PH Correction for Private Water Supplies

Do I need to correct the pH of my water?

PH correction for private water supplies is very common. Acidic water is one of main problems we see with borehole, well and spring water supplies around the UK. Regulation dictates that the pH of private water supplies should be between 6.5 – 9.5. Anything below 6.5 should use a pH correction system to neutralise the water. Acidic water accelerates corrosion in copper pipe work causing pin sized holes in pipes and hot water cylinders. It also causes unsightly staining of baths, sinks and toilets and can even, in some cases, turn light coloured hair green.

How does ph correction work? 

The simplest way to raise the pH of water is to pass the water through a vessel containing slowly dissolving calcium and magnesium salts. These salts slowly dissolve into the water ‘re-mineralising’ the water and naturally raising the pH. The water can be simply passed through the media through an in/out head or through an automatic backwashing filter head. The backwashing head has the advantage of remixing the media and also removing any debris or iron and manganese which may have been oxidised out of solution as the pH increases.

Standard media

This is a granular media made up of 99.4% calcium carbonate. It has a superior performance to limestone due to its micro-crystalline structure. It dissolves very slowly, is free from soluble constituents and has a low silica content. The media is consumed and from time to time new media should be added to the vessel.

Ph plus media

This media is a highly reactive magnesium oxide salt and is used most effectively where the pH correction is substantial or the flow rate is high. In reality, for a pH of less than 6, a 25% mix of PH Plus media & 75% standard media mix is ideal.

What does a pH correction system look like?

Below is a system installed by Prosep Filter Services and shows a typical ph correction system. The large blue unit with the grey box on top (clack valve) is the ph unit.

A standard ph correction system would comprise of a pH water treatment unit, a UV pre-filter, which is the smaller blue unit next to the ph and finally a UV unit, which is the silver chamber you can see above the black water storage tank.

In the picture there is also a booster pump and a water storage tank – these are sometimes required when the water supply is intermittant or the pressure is very poor from the supply.

For more examples of work completed by Prosep Filter Services click here