Everpure Provides Solutions to Contaminated School Drinking Water Issues

Recently, an Associated Press investigation found significant levels of contaminants in drinking water at public and private schools across the country. As a result, Pentair, a global leader in water filtration solutions, through its Everpure brand, is announcing its commitment to providing solutions for improving the quality of drinking water in schools nationwide.

"Water safety in schools, in addition to public facilities, is a very important issue as some water contamination can cause health problems to both children and adults," says Tony Fischer, global product portfolio manager for Everpure. "As a leading water filtration company, we are dedicated to educating facility managers on the technologies available to help eliminate such problems."

According to the study, thousands of schools were found to be in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act having high levels of pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, lead, mercury, arsenic, nitrates and much more. While some experts feel that the responsibility lies within government agencies, the reality is government agencies can only impose testing and reporting responsibilities. The good news is there are many solutions that schools can implement locally to eliminate these toxins without a heavy cost. Pentair and Everpure have been delivering clean, clear and consistent water to businesses for more than 75 years and offer a wide array of products to help solve many of the common water contamination issues facing the U.S.

Understanding which contaminants are present and what technologies are available to resolve these issues is the first step in finding a solution. In many situations, a point of use filtration system can be attached to a water fountain or sink faucet to produce safe, clean water. In others, a larger point of entry system can treat the entire facility. Such systems are always more cost effective than the purchase of bottled water. Schools and school systems can take comfort in providing safe water to the children while saving significant costs to the school and the students.

Bacteria and Viruses

Numerous U.S. schools were found to be beyond the legal limit for bacteria and viruses in drinking water and while many of these bacteria can often be harmless, some can cause major health issues. The presence of a variety of bacteria and viruses in drinking water is likely caused by sewage interference in the water or a malfunction in the treatment system. Many water filtration systems claim they are able to reduce some of these harmful contaminants but to truly eliminate the problem, water filtration products must use certified ultrafiltration technology which can only be found in a limited array of products. When microbiological contamination exists within a facility's water distribution system, a point of use purifier utilizing ultrafiltration can produce pure, safe water that is superior to bottled or municipal water. A school system can turn an alarming problem into a point of pride in their community.

Lead, Mercury and Other Heavy Metals

Some of the main contaminants uncovered by the investigation were high levels of lead, copper, mercury and other heavy metals. These can cause varying health problems in both adults and children even from short-term exposure. According to the CDC, it is estimated that lead in drinking water contributes between 10 percent and 20 percent of total lead exposure in young children. More often than not when heavy metals are found in drinking water, it is due to corroded pipes and fixtures in all parts of the water delivery system, typically in older buildings. In order to effectively eliminate heavy metals found in drinking water, facilities must look for water filtration products that contain specially treated filters with adsorbent media specially developed for lead reduction. When contamination originates in the plumbing of older buildings, the cost to refurbish the building or replace the plumbing could be overwhelming for a school system. A lead filter could be installed at every drinking water outlet in a building for a relatively modest cost and would be very effective.

Nitrates, Pesticides and Herbicides

One in five schools with their own water system were found to have harmful pollutants such as nitrates, pesticides and herbicides in their drinking water. These contaminants are likely caused by residue in local farming areas surrounding the school's water source and can be harmful especially in infants. In order to effectively rid water of nitrates, water filtration systems employing reverse osmosis (RO) technology can quickly and efficiently remove these harmful substances. When dealing with herbicides and pesticides, high-end technology carbon filters are needed to reduce excess levels in order to maintain water safety.