Letter to the Editor: RO system isn't complete answer to soft water

As you are aware, the Brandon City Council has recently voted to expand the City of Brandon’s water treatment plant from 2,000 GPM to 4,000 GPM to meet future water requirements for the community. Along with the expansion they’ve included an option to add a reverse osmosis (RO) system to “soften” the water.

While I am very supportive of the expansion to better serve the Brandon community, I have a few concerns with the information previously published in the news regarding this topic. What is very important here, and missed by the article on the front page of the May 4 Brandon Valley Journal, is that this RO water will be “blended” with the city water that currently tests at approximately 24 grains of hardness (410 PPM). In theory, this should produce water that is approximately 1/2 of the current water hardness, or about 12 grains of hardness (205 PPM).

The Water Quality Association water hardness table defines “soft” water as anything less than 1 grain of hardness (17.1 PPM). The scale continues in increments up to 10.5 grains of hardness (180 PPM) which is considered “extremely hard” water. The water produced from the RO system once blended will still be “extremely hard” water, and will require a water softener to produce soft water in resident’s homes. Also, the RO water once blended with the current city water will not result in (RO) quality drinking water at their tap.

What 12 grains of hardness will mean to the homeowner is that their water softener would regenerate less often, resulting in reduced water and salt usage. In order for homeowners to achieve these results their softener will need to be reprogrammed by a water treatment professional after the expansion project is completed and brought online.

Bob Frakes

Owner of Bill’s Water Conditioning & Brandon Water Softener Service

 

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The Brandon Valley Journal

 

The Brandon Valley Journal
1404 E. Cedar St.
Brandon, SD 57005
(605) 582-9999

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