around the roughly 16,000 golf courses in the U.S.

Electricity-Free System Treats Arsenic

​​Researchers in Argentina may have found a smarter way to tackle arsenic in drinking water, and it fits inside a standard countertop filter cartridge. Scientists at CONICET and the University of Buenos Aires started with ordinary activated carbon and modified it to specifically target arsenic by coating it with metal salts, which create surface "binding sites" that grab and hold arsenic as water passes through. In lab testing, the cartridge brought arsenic levels down to below the EPA's legal limit, with no electricity or added chemicals required. When the cartridge eventually fills up with captured arsenic, a simple wash process can strip the contaminants off and restore the material for reuse, and the researchers say production costs are comparable to premium cartridges already on the market. Field trials in real wells are still needed before this goes commercial, and then finding a manufacturing partner is the next big hurdle.

What else is happening:

• Water kiosks (typically privately owned) are under scrutiny after a study shows they can contain elevated lead levels

• WQA Podcast drops part ii WQA State Gov Affairs discussing state-level legislative trends impacting the water treatment industry

• Water Filter Guru reviews the Rorra Countertop System, calling it a “fresh take” on the conventional stainless steel gravity-fed filter

• SpringWell releases a DIY guide on how to properly install a RO water filtration system

• Virginia-based Mermaid Water & Plumbing says there are five ways hard water damages homes

Rural Solutions

Cornell's VersaWater received $5 million from the National Science Foundation to develop "utility-in-a-box" water systems that target the gap between large centralized systems and household solutions, creating opportunities for companies serving the underserved small community market. The university-led initiative addresses the critical challenge facing 150,000 small potable water systems serving 30 million Americans who experience unreliable service, high costs, and water quality violations (particularly the 40% relying on surface water complicated by heavy rainfall and sediment surges). The project's approach of prefabricated, electricity-free treatment systems shipped in standard containers shows how academic research can validate new business models for water treatment companies willing to serve smaller communities.

Olympic PFAS Disqualifications

The NY Times reports that three Olympic athletes were disqualified for PFAS contamination in their ski and snowboard equipment, marking the first enforcement of new rules banning "forever chemicals" in Winter Olympics gear due to environmental and health concerns. A Japanese snowboarder and two South Korean skiers tested positive for PFAS in their wax treatments, which provide moisture-wicking properties that enhance speed on snow but contaminate soil and water at ski resorts and competition venues. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation banned PFAS-containing ski wax in 2023 after researchers found elevated concentrations in soil at family ski resorts, ski slopes, and cross-country trails following competitions. The ban demonstrates how pervasive PFAS contamination has become: these chemicals appear not only in industrial discharge and consumer products but now in specialized sports equipment as well.

Water Hardness Testing Methods

ETI published a comprehensive guide on water hardness testing while demonstrating how suppliers can build value through education rather than direct equipment sales. The Pennsylvania-based “B2B2C” company, founded in 1986 by three independent water treatment service companies and now supporting 150+ businesses, emphasizes that accurate measurement is only the first step: proper interpretation requires understanding context including alkalinity, pH, temperature, and concentration cycles. The company breaks down three primary testing methods (titration-based kits, test strips, and digital/laboratory methods) while explaining that two water samples with identical hardness values may behave completely differently depending on system conditions.

Core Water Technologies

R2J Chemical Services published a guide on what they consider the core industrial water treatment technologies. ​​The Florida-based company opens with a confidence-based question ("how confident are you in your water?") before explaining how poor water quality disrupts operations through scale buildup, corrosion acceleration, and biological growth that reduces performance and increases costs. The team systematically covers five technology categories: physical treatment (filtration and activated carbon adsorption), membrane-based systems (reverse osmosis for dissolved solids), chemical treatment (advanced oxidation processes, chlorine dioxide disinfection), biological treatment for waste streams, and emerging technologies for persistent contaminants like PFAS and volatile organic compounds. The team says that successful treatment requires understanding all influential water quality parameters before selecting technologies.

What else is happening:

• WaterWorld does a breakdown on how drinking water treatment works start to finish

• WQA Podcast drops a new episode about federal policy developments impacting the water treatment industry

• WQA also posted an article describing their Hosted Water Pros Program

• Aquasana asks and answers: Does RO remove PFAS? (hint: yes they can!)

• H2O Concepts features on ABC15 news with a promo piece on selecting the right water system (4 min watch)

PFAS Filtration at School

Boyertown School District in Pennsylvania unanimously approved a $30,000 resin filtration system from Suburban Water to address PFAS contamination at their elementary school, showing how schools are customers for specialized water treatment solutions. The school's well water tested at 6.7 parts per trillion PFAS, which was below current state standards of 14-18 ppt but exceeding federal limits of 4 ppt set to take effect in 2029. Suburban Water positioned their newer resin technology as superior to traditional carbon filtration, with VP Jeremy Crum explaining that resin works faster and can last up to 10 years with only $1,000 annual maintenance costs. The school is located one mile from the Boyertown Landfill, the suspected contamination source, highlighting how legacy pollution sites create ongoing treatment opportunities. Suburban Water also provided immediate fountain filters as an interim measure while permitting progresses for the main system installation over summer 2026.

EPA’s PFAS Progress

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin highlighted the Trump Administration's first-year PFAS progress, positioning the contamination as a top agency priority while launching programs that create opportunities for water treatment companies. The EPA's PFAS OUTreach Initiative (PFAS OUT) specifically targets public water systems needing infrastructure upgrades to address PFOA and PFOS detection, with $945 million allocated for drinking water exposure reduction and multiple treatment projects already completed or advanced. The agency also developed new laboratory methods detecting up to 40 PFAS compounds across water, soil, and environmental media while advancing science-based regulatory levels for PFOA and PFOS in National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.

Dual-Tank Water Softeners

Aquatek published a guide on dual-tank water softeners while emphasizing that system selection should be based on professional testing and sizing rather than household size assumptions. The Northwest Ohio company, operating since 1952, explains that dual-tank systems provide continuous softening by alternating between two resin tanks so one can regenerate while the other operates, eliminating the hard water downtime that occurs with single-tank systems during regeneration cycles. The company positions dual-tank systems as ideal for high-demand households with multiple bathrooms, overlapping water usage patterns (showers plus laundry plus dishwashing), or unpredictable schedules. But, they emphasize that they're not automatically "better" due to higher costs, larger space requirements, and additional maintenance complexity.

Mineral Balance

LeverEdge wrote an educational guide on hydration and mineral balance while positioning themselves as the connector between homeowners and certified local water experts (rather than direct equipment sellers). The employee-owned manufacturer breaks down three water types commonly found in homes: purified water from systems like reverse osmosis (clean and crisp but low mineral content), remineralized water that adds back controlled amounts of calcium and magnesium for improved taste, and naturally hard water with higher mineral levels that create household maintenance challenges. The company emphasizes that all three types support daily hydration needs but offer different experiences, with the right choice depending on goals around taste, purity, and appliance protection. Their approach positions water testing and professional consultation as the essential first step, explaining that city water, well water, and regional mineral levels vary widely between homes.

What else is happening:

• Veolia launches an online academy to address the “silver tsunami” facing America’s 150,000 water and wastewater systems

• Florida-based RainKing Purification Systems launches its new saltless water system as the company surpasses 5,000 customers served

• Virginia-based Mermaid Water & Plumbing explains why frozen pipes happen so fast, relevant during this chilly winter season

• Praz Pure Water, Inc of Los Angeles explains how to remove fluoride from water in a practical home guide

The $847 Hard Water Tax

McCandless Plumbing created a data-driven report connecting water quality variations across Pennsylvania to specific homeowner costs. The Western New York company reveals that homeowners in hard water areas (>180 mg/L) pay an average of $847 more annually in plumbing costs, breaking down into water heater repairs ($420), fixture replacements ($215), scale removal ($145), and emergency repairs ($67). The study includes findings like water heaters lasting only 6.2 years in hard water versus 11.8 years in soft water areas (a 47% lifespan reduction). The company says there’s an 82% awareness gap, with most at-risk homeowners lacking water treatment protection despite the economics showing $1,500 softeners paying for themselves in under two years.

PFAS Threat to Great Lakes

UW-Madison published research showing how PFAS contamination reaches the Great Lakes through multiple pathways, creating long-term risks for 30 million people who depend on the lakes for drinking water. The study found PFAS concentrations exceeding 1,700 parts per trillion in Wisconsin freshwater sources near firefighting foam use (over 400 times higher than federal drinking water limits for PFOS and PFOA). Professor Remucal explains that contamination sources include rivers carrying industrial and military runoff, groundwater plumes from firefighting foam, pesticide runoff from agriculture, and even precipitation containing PFAS from atmospheric transport. What makes the situation particularly concerning is the extremely slow water cycling through the Great Lakes—from 2.6 years in Lake Erie to nearly 200 years in Lake Superior—meaning PFAS contamination will persist for generations.

Hose vs. Tubing (Sponsored)

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Check out the team's full blog post here, or watch Darrin explain the differences and fitting compatibility (5 min. watch): 

Need help selecting the right hose, tubing, or fittings for your system? Contact Specialty Sales by clicking here or reply to this email and we'll get you connected.

Free Filtration Systems

In more PFAS news, the California city of Adelanto recently committed to providing home water filtration systems at no cost to approximately 500 households after residents complained about "brown, cloudy, foul-smelling" water and health issues including hair and skin problems. The response comes three years after PFOS was first detected at 4.3 parts per trillion in Adelanto's water supply, with California state representatives promising to support both equipment and installation costs following advocacy at the League of California Cities conference. Mayor Gabriel Reyes emphasized that meeting minimum state water quality standards isn't sufficient, expressing desire to exceed requirements for resident peace of mind.

RO Filter Replacement Schedule

Water Medic released a guide on reverse osmosis filter replacement while emphasizing that standard 6-12 month pre-filter and 2-5 year membrane timelines don't account for local water conditions. The Southwest Florida company explains that the region's notoriously hard water, high sediment levels, and chlorine treatment create unique challenges that can cut membrane lifespan from 5 years to just 2-3 years without proper pre-filter maintenance. The company breaks down replacement schedules by local water source, showing Cape Coral municipal water requires 6-9 month pre-filter changes while rural well water may need changes every 3-6 months due to iron, hydrogen sulfide, and high TDS levels. Their approach uses technical credibility (TDS rejection rates, specific contamination data) to justify professional service over DIY maintenance, positioning filter changes as comprehensive system health checks rather than simple part swaps.

What else is happening:

• Temple University researchers are developing a technology that uses air bubbles to remove PFAS chemicals and microplastics from surface water

• NBC News says showerhead filters “really work” and gives their top six recommendations

• WQA Podcast drops a new episode on “A Career in Water” (and debuts their new logo!)

• Dierolf Plumbing & Water Treatment says the A. O. Smith HomeShield™ is their go-to low-maintenance PFAS filter

• R2J Chemical Services releases a technical guide on stainless steel passivation in water treatment systems

Winter Protection

SpringWell published a how-to on protecting whole-home filtration systems from freeze damage while promoting their neoprene filter jackets as a professional solution. Author Tommy Stricklin outlines eight key protection strategies including insulating components that hold water, shielding systems from wind, adding supplemental heat when necessary, and draining systems during unavoidable exposure to freezing conditions. The company covers both temporary measures like maintaining minimal water flow during cold snaps and permanent solutions such as installing systems in climate-controlled areas or using temperature monitoring sensors. Their approach positions their neoprene filter jackets as offering "durable, streamlined alternative to improvised wraps or bulky enclosures" that maintain professional appearance while providing protection.

GE Fights Counterfeit Filters

GE Appliances opened a new factory in Louisville, Kentucky to produce water filters in-house as part of an industry-wide battle against dangerous counterfeit products that have plagued refrigerator manufacturers for over a decade. The company explains that fake filters sold online often leak or overflow due to substandard parts, while also introducing dangerous chemicals including arsenic and ethanol from non-food-grade plastics into drinking water. The company joins other manufacturers like Whirlpool, LG, and Samsung in combating counterfeits. The highly automated Louisville facility will produce several million filters annually with just 30 employees using robotic pick-and-place systems guided by cameras.

Testing the Culligan MaxClear

WQA Certified Water Specialist Brian Campbell (aka Water Filter Guru) wrote a review positioning the Culligan MaxClear gravity filter as a potential replacement for discontinued Berkey systems. Campbell's lab analysis using Tap Score testing found the MaxClear effectively removed 100% of copper, uranium, molybdenum, zinc, phosphorus, and fluoride, while achieving 97% barium reduction, earning it an 8.55 overall score. The review highlights the filter's unique certifications for microplastics, lead, and total PFAS reduction, making it the only gravity filter with this specific combination of NSF 42, 53, and 401 certifications. However, Campbell identified significant concerns including an unexplained detection of dichloromethane post-filtration, extremely slow flow rate (0.3 gallons per hour), and high ongoing costs of $1.20-$1.58 per gallon compared to competitors' $0.10-$0.50 range.

Water Softener Salt Delivery

Aquanology released a guide on water softener salt delivery while demonstrating how convenience services can build recurring revenue and deeper customer relationships. The upstate New York company offers two service levels: basic delivery to the door for DIY customers, and full-service including tank filling, system checks, and filter changes for maximum convenience. The company explains common signs customers need salt delivery including low brine tanks, poor soap lathering, dish spotting, and return of dry skin symptoms, positioning themselves as proactive problem-solvers rather than reactive repair services. The team is using salt delivery as an opportunity for regular system inspections and maintenance upsells, creating touchpoints that help identify issues before they become costly failures. Aquanology emphasizes proper storage guidance and monthly monitoring tips, educating customers while positioning themselves as water care experts rather than just equipment vendors.

What else is happening:

• Iowa House Democrats released a proposal aimed at improving the quality of Iowa’s drinking water and waterways through increased monitoring

• Texas-based Knee Deep Plumbing has expanded its residential offerings to include comprehensive water quality systems

• Moleaer, a nanobubble technology company, writes how their work is improving car wash efficiency

• American Pump and Drilling explains how water conditioners differ from water softeners

• Perry's Pump Repair details what residents need to know about wells in Florida

Threat of PFAS Pesticides

SpringWell wrote an educational piece connecting agricultural PFAS use to drinking water contamination while promoting their whole-home PFAS filtration system as the solution. Author Tommy Stricklin explains that PFAS "forever chemicals" are increasingly added to pesticides as ingredients to enhance performance, with fluorinated pesticides now applied to staple crops like corn, wheat, kale, spinach, apples, and strawberries. The team emphasizes that these chemicals don't disappear after application but leach into groundwater through irrigation and rainfall or reach surface water through runoff. SpringWell positions their Whole-Home PFAS Water Filter System as reducing harmful PFAS to less than 1 part per trillion (four times lower than EPA requirements) using media with 25 times higher absorption capacity than typical carbon filters.

AquaTru RO Installation

Contractor Brian Freeman from Freeman’s Construction demonstrated how he maximized kitchen storage while installing an AquaTru Under Sink reverse osmosis system in a utility closet rather than under the sink. Freeman explains that typical under-sink RO installations consume tons of storage space once you factor in the 3-gallon tank, filtration unit, existing plumbing, and garbage disposal. The contractor highlights AquaTru's user-friendly design with color-coded filters (yellow pre-carbon, blue RO membrane, green VOC carbon with pH boost) that don't require tools for maintenance, compared to complicated systems that discourage proper filter changes. What's cool is Freeman's approach of running filtered water lines to both the kitchen faucet and refrigerator using PEX-A and Legend PERT pipe, ensuring all drinking water and ice production uses filtered water rather than limiting RO benefits to just one kitchen tap.

“I’m WQA Certified” – Choosing a Water Filter

Water Filter Guru Brian Campbell recently published his all-in-one guide on choosing water filters. Campbell, who is WQA Certified, emphasizes that the biggest mistake consumers make is buying filters without knowing what's actually in their water, advocating for professional lab testing through services like SimpleLab's Tap Score rather than relying on basic test strips or assumptions. The guide systematically walks through identifying water sources (city vs. well), determining treatment goals ("why" you want filtration), and matching specific contaminants to appropriate technologies like reverse osmosis, carbon filtration, or ion exchange systems.

Campbell focuses on total cost of ownership rather than just upfront prices, showing how a $50 ZeroWater pitcher can cost 90 cents per gallon to maintain while a $750 reverse osmosis system costs less than 10 cents per gallon long-term. The article covers practical considerations including certifications (NSF/ANSI standards), flow rates, installation requirements, and smart features while positioning point-of-use systems as more renter-friendly than whole-house installations.

Total Coliform (TC) Testing

Direolf Plumbing is positioning Total Coliform (TC) testing as essential for well water safety while establishing themselves as the local expert for bacterial contamination solutions. The Pennsylvania company explains that TC bacteria serve as a "check engine light" for wells: while most coliform bacteria aren't harmful themselves, their presence suggest pathways are in place for dangerous pathogens like E. coli, viruses, and parasites to enter the water system. The team says that water can appear crystal clear and taste normal while harboring invisible biological contaminants, making professional testing the only reliable way to confirm safety. Direolf positions three treatment solutions: well remediation for physical defects, UV disinfection as the "gold standard" chemical-free option, and chlorination systems similar to municipal treatment methods.

What else is happening:

• Public Works in Rothschild, WI says their new system utilizes a granular activated carbon filtration system to remove PFAS

• VVater has been awarded a 10-year, multimillion-dollar contract to provide on-site water treatment for a leading food and bev company in Texas

• WQA Podcast drops a new episode with WQA’s Strategic Affairs Officer

• Cascadian Water of Snohomish, WA explains how water softening works and the salt-free alternatives

• Tri-County Pumps ranks water softener salt types

Water Filtration for Restaurants

Praz Pure Water recently positioned water filtration as essential restaurant infrastructure rather than optional equipment, showing how different technologies solve specific operational problems. The Los Angeles company explains that municipal water affects everything from coffee flavor to equipment lifespan, with chlorine dulling beverage taste while hard water minerals create scale buildup that increases energy costs and shortens appliance life. The company breaks down three key technologies: carbon filtration for taste and odor removal, scale reduction systems to protect expensive equipment like espresso machines and combi ovens, and reverse osmosis for crystal-clear ice and premium drinking water. What's smart about their approach is providing specific application matching: showing exactly which technology works best for coffee machines, ice makers, dishwashers, and fountain systems rather than generic recommendations. Praz includes practical sizing guidance based on peak demand calculations and emphasizes professional installation to protect warranties and ensure code compliance.

PFAS Filter Reality

Direolf Plumbing posted an article debunking the "PFAS filter" marketing myth while positioning professional water testing and system design as essential for real protection. The Pennsylvania company explains that PFAS refers to a large family of synthetic chemicals that behave differently in water, with many consumer filters relying on vague claims like "helps reduce contaminants" without verified certification or meaningful PFAS reduction testing. The company emphasizes that buying a filter before testing water is a common mistake, since treatment effectiveness depends on which specific PFAS compounds are present and their characteristics. The team includes case studies showing how testing leads to tailored solutions while highlighting that water quality varies significantly between Pennsylvania neighborhoods.

Understanding DI Water Tank Heads for PEDI (Sponsored)

Working with deionized water systems? Specialty Sales LLC & AM Products stocks tank heads and components for portable exchange DI systems. From boilers to manufacturing equipment, DI water prevents mineral buildup and extends equipment life—but only when your tank heads are properly configured.

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Check out the team's full blog post here, or watch Tyler break down tank head anatomy and configuration options (4 min. watch):

Need help selecting the right tank head setup for your system? Contact Specialty Sales by clicking here or reply to this email and we'll get you connected.

Non-Electric Water Softener Benefits

Pure Drink Water published an educational guide positioning non-electric water softeners as reliable alternatives for power outage-prone areas and off-grid living situations. Author Kevin Pietersen explains that water softeners can work without electricity because the core ion exchange resin process doesn't require power, with gravity-assisted flow and bypass valves maintaining water softening even during outages. The article covers three main types that operate without power: manual systems with lever controls, demand-initiated systems that activate based on water usage rather than timers, and portable models popular for RVs and remote locations. Pure Drink Water addresses limitations like manual regeneration requirements and less precise timing control while positioning non-electric systems as ideal for sustainable living and areas with unreliable power.

Smart Water Solutions for Local Businesses

United Water Services wrote a blog post positioning smart monitoring technology as a game-changer for commercial water softening operations. The Vancouver/Portland company emphasizes that modern commercial systems provide visibility and control through platforms like DROP Smart Home, which supports usage tracking, leak detection alerts, and predictive maintenance that helps businesses reduce surprise downtime. The company explains that remote monitoring helps facilities track usage trends, detect issues early, and make maintenance more predictable (especially valuable for businesses with variable demand or multiple locations). The team focuses on smart tools that reduce operational risk rather than just water quality, positioning technology as essential for cash-flow management and equipment protection.

What else is happening:

• Across the pond, the EU implements stricter monitoring of PFAS in drinking water

• Related to the above, NSF launches pre-assessment services to help manufacturers prepare for EU drinking water rules

• Aquasana discusses distilled water and if it’s okay to drink (short answer: yes, but there are tradeoffs)

• PA-based Long’s EcoWater Systems explains the connection between hard water and skin problems

• In what appears to be an influencer post, a homeowner gives her personal Culligan water softener testimonial

EPA Proposes Perchlorate Rules

Last week, the EPA proposed a rule requiring monitoring and treatment for perchlorate (a contaminant from both natural sources and industrial uses) in public water systems. If passed, this would potentially create new market opportunities for reverse osmosis and ion exchange despite EPA's own analysis showing costs don't justify benefits. The regulation stems from a 2023 court decision forcing EPA to regulate perchlorate even though the agency believes the chemical doesn't occur at concerning levels in most systems. The rule identifies proven removal methods like ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and biological treatment for larger systems, plus certified point-of-use RO units for small systems. The EPA is proposing maximum levels of 20, 40, or 80 parts per billion.

PFAS in Private Wells

Inside Climate News released a detailed report on “Michigan’s Other Water Crisis” showing how even states leading on municipal water PFAS testing struggle with private well contamination. The story follows Sandy Wynn-Stelt, whose Kent County well tested at 24,000-100,000 parts per trillion PFAS from old Wolverine World Wide tannery waste dumping, far exceeding federal limits of 4-10 ppt set in 2024. Michigan became the first state to test all public water supplies for PFAS after the Flint crisis, but 2.6 million residents using private wells are largely on their own for testing and treatment.

The state offers well water testing for $290 per sample and provides filtration recommendations, but only 20-40% of property owners respond to state letters urging them to test their wells. Cost barriers are significant since proper filtration systems typically cost several thousand dollars, with solutions including granular activated carbon or reverse osmosis systems.

Training is Emergency Prevention

Complete Water Solutions published a blog post showing how operator education reduces costly service calls, demonstrating a smart strategy to build long-term customer relationships while reducing their own emergency response burden. Nathan Olszak, the company owner with 30+ years experience, explains that untrained operators often turn small issues into major failures through missed maintenance, misunderstood alarms, or simple operational errors that shut down production lines. The company offers customized training tailored to specific equipment and industries, providing on-site sessions, classroom instruction, and online learning to accommodate different facility needs. Their approach positions training as an investment with measurable returns rather than just an operational expense.

Where to Buy Replacement Filters

Long Island Clean Water wrote a guide positioning themselves as the trusted source for genuine EcoWater replacement filters while warning against third-party alternatives. The company explains that EcoWater systems require model-specific filters engineered to exact tolerances, with unauthorized sellers offering poor-fitting filters that can cause leaks and system strain. The New York dealer connects filter timing to local water conditions, noting that Long Island's water characteristics vary significantly by neighborhood, affecting filter lifespan and replacement needs. The team positions professional service as offering more value than simple filter swaps through system inspections and performance checks.

What else is happening:

• Hydrogen water startup Echo Water launched the Echo One, which integrates a multi-stage RO process, UV sanitization, and a hydrogen infusion system

• Water Filter Guru reviewed the Tubo Bath Filter which is “designed to make bathwater safer and gentler for babies and young children”

• WQA Podcast drops a new episode on 2026 Contaminant Predictions, one of their most popular annual episodes

• Wisconsin-based Diamond H2O joined local news Fox 11 Living to talk about their water products and water testing options (4 min. watch)

• Engineer Fix did a basic breakdown of who makes the best water softener covering Kinetico, Culligan, and retail brands.

52-Year Family Water Business

WCP Online recently profiled Maynard's Water Conditioning, a Michigan family business that demonstrates how customer service and community involvement can sustain multi-generational growth. Founded in 1973 by Jim and Betty Maynard, the company started with door-to-door sales and grew through three key principles: honesty and integrity, trained employees, and commitment to customer service. Their son, Kevin, joined as a teenager, convincing his father to hire more workers and move from their barn workshop to a dedicated storefront with drive-thru service for easy salt and water loading. The company grew by acquiring over half a dozen local water businesses through 2010, with Jim noting that sellers trusted them to take care of their customers rather than just buying equipment. Now with 20+ employees serving residential and commercial customers across western Michigan, Kevin sees continued growth opportunities as public awareness increases.

RO Alkaline Systems

Praz Pure Water published a detailed guide positioning alkaline reverse osmosis as the complete solution for hard water areas, aiming to use technical education to drive sales. The Los Angeles company explains the two-stage process where RO removes 99% of contaminants including scale-forming minerals, then an alkaline filter adds back healthy minerals like calcium and magnesium for better taste and higher pH. The company targets LA's hard water problems specifically, noting how the system protects appliances from limescale while creating crystal-clear ice and better-tasting coffee. The team includes detailed cost comparisons showing a family of four can save nearly $2,800 annually compared to buying bottled alkaline water, with the system paying for itself through reduced plastic waste and appliance protection.

Water for Healthcare Facilities

On the commercial side, Ultra Pure Water Technologies wrote a post connecting seasonal water quality risks to healthcare facility needs, positioning themselves as essential infrastructure partners during challenging winter months. The Cincinnati commercial water company emphasizes that healthcare facilities face higher stakes than other businesses since even minor water impurities can impact patient health, cause equipment failures, or lead to false diagnostic results. The team highlights how sensitive medical equipment like autoclaves, dialysis machines, and laboratory analyzers require exact water quality standards, with winter temperature changes potentially causing scale buildup or corrosion that leads to premature equipment failure. The company positions compliance as non-negotiable, noting that healthcare facilities must meet CDC, EPA, and Joint Commission guidelines.

Florida Nitrate Problems

Water Medic wrote a blog post positioning themselves as local nitrate experts while addressing a serious regional contamination issue. The Cape Coral company explains that Southwest Florida's sandy soil allows agricultural fertilizers, septic system leaks, and lawn care runoff to seep directly into groundwater, with USGS data showing that 65% of shallow wells in agricultural areas have elevated nitrate levels. The team positions professional lab testing over DIY strips, noting that accurate numbers are essential for making health decisions rather than getting rough color-coded ranges that might provide false security. Water Medic recommends whole-house reverse osmosis as the "gold standard," removing 95-99% of nitrates while also tackling other common well water problems like hardness, heavy metals, and total dissolved solids.

What else is happening:

• WCP Online released their latest edition of “Water at Every Stage” interviewing Michael Heatwole, sales manager at Water-Right (A.O. Smith division)

• WCP Online also wrote their 2026 Water Treatment Industry Predictions which includes water conservation and new technology advancements

• Process Engineer from IDE Technologies explains the current state zero liquid discharge (ZLD) and high-recovery RO solutions

• WES Water explains why businesses in Phoenix need a water purification system

Year-in-Review

AquiSense published their 2025 year-in-review highlighting major business milestones and regulatory wins that signal a growing acceptance of LED technology in water treatment. The UV-C LED disinfection company completed an employee and investor buyout to become independent from their parent company, then secured Series A funding to fuel expansion across municipal and industrial markets. The company achieved a major breakthrough when their PearlAqua Kilo system earned NSF/ANSI/CAN 61-2024 certification and EPA validation, opening doors for adoption of LED disinfection by municipalities and industrial water applications globally. AquiSense celebrated their 10-year anniversary while surpassing 510,000 installations worldwide and winning Kentucky's Manufacturer of the Year award in the small business category.

DIY vs. Professional Installation

Aquasana wrote a guide this week aiming to help customers decide between self-installation and hiring professionals, which may be a smart approach that supports their business while building customer confidence. The team outlines six clear scenarios when professional installation makes sense: manufacturer recommendations, warranty requirements, plumbing expertise needs, missing tools, time constraints, and long-term cost considerations. The company positions itself as DIY-friendly for simple systems while recommending professionals for whole house systems and their SmartFlow RO unit, noting that correct installation prevents expensive problems like leaks, water damage, and voided warranties. Their strategy includes providing an installer locator tool to help customers find trusted professionals rather than leaving them to search on their own. Aquasana explains that while hiring a professional increases upfront costs, it saves money long-term.

Water pH Explained

EcoWater Tampa published a blog post connecting water pH to practical daily problems. The team explains that pH measures how acidic or alkaline water is on a 0-14 scale, with EPA recommending 6.5-8.5 for drinking water, but connects this to real issues Tampa residents face like metallic taste, cloudy glasses, and crusty faucets. The company notes that Tampa's municipal water typically runs 7.2-8.0 pH but emphasizes that well water can vary more due to local soil and limestone formations affecting groundwater chemistry. They explain that pH alone doesn't make water unsafe, but low pH can cause metal pipes to corrode faster while high pH encourages mineral buildup that clogs appliances and reduces efficiency. The Florida company addresses the popular alkaline water trend by noting that while many people enjoy mineral-rich alkaline water, scientific evidence on health benefits remains limited, keeping the focus on balanced water rather than marketing hype.

APEC Countertop RO System Review

Water Filter Guru published a detailed lab-based review of APEC's ROCT PLUS countertop reverse osmosis dispenser, giving it an 8.58/10 overall score with strong marks for contaminant removal but noting several drawbacks. Brian Campbell’s lab testing showed the $418 system removed 100% of chlorine, copper, nitrate, and uranium while reducing fluoride by 85% and barium by 90%, though it performed slightly worse than competitors like AquaTru and Waterdrop systems. The ROCT PLUS offers multiple water temperatures including presets for coffee, room temperature, and baby formula, with a 3:1 pure-to-drain ratio that makes it fairly water-efficient compared to typical RO systems. What hurt its score was the lack of NSF or other performance certifications, no remineralization filter to restore healthy minerals, and a tedious 46-minute initial flushing process during setup.

What else is happening:

• WCP Online released their top pages of 2025, saying their blog post on sharing a water well was the most popular

• NJ-based Passaic Bergen Water Softening demos how a reverse osmosis system works with a 2 min. video

• Long Island Clean Water Service (LICWS) explains how efficient systems save money

• PA-based Dierolf Plumbing & Water Treatment publishes a guide on removing manganese from well water

Holiday PFAS Education

This month, SpringWell started their "12 Days of PFAS" series that mixes holiday themes with important water safety education. Author and chief water specialist Tommy Stricklin set up the campaign to build knowledge step by step, starting with basic PFAS facts and moving through where contamination comes from, health risks, and rule changes before showing their water filter as the answer. The company timed this well around current events, noting that EPA announced plans to think about changing key PFAS protections and push back deadlines to follow rules from 2029 to 2031, making people want to act fast on home filtration.

SpringWell points out scary health problems including an important study showing mothers near PFAS sources had 43% higher rates of low-birth-weight babies and 191% higher death rates, making a stronger argument for acting right away. The campaign gives practical tips like replacing nonstick cookware and avoiding bottled water before showing their PFAS removal system as the complete answer, noting that only 8% of US water systems can remove these chemicals.

Water Softeners as Holiday Gifts

Meanwhile, Dierolf Plumbing and Water Treatment created their own holiday marketing campaign that frames water softeners as practical Christmas gifts, showing how to turn equipment sales into emotional purchases. The Pennsylvania-based company connects hard water problems to daily frustrations that many people accept as normal: dry winter skin, cloudy glasses, crusty faucets, and towels that never feel soft despite using fabric softener. What's interesting about their approach is showing how to make equipment installations feel like gifts by scheduling free water tests ahead of holidays, creating printed certificates for "Complete Water Quality Assessment and Softener Design," and wrapping related items like new shower heads with notes explaining they'll feel better once soft water is installed.

“The Hidden Grinch In Your Plumbing: Hard Water In Southeastern PA”

Water Softener Bypass

Last week the official Culligan blog posted a guide about softener bypass valves, explaining that the valves let water flow around the softener instead of through it, keeping water running during maintenance or emergencies while temporarily providing hard water to the home. The guide covers practical scenarios when bypass is useful: outdoor watering to save salt, maintenance work, emergency leaks, stuck regeneration cycles, and water quality testing. The article provides step-by-step instructions for different valve types while acknowledging that every system is different, then positions their local experts as helpful resources even for non-Culligan equipment. Culligan highlights their smart water softeners that can be controlled remotely through their Connect app, allowing customers to set timed bypass periods for activities like car washing and automatically return to service mode.

Kinetico vs. Competitors

Kinetico Advanced Water Systems highlights the Kinetico advantage with a competitive comparison emphasizing their non-electric, on-demand water systems as superior to timer-based electric competitors. The company positions their technology as working "based on the way customers use water" rather than preset schedules, with systems that regenerate only when needed to reduce waste and wear. The team leverages their Ph.D. scientist Dr. Gene Smelik Jr.'s credentials heavily, noting his background in geology and chemistry while emphasizing "sound water science" throughout their approach. Their positioning is centered around connecting technology benefits to customer pain points (inefficient appliances, poor-tasting coffee, dry skin, and high energy bills) then showing how their systems address root causes rather than just symptoms. The company has grown to become the largest Kinetico dealer with 13 locations across five states since starting in 1987.

What else is happening:

• Filtration + Separation reports that DuPont is launching a new low-energy RO element aimed at making seawater desalination systems more efficient

• Praz Pure Water release their definitive guide on how often to change RO filters

• Waterdrop writes about 2026 pricing for water softeners with ranges between $600 and $10,000 depending on the size of the home

• LeverEdge posts job listing on WCP Online to support their “growing water treatment dealer network”

Water Changes in Winter

Watercure published a timely guide explaining why water tastes different during winter months, positioning themselves as the solution for holiday hosting concerns. In it, the New York company explains that cold water holds minerals like iron and manganese differently than warm water, making these compounds more noticeable and creating metallic or earthy tastes (especially rough for well water users). The team says that groundwater levels shift during winter which changes water composition even in municipal supplies, while colder temperatures make taste buds more sensitive to chlorine adjustments that utilities make during winter months. Freezing temperatures also increase sediment movement in well systems, leading to cloudy water or aftertastes in older systems. Watercure connects these technical issues to practical holiday concerns, saying that winter water changes affect coffee and tea quality, holiday recipe outcomes, and overall guest impressions.

Study Links PFAS to Infant Health Impacts

Researchers from the University of Arkansas published findings showing major health effects on babies from PFAS exposure through pregnant mothers, including low birth weight and increased death rates. The lead researcher noted that "whatever PFAS we see in groundwater is only a tiny fraction of the PFAS that has been dumped in the environment," with most still in soil and slowly moving downward toward water supplies. In the study, researchers found a way to prove PFAS exposure was essentially random, making their health impact findings much stronger than previous studies. The study also reinforces the importance of activated carbon filtration, with researchers specifically noting that both utility-scale and home-installed carbon filters can remove these long-chain PFAS from drinking water.

Know Your Portable Exchange (Sponsored)

Installing or servicing portable exchange systems for residential water softening? Specialty Sales LLC & AM Products stocks components for all three main configurations: Culligan-style, Rayne (Yoke-style), and Servisoft setups. Each uses a different sealing method and flow pattern, so knowing which one you're working with saves time on installations and repairs. 

What's Available: 

• 🔄 Culligan Slip-Style: Gasket-sealed fittings that slide together

• 🔩 Rayne (Yoke-Style): Bolt-down assemblies with O-ring or gasket seals

• 💧 Servisoft Configuration: Top inlet/bottom outlet flow design 

• 🔧 Complete Component Selection: Tanks, fittings, gaskets, and O-rings in stock 

Check out the team's full blog post here, or watch Tyler walk through the different configurations (4 min. watch):

Need help matching components to your installation? Contact Specialty Sales by clicking here or reply to this email and we'll get you connected. 

Water Softener Regeneration

Praz Pure Water posted a homeowner guide to water softener regeneration and positions their Los Angeles-based company as an expert resource. The guide explains regeneration as the "reset button" that cleans resin beads full of minerals, comparing the resin bed to a special sponge that gets completely full of hard minerals and needs regular washing. Praz breaks down the four-stage cycle: backwash to clear debris and expand resin beads, brine draw where sodium kicks out calcium and magnesium, slow rinse to remove mineral-heavy saltwater, and fast rinse to pack beads and get rid of salt traces. The team points out the benefits of smart systems over timer-based models, noting that modern systems can cut salt and water use by up to 50% by regenerating only when needed rather than on set schedules.

Hotel Water Treatment

R2J Chemical Services wrote their guide for hotel water treatment, positioning themselves as experts in hospitality water management while educating facility managers about critical water quality needs. The company explains that hotels face unique challenges because water affects every guest touchpoint, from showers to dining room service, and even small water quality problems can quickly damage guest satisfaction and reviews. The company breaks down core hotel systems: filtration for removing sediment that damages pipes and equipment, water softeners to prevent scale in boilers and dishwashers, reverse osmosis for pure drinking water and ice machines, and UV systems for bacteria control. R2J emphasizes guest-facing applications where water quality directly impacts experience, including swimming pools, hot tubs, drinking water stations, and food service areas that need consistent, great-tasting water.

What else is happening:

• LSU researchers have developed a $4 device that can detect the same microbes as equipment costing up to $10,000, great for rural communities

• In Illinois, a national laboratory and a local engineering firm have teamed up to develop a next-gen water treatment system to eliminate PFAS chemicals

• Water Filter Guru dropped two reviews this week: one on the Philips Water Dispenser (a 6-stage RO unit) and the other on the Sprite Bath Filter

• When asked why they built their 10-stage water filtration system, Purity Bay compared Florida water to “that unpredictable neighbor who shows up uninvited”

• Engineer Fix, a blog that aims to simplify complex engineering concepts, writes an article on Kinetico water softener repair

Michigan Partners Launch Water Company

WCP Online recently profiled Pioneer Water Treatment, founded in October 2023 by Jeff Troutman and Chad Lomonaco after the two of them work together at another local company. The article discusses how Troutman transitioned from restaurant sales during the pandemic and was "shocked at the opportunity in the water treatment business," while Lomonaco brought nearly a decade of water treatment experience including work on the region's first major PFAS findings in residential wells. The Marne, Michigan partners built their business on word-of-mouth referrals and what they call a "Zero Sales Pressure" policy that focuses on education over other sales methods. Troutman challenges traditional sales tactics like "Five Nos before you close" arguing that customers need just three things: what treatment they need, how much it costs, and why to choose their product over competitors. The company also differentiates itself with in-house branded equipment lines and fully-equipped service vans.

Materials Expert Explains RO Choices

Dr. Elena Brooks from Viomi’s Hydration Lab published a detailed, in-depth analysis of materials used in reverse osmosis systems. Brooks explains that RO water attacks materials because removing all the minerals creates "mineral-starved" water that dissolves metals and plastic additives from whatever it touches. This is why traditional plumbing materials like copper and brass perform poorly in RO systems: the purified water leaches metal ions that hurts both water quality and system integrity. Brooks recommends PEX and polypropylene for RO distribution piping, noting these materials are already standard in hospital RO systems where purity matters most.

For storage, she advocates strongly for stainless steel tanks over plastic, explaining that stainless steel resists corrosion, reduces bacterial growth, and doesn't leach chemicals into stored water over time. The article also addresses microplastics concerns, mentioning that while RO membranes remove 99.9% of microplastics from source water, the plastic components within RO systems can shed particles as they age. Brooks suggests using stainless steel pre-filters and housings where possible to minimize plastic contact with treated water.

Materials, Microplastics, and Point-of-Use Performance

Data Centers Worsen Water Crisis

Rolling Stone published an investigation showing how Amazon's data center expansion increased nitrate contamination in Morrow County, Oregon, where 68 of 70 tested wells exceeded federal safety limits. The report highlights what appears to be a growing national problem: data centers are being built in water-stressed areas, with Bloomberg finding two-thirds of new facilities since 2022 located in regions with high water stress. The investigation also reveals how data center water demands can supercharge existing contamination cycles because when nitrate-laden water cools servers and evaporates, the remaining water becomes even more polluted (sometimes reaching eight times Oregon's safety limit). In the article, the team reveals how a former county commissioner found residents reporting miscarriages, cancers, and organ failures affecting healthy adults, with average nitrate levels four times the federal limit. A class action lawsuit targets agricultural operators and may include Amazon, showing a growing legal liability for companies that contribute to water contamination.

Performance Indicators

Mike Sheffield from NSF's Global Water Filtration Division wrote an overview of Performance Indicator Devices (PIDs), highlighting how smart technology is transforming water treatment monitoring and creating new business opportunities. Sheffield explains that PIDs bridge the gap between consumer wishes for real-time data and traditional water treatment systems that rely on estimated replacement schedules or visual inspections. The technology includes filter change indicators that monitor flow and pressure, smart sensors measuring turbidity and contaminant levels, LED systems with color-coded displays, and wireless connectivity for smartphone alerts and automated filter ordering. Sheffield also explained the certification advantage of PIDs, explaining how systems with PIDs only need to test to 120% of claimed capacity under NSF/ANSI standards 53 and 401 (compared to 200% for systems without PIDs).

What else is happening:

• AquiSense announced that the PearlAqua Kilo, a full-scale UV-C LED product, has been awarded the NSF/ANSI/CAN 61-2024 certification

• In a guest post from a water dealer marketing specialist, WCP Online details how AI is recommending water companies (and more importantly, how to get featured)

• WQA CEO Pauli Undesser guest authored an industry outlook after speaking at TEDxFolsom

• Complete Water Solutions says they “transformed the water treatment process” with their patented Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filter Ram

• Rayne Water, the oldest continual name in water conditioning, details the best water filtration method for homes

Water Taste Psychology

Tri-Florida Water Treatment wrote an educational guide exploring how psychology affects water taste perception, offering insights into customer complaints about "taste" that might actually be smell-related issues. The company explains that pure H2O is scientifically tasteless, but dissolved minerals create different flavor profiles (sweet from calcium or lower pH, salty/bitter from magnesium or sodium chloride, and metallic from iron or copper). The key insight is that smell dominates flavor perception because of some science around odor molecules. Even safe water can taste bad if it smells like chlorine, sulfur, or has musty odors from organic matter, while cloudy or colored water triggers psychological warning signals regardless of safety. Tri-Florida provides practical fixes for everyone like chilling water to suppress odor molecules and taste receptors, aerating to dissipate volatile compounds like chlorine, adding natural infusions like lemon or mint to mask mild negative odors, and using activated carbon filters to remove taste and odor compounds at the source.

Aquasana Targets Apartment Renters

Aquasana published a detailed guide for apartment renters, highlighting an often-overlooked market segment with specific needs and constraints. The water filter company covers key challenges that renters face: installation restrictions from landlords, limited space in compact kitchens, temporary living situations requiring portable systems, and lease compliance concerns about unauthorized modifications. The guide breaks down five renter-friendly filter types, starting with countertop systems as the most popular option since they require no drilling or plumbing changes. For renters with more flexibility, Aquasana promotes under-sink options including their Direct Connect system that requires no drilling or plumbing modifications. The company provides practical tips like checking faucet compatibility, getting landlord approval, saving original parts for move-out, and measuring available space before purchase.

New Desalination Technology

Idaho National Laboratory announced the first real-world test of a new water desalination system in a California pistachio farm. The technology uses a chemical called dimethyl ether (DME) to remove salt and minerals from underground water that's normally too salty to use. Instead of creating liquid waste like traditional systems, this method turns the removed minerals into solids that are easier to dispose of or even sell. The system fits in a shipping container and combines the new DME process with regular reverse osmosis filters. An interesting side note: the solid waste could actually make money as farmers can use the extracted minerals for dust control or sell them to other industries. The project shows how research labs and private companies can work together to bring new water treatment ideas to market.

Water Filtration for Gyms and Spas

Butler-based Aqua Solutions wrote their guide for gyms and spas, showing an example of how to educate about equipment protection and client experience benefits. Company president Gary Monks, with 25 years of experience, explains that while municipal water is safe for residential use, it creates unique challenges in wellness environments where water is heated, pressurized, and used in high-humidity spaces. The guide details how chlorine and chloramines accelerate metal corrosion in shower valves, steam systems, and hot tub components, while also damaging rubber gaskets and seals, leading to leaks and temperature inconsistencies. The company positions different filtration technologies as solutions: carbon filtration for chlorine removal, water softeners for scale prevention, UV treatment for microbial control, and reverse osmosis for high-purity applications.

What else is happening:

• The Cool Down reports on a Canadian homeowner who spent $4,000+ on water tests and cleanup gear after authorities refuse to listen

• Water Medic of Cape Coral covers the problem of “rotten egg” smells and which filters are best for filtering for sulfur

• WES Water of Scottsdale, AZ writes about the hidden dangers of chlorine and chloramines

• Aquasana answers how much water softeners cost in time for their Black Friday sale