Many harmful chemicals are widely used in local business and industry. Other chemicals are generated by households and find their way into groundwater by leaking septic tanks.The most common sources of such problems are:
- Local Businesses: These include nearby factories, industrial plants, and even small businesses such as gas stations and dry cleaners. All handle a variety of hazardous chemicals that need careful management. Spills and improper disposal of these chemicals or of industrial wastes can threaten ground water supplies.
- Leaking Underground Tanks & Piping: Petroleum products, chemicals, and wastes stored in underground storage tanks and pipes may end up in the ground water. Tanks and piping leak if they are constructed or installed improperly. Steel tanks and piping corrode with age. Tanks are often found on farms. The possibility of leaking tanks is great on old, abandoned farm sites. Farm tanks are exempt from the EPA rules for petroleum and chemical tanks.
- Landfills and Waste Dumps: Modern landfills are designed to contain any leaking liquids. But floods can carry them over the barriers. Older dumpsites may have a wide variety of pollutants that can seep into ground water.
- Household Wastes: Improper disposal of many common products can pollute ground water. These include cleaning solvents, used motor oil, paints, and paint thinners. Even soaps and detergents can harm drinking water. These are often a problem from faulty septic tanks and septic leaching fields.
In order to make claims for removal of chemicals, a water treatment device should be certifed by the the National Sanitation Foundation, also known as NSF. The only systems we carry that are NSF certified for “chemical” contaminants are drinking water point-of-use systems.
We can supply non-certified whole house or larger flow chemical removal systems if you know the specific contaminant you are trying to remove, on a case by case basis, and your application does not require a State certified or NSF certified system. The regulations vary by country and by state or provinces in individual countries.