Perhaps you are on a private well system. Maybe you may have concerns about your water quality or have an existing issue. Regardless, a residential ozone water treatment system offers an affordable way to ensure that the water you drink is safe. Like most water treatment systems, it is not a complete solution, but it does offer important advantages to homeowners. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average U.S. citizen uses about 100 gallons of water per day, making the choice of a water treatment system an important household decision.
Ozone Treatment
The ozone system will replicate a chemical reaction which occurs naturally in the atmosphere. Ozone formation occurs when sunlight provides the necessary energy to create ozone. In a water treatment system, either an ultraviolet light bulb or an electronic corona discharge device fuels the reaction. Ozone is then forced into your drinking water supply or hot tub.
Benefits
The main benefit of this system is that it will eliminate disease-causing bacteria and viruses from the water as well as any other biological contaminants. These contaminants can cause a variety of gastrointestinal illnesses, warns the EPA. Ozone water treatment will also treat other pollutants such as organic chemicals which can affect the taste or appearance of the water, making it an effective water disinfectant system.
Disadvantages
A residential ozone water treatment system is not without its disadvantages, the primary one being the use of electricity. Depending upon your home water usage, this factor could add significantly to your home energy costs. It also leaves you vulnerable and without a safe drinking water source in the event of a power outage. This is an important fact to consider, especially if you have individuals in your household with compromised immune systems.
Considerations
Another consideration is the production of disinfection by products generated by the system. It may seem ironic that the process of disinfecting water also affects its quality. One byproduct of special concern is bromate. Bromate forms through a chemical reaction with ozone from the treatment system and bromide in the water. Long-term exposure can increase your risk of developing cancer, warns the EPA. In municipal drinking water systems, the EPA regulates water for its presence.
Complementary Systems
Like many water treatment systems, ozone systems treat some water issues better than others. While it will remove bacteria, it will not improve the taste of your water. Nor will an ozone water treatment system remove dissolved minerals or salts. If you have an issue with any of these problems, you need a complementary system. Activated carbon filtration can treat water problems that the ozone water treatment system cannot.
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