603.868.3212    |              |    Emergency Service

Arsenic in Well Water

Water quality can change over time. For this reason, we recommend testing for arsenic every 3-5 years.

If you have an Arsenic Removal System, annual testing is recommended to confirm that levels haven’t changed and that media quality is still good and is removing arsenic from the water.

If you live in New Hampshire (especially Seacoast NH) or Southern Maine, you may have arsenic in your well water and not even be aware of it. Arsenic is odorless, tasteless and colorless, and can only be detected by water testing. Luckily, modern water treatment technology has given us the tools to deal with this known carcinogen that is present in wells throughout New England.

Image courtesy of NHDES

As you can tell by the map, New Hampshire and Maine are regions of the United States that have prevalent levels of arsenic in their ground water supplies.

This article will go over:

  • What is Arsenic and how did it get into your well water
  • Health effects of drinking arsenic
  • What are the regulations surrounding arsenic and well water
  • How to treat for arsenic

What is Arsenic and how did it get into your well?

Arsenic is a natural component of the earth’s crust and is widely distributed throughout the environment. When a well is drilled, it taps into an aquifer. The water in this aquifer has been soaking in bedrock for a substantial amount of time. And during this time, the water can absorb minerals present in the bedrock, like arsenic.

Example of a common residential well http://www.mcmullendrilling.com/home.html

Arsenic in water is most commonly found as either: 

As(III), arsenite as H 3 AsO 3 and H 2 AsO 3 –    or     

As(V), arsenate as H 2 AsO 4 – and HAsO 4 2-

The concentration of arsenic III & V in water can be important to know because it can determine an arsenic treatment systems design.  At the end of the day, we want to design a system that will be as effective and efficient as possible. 

Health effects of drinking arsenic.

The toxicity of arsenic has been recognized since antiquity.  It has famously been referred to as the “poison of kings” or “king of poisons”. The elements infamy grew during the Middle Ages as a nearly untraceable form of murder. Most wells do not reach these toxic levels. Long term exposure to arsenic has been linked to increased risk of lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and reproductive disorders.

What are the regulations surrounding arsenic and well water?

We have an evolving understanding of arsenic and our policies surrounding it have changed over time. The United States Department of Environmental Protection Agency states that we should always strive for a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) of 0 arsenic in drinking water. With that being said it is understood that this cannot always be realistic so federal Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL’s) have been set to 0.010 mg/l or 10 ppb. 

Due to the prevalence of arsenic in New Hampshire’s drinking water, and thanks to studies done by Dartmouth University, New Hampshire has created legislation that requires arsenic levels to be down to 0.05 mg/l or 5 ppb.

How to treat arsenic in your drinking water:

The first step is a lab test of your water.  Each well, water profile, and situation is different and if arsenic is detected in your water, we will recommend options to suit your particular needs.  

Recent advances in water treatment technology have allowed us to effectively remove arsenic and there are a number of different treatment methods:

Most of our Arsenic Removal Systems have a Dual Tank design.  This is the safest and offers the most confidence that Arsenic will be removed even when the media starts to deteriorate over time. When the first tank of media starts to get spent, you have the backup of the second tank to remove the Arsenic until the first tank gets swapped out.  Annual testing tells you when this needs to happen.

Our most popular is the Point-Of-Use (POU) Arsenic Treatment System. This system is both cost effective and efficient because it only treats water on the cold side of the kitchen sink and a fridge ice maker (we can apply this system to other types of fixtures like pot fillers). 

Another option is a Whole House Arsenic Treatment System which would treat water that is used for ALL water in the house including toilets, showers, etc.  Like the POU System, this whole house option utilizes a lead-lag tank design that adds an element of protective redundancy. 

Please give Advance Pump and FIlter a call at 603-868-3212 or email at info@advanceh2o.com if you have any questions about arsenic or would like to schedule a water test and/or free site evaluation.

Water quality can change over time. 

For this reason, we recommend testing for arsenic every 3-5 years.

If you have an Arsenic Removal System, annual testing is recommended to confirm that levels haven’t changed and that media quality is still good and is removing arsenic from the water. 

Pressure Tanks

Each water system is unique and has different needs. Please contact our office at 603-868-3212 with specific questions about your water delivery and filtration system.

If you live at a property with a well, you’ve probably noticed the blue metallic tank in your basement, crawl space or utility closet and thought to yourself “Hmmm…I wonder what that is?” Well, my friend, that tank may very well be your pressure tank. 

In this blog post we will go over:

  • What a pressure tank is
  • What role it plays in your homes water system
  • Basic maintenance
  • When to replace it

What is a Pressure tank?

A pressure tank can come in all different shapes and sizes. They can be small or  large, made of steel or fiberglass, and can be blue, gray, any color really. The important thing is that the tank is able to hold water under pressure. Within this tank is a rubber bladder, Where the water is stored.  Above this bladder is a space for compressed air. This compressed air generally has a pressure reading either 28 psi or 38 psi depending on your systems design. These tanks are intended to hold onto this air pressure and keep it at a constant. 

What role does a pressure tank play in your home?

If you live at a property with a well then you most likely have a water pumping system that utilizes a pressure tank. Below is a sketch of a well with a submersible well pump. 

In normal circumstances, your home’s plumbing is pressurized because the air in the pressure tank  is pressing against the bladder filled with water and this force is transferred to all of the water fixtures in your home. As you open a faucet, water is instantly sent to your sink because of the pressure being applied to the bladder. As you use water the pressure in the tank begins to drop. 

If your tank was left to its own devices, this applied force will eventually empty the tank completely and you would be left without any water.  This is where the pressure switch comes in. 

A pressure switch is an electrical component  that sends power to your pump when needed.  It does this by utilizing a small diaphragm and spring system that senses pressure.

Once the water pressure drops to the cut in pressure (Commonly, 30 psi – 40 psi), the switch will engage and cause the contacts in the switch to close, completing the connection from the electricity in your home to the well pump. This engagement is what allows for your well pump to kick on and send water to the pressure tank. 

At this point in the cycle, the contacts will stay open until the pressure switch reaches its shut off pressure (Commonly, 50 psi – 60 psi). If you are using a large amount of water, your well pump may not be able to achieve shut off pressure while you are using water. In this instance you will be at the mercy of how much water your well and your pump can deliver. If you are using a small amount of water, your pump may be able to achieve that shut off pressure because the amount of water the system is able to deliver exceeds the amount of water being used at that given time. 

Once you stop using water, the system will deliver water to the pressure tank until it reaches the cut off pressure (Commonly, 50 psi – 60 psi) and the system will remain at that pressure until water is used again. 

This cyclical pattern of drawing the water in the pressure tank down to the cut on pressure and filling it up to the cut off pressure is what’s happening as you use water throughout the day. 

This technology is not very sophisticated but it gets the job done. If you’d like to learn about our systems that utilize more technology, and are more robust, take a look at our blog post about Constant Pressure Systems!

Basic Maintenance: 

There isn’t a whole lot when it comes to maintenance for a pressure tank. It is more of a practice of monitoring. It is important to monitor the condition of the tank because a failed tank can lead to a dead pump or flooding in a basement.

Air pressure- To see how much air is in the tank, the first thing you need to do is drain down the system. If you don’t do this then you will just be reading the overall system pressure. At the top of the tank there will be a cap covering a nipple. This is a testing port where you can use an air gauge or tire gauge to see the air pressure in the tank.

If you take the cover off of your pressure switch (Danger! Live electricity within the switch) you’ll be able to see the cut in and cut out pressure labeled inside of the switch. Typically most systems are on a 30/50 or 40/60 cycle system. The air pressure in the pressure tank should be a few psi below the cut in pressure meaning a 30/50 cycle system should have around 28 psi of air pressure and a 40/60 cycle system should have around 38 psi of air pressure. 

If the air pressure is below the desired amount, then the system will have to deliver more water to the pressure tank  in order to compensate for the drop in air. This then causes the bladder to expand potentially leading to premature failure. An example of this failure is when the bladder ruptures and water is able to get above the bladder resulting in what we call a waterlogged tank. This causes the system to be unable to regulate the pressure and the system will begin to short cycle. 

Visual inspection- make sure that your pressure tank is not showing any obvious signs of degradation. If you have a stainless steel tank you may start to notice areas of rust after a period of time. Eventually the rust can eat away at the steel and will cause an opening resulting in a blow out. Below are some pictures of tanks that have failed due to rust. 

When to replace: 

A failed pressure tank is the quickest way to kill a well pump and a tank that lets go of water can easily flood a basement. This is why it is so important for homeowners to know when to replace the tank. 

There are 5 reasons to replace a pressure tank

  1. Showing signs of rusting that may compromise the integrity of the tank
  2. Tank is between 10-15 years old
  3. Significant loss of air pressure
  4. Improperly sized tank
  5. Waterlogged tank

Pressure tanks play a vital role in a home’s water delivery and water treatment system. By better understanding what a pressure tank is and how it plays a role in your home’s water system will help you to  prevent problems from happening and address problems mwht your system. 

Each water system and family has different needs to please feel free to call us at 603-868-3212 with any questions about pressure tanks, water supply, or water treatment. 

What Type of Salt Should I Use for My Water Softener?

We get asked his question a lot and we can understand the confusion surrounding it. In this post we will go over some of the basics softener salt and hopefully answer some frequently asked questions.

4 Rules of Water Softener Salt

Rule #1- Do not use “Rock Salt”

Rule #2- Whether that bag is yellow, green, or blue- Any salt is better than no salt.

Rule #3- Once you choose a bag do your best to stick with it.

Rule #4- If you choose to switch then wait until your salt level is low.

Types of Salts Explained

Coarse Solar Salt (Blue Bag)- This is one of the most common types of salt found. This is the type of salt the we recommend because we find that it can be easily found in a variety of stores like Lowes, Home Depot, etc. This type of salt is the most basic form and we tend to not have as many problems with bridging in brine tanks with it. This type of salt is generally the most affordable form of salt as well.

Pellets (Yellow Bag)- The other most common type of salt is the pellet salt. This type of salt has been cleaned and processed into a pellet shape. Pellets can typically run higher in cost. In some cases of low water usage or infrequent regeneration scenarios, pellets can lose their structure and become mushed and may not dissolve. They can also dry out and harden. When this happens, we generally recommend customer to use the coarse solar salt (blue bag).

Rust/Iron (Green Bag)- The green bags are advertised for water with iron or manganese content. Green bags are pellets with an additive, either sodium-bisulfate or citric acid, which will help dissolve and further clean stubborn iron and manganese from the softening resin. Green bags will be on the higher side of salt cost. We personally find that using a Res-up feeder that drip feeds a cleaning solution can be a more effective and efficient way add resin cleaning products to the backwash process.

Potassium Chloride (Salt Alternative)- A water softener removes hardness from the water by utilizing an ion exchange system which leaches a miniscule amount of salt into the treated water supply. If you wish to avoid the sodium, you can use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. However, there are some things to consider.

-Potassium Chloride is found to be 30% less effective in regenerating your softener depending on water quality and softener settings.

-Potassium chloride has been found to harden and mush up with temperature swings in mechanical rooms.

-Potassium chloride is considerably more expensive when compared to other forms of salt.

Block Salt– Salt blocks may be a good option for those who are un able to lift 40-50 lb bags of salt. They are not ideal though due to very little surface area of salt exposed to water resulting in weak brine concentrations.

If you have any questions, please give us a call at 6703-868-3212!

Let’s talk Constant Pressure Systems

I’ve been hearing about “Constant Pressure Systems”; what does that mean? What do they do?

In the context of a residential water supply system, “Constant Pressure” refers to a combination of well, pump and control components designed to provide water to the home at a pressure that remains close to a chosen “set-point”, e.g. 60 psi, regardless of the amount of water (flow rate) being required at any one time.

A conventional design uses a pump, a tank with an air pre-charge in it, and a simple pressure operated switch. When the pump operates, it does so at its full rated power to drive water into the tank until the rising pressure causes the switch to shut it off. As you continue to use water, the pressure falls back down to the point where the switch turns the pump back on for another run cycle. This “pressure spread” is designed to be 20 psi. Tanks must be large enough to allow the pump to run for long enough to dissipate the heat in the motor generated by each startup (ideally about one minute).

A constant pressure system replaces the simple switch with a control (commonly called a Variable Frequency Drive, or VFD) and pressure sensor that together work to operate the well pump over a range of speeds, but always just fast enough to maintain that set-point pressure at the flow you happen to be using at the moment. All this is done electronically, in real time. Below is a video that goes over the basics of VFD’s.

Why is this better?

In a nutshell, you get a stable pressure in the house, without the up and down cycling you experience with a conventional system. Many water using devices are happier that way; your shower, for example, but especially in-ground irrigation systems. But that’s just the beginning.

VFD controlled pumps use a 3-phase motor design (think industrial strength) that is inherently more efficient than single phase motor/starter designs. The control starts the motor “softly” to avoid the shock and heat inherent in the “full-on” start of a cycling system. Even better, the strategy of running “just equal to the demand” uses less power overall that the start/stop scheme. The reasons are complicated (maybe for a later blog) but in a nutshell, less power = less heat; less heat = less waste and less strain and wear on equipment. The net result is lower operating cost and better reliability.

For more information about the benefits of constant pressure systems and whether it could be right for you, call us at 603-868-3212 or visit us online at http://www.advancepumpandfilter.com/nh_pump_filter_constant_pressure_systems.php

DROUGHT MAY LEAD TO ELEVATED LEVELS OF NATURALLY OCCURING ARSENIC IN PRIVATE DOMESTIC WELLS

“A new U.S. Geological Survey study highlights the importance of homeowners testing their well water to ensure it is safe for consumption, particularly in drought-prone areas. The first-of-its-kind national-scale study of private well water, conducted in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 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. Environmental Protection Agency’s standard for drinking water.”

“While the results suggest that drought will have a negative impact, the study cannot predict what might happen at an individual well, further highlighting the importance of testing.”

If you are interested in water testing, Please give us a call at 603-868-3212.

https://www.usgs.gov/news/drought-may-lead-elevated-levels-naturally-occurring-arsenic-private-domestic-wells

Advance Pump & Filter Co’s, Jake Pleadwell, recognized by Water Quality Magazine in it’s Young Professionals in the Water Industry edition

We are so proud that our very own Jake was selected by WQP Magazine to be profiled in their current issue highlighting Young Professionals in the Water Industry for 2021!

Jake PleadwellTechnician/Customer Support, Advance Pump & Filter Co.

Age: 27

Education: Pleadwell currently holds a B.S. in Business Administration. He is also working to obtain his MBA & WQA Water Quality Specialist Certification.

Why water?: “My parents had been in the water industry ever since I was born, but I was originally planning on being a marketer or a teacher,” Pleadwell said. “As time went on, I decided that I wanted to work in a field that helped people, that solved real world problems, was challenging both physically/intellectually, had an opportunity for international involvement. And it just so happened that the industry for me was right under my nose.”

Past life: Prior to entering the water industry, Pleadwell worked as a paraprofessional in a special education program that worked with students who had a variety of mental/emotional conditions, he said.

Professional accomplishments: “Removing 75 old lightbulbs from our office warehouse,” he joked. “In all seriousness though, I had the opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka to learn about the country’s problems with Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) and it’s possible connection to water quality. This was an eye opening experience, and I was fortunate to speak to a number of people involved with researching both water quality and CKDu.”

Goals: “I want to put myself and others in a position to help tackle some of the big problems that our world will be facing regarding water; both at the micro and macro level,” Pleadwell said.

Greatest influence: His greatest influence is his mom, he said. “She has always been such a rock for our family and for the business. I really don’t know how she does it all. I feel super lucky to have her as mentor with 35 years in the water industry and as my mom.”

Out of the office: “I really love movement, so I’m big into running, yoga and skiing,” Pleadwell said. “I’m also a ballet dancer. My girlfriend and I are to perform Swan Lakes pas de deux this spring.”

Surprising fact: “I played Justin Bieber on Hawaii 5.0, S6 E10. It was my 15 seconds of fame.”

Giving back: “I‘m an assistant lacrosse coach for Exeter High Schools JV/Varsity teams,” he said.

https://www.wqpmag.com/awards/wqp-2021-young-professionals-dare-lead?oly_enc_id=6911D0536689E8Z

AP&F is proud to be members in good standing with the Water Quality Association.

COVID-19 Updated Service

Hello,

We hope this letter finds you in good health. Like you, we have been monitoring the rapidly-changing recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and local health departments regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

We are open for business, but have temporarily modified office hours. Currently, we will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for regular business.

We will continue to offer Emergency Service EVERY DAY (including weekends).
Emergency Service includes:
-Well pump service (No Water, Low Water Pressure)
-Significant water leaks
-Filter system failure (if treating for primary contaminant or health concern like
bacteria, arsenic, PFAS and radon).

Non-emergency work will be scheduled on a case by case basis for March. We are currently booking preventive maintenance service appointments for April / May / June.

Call us at 603-868-3212 or email info@advanceh2o.com to schedule service. We will always have someone answering the phone; either our staff during regular office hours or the answering service if the office is closed. Emergencies will be dispatched to the on-call technician.

While we always strive for high standards of cleanliness and safety, we have implemented additional recommended protocols to help keep our employees and customers healthy:

Employees:
-Employees who feel unwell should stay home.
-Employees demonstrating symptoms of respiratory illness (fever, cough, shortness
of breath) must stay home and not return until cleared by a doctor.
-Employees will wash down and sanitize their work spaces (desk or work truck)
multiple times a day. Common areas will also be cleaned.
-Employees will attempt to maintain a six feet distance from one another.
-Employees will take separate work trucks when going to crew jobs.
-Employees will wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds upon
arriving in the office and throughout the day.
-We are encouraging all employees to practice social distancing in their personal lives.

Coming to our office:
If you would like to purchase any goods or water test kits from our main office, we would be happy to complete this transaction over the phone and we can leave the products for you out on our front porch.

Entering your home:
-If you are ill and/or have symptoms of the virus, please take care of yourself and
reschedule the appointment.
-Please wash your hands before and after we come to your home.
-If you speak face to face with the technician, please keep a 6 feet distance.
-Technicians will wash or sanitize their hands before and after servicing your
equipment.
-Technicians will sanitize the equipment they touch before and after performing
any work.
-All employees will maintain a 6 feet distance.
-Where possible, technicians will enter through a bulkhead or basement door. —–
-Please have the door open and ready for them upon arrival.
-Please make sure we have your phone number, so we can call you to discuss job
specifics while on site.
-Whenever possible, we will ask to have a credit card number ‘on hold’ at the
office. Once the service work or installation is complete, we will review the cost
and only then run the credit card. We can also take an e-check over the phone.

Please remember that Advance Pump & Filter is a small, family run business. We are working tirelessly to do what’s best for everyone, employees and customers alike. We will continue to closely follow the guidance of CDC and WHO. As this is an ever changing situation, we will do our best to communicate any updates as they unfold.

If you have any questions, please call us at 603-868-3212 or email info@advanceh2o.com.

Stay well.

Sincerely,
Cathy & Rob Cartmell
Advance Pump & Filter Co., Inc.
10 Calef Highway
Lee, NH 03861
603-868-3212

Concerned about Coronavirus and drinking water? Here’s a good resource with up to date information:

Click here

Are you taking care of your “four walls”?

A popular personal money manager talks about prioritizing and taking care of your “four walls” first: this includes food, water/utilities, shelter and transportation.

We recommend that YOU take control of your drinking water and make sure that it’s safe. Don’t rely on assumptions or thinking that someone else will monitor it. Test your own drinking water. Call APF at 603-868-3212 to schedule a lab water test.