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Ultraviolet disinfection, often abbreviated UV, provides rapid
disinfection of water with no chemical addition and no residual
taste or odor. UV destroys common bacteria by disrupting their
ability to reproduce. The killing action is the same as that provided
by sunlight in open streams and ponds.
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UV disinfection devices expose the raw water to light from a special
lamp which produces UV radiation at 253 nanometers. The device consists
of: a UV source, an enclosure to contain the water and UV source, an
electrical supply and controls to power the UV device, and plumbing
connections to allow installation on a water system.
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Although the UV tube can be wired to start and stop with your well pump,
the industry generally recommends that UV disinfection be run continuously.
This prevents any forward migration of disease organisms from the untreated
water when the pump is off. Mineral deposits build up on the outside of
the UV tube. Some devices have a wiper to clean the outside of the UV tube.
Wipers and other additional options may increase the cost of UV devices.
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UV bulbs are normally rated for a certain number of hours. Typically 9000
hours (ie 1 year). During this operational period the bulbs loses some of
their disinfection strength. Bulbs should be replaced at the end of this period
even if they still appear to function.
As mentioned dissolved minerals in the
water may "plate-out" on the UV bulbs. A maintenance schedule should be adopted
by the homeowner to ensure that the bulbs are periodically cleaned.
Bacterial samples. DES recommends taking a bacterial samples quarterly, however it must
be realized that since the worst case raw water bacteria condition cannot be
predicted, test results may be more favorable than the device performance under
the worst case condition.
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Wellmaster Pumps installs and maintains Trojan UV products.
They have an excellent selection of high quality UV filters for residences
and businesses. To find out more about Trojan UV filters, visit their website
at www.trojanuvmax.com.
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