Contaminants in My Industrial Water: What to Test For?

When it comes to your business, no matter what industrial operation you’re running, water quality isn’t just an important factor. It’s essential. Whether it’s boilers, cooling towers, manufacturing lines, or sanitation systems, your water quality has a direct affet on the performance and safety of your equipment. Poor water quality can lead to a variety of issues. So, in there lies the question: what contaminants should I be testing for in my industrial water supply?

Having a good understanding of what is in your industrial water supply is a great first step toward protection your equipment and maintaining your operations at a normal pace. So let’s look into what goes into your water, why it matters, issues that contaminants can cause, and how you can manage them.

What are total dissolved solids? Better known as TDS, total dissolved solids are the combined amount of inorganic and organic substances that have dissolved within your water. This could be minerals, salts, or metals. There’s a certain level of TDS that is considered normal, but having higher concentrations can interfere with not only your water quality but also your equipment performance.

Having too much calcium or magnesium ions in your water can lead to hardness in your water. This is commonly found in groundwater sources, but they tend to cause problems when they gather inside industrial systems.

Another natural occurring mineral is silica.This can be found in both surface and groundwater supplies. If you’re working with high-pressure boilers or turbines, silica can be a major issue. Even the slightest level of silica can begin to accumulate over time which can lead to a variety of issues.

Iron and manganese are perceived as metals that may not be harmful in small amounts, but just like silica, with build up over time they can cause significant issues.They can enter your water system through corroding pipes and lead to clogged filter and biofouling.

These naturally occurring salts can be corrosive to metal pipes and other system components of your industrial business. Any type of corrosion caused from these can lead to leaks and equipment failures, which of course leads to an increase in your maintenance costs.

Any industrial water system can become the perfect place fo bacteria’s, algae, and fungi’s to grow. With the presence of these microbiological contaminants, you can find yourself with a reduction of water flow, damaged equipment, and even a higher risk of corrosion occurring. Some microbiological contaminants can even contribute to metal corrosion directly.

We’ve all heard of pH balance and alkalinity, but you might not know how large of a role it plays in your industrial water systems day to day functionality. Having the proper balance and monitoring these levels is a basic, yet essential, part of your water treatment. Without proper care, this it yet but another contaminant that can cause corrosion within your system.

When it comes to avoiding contamination in your industrial water system, there’s a range of treatments and strategies, and oftentimes, it involves a combination of a few! Reverse osmosis and deionization are typically seen to help reduce dissolved solids, silica, and other minerals that have dissolved within your water supply. If you’re experiencing hardness within your water, water softeners or chemical treatments are most likely the most effective route to take.

With such a heavy portion of these contaminants having a corrosive effect, having targeted filtration or corrosion inhibitors could be the right solution for your business. Regular and consistent testing and monitoring of your water system can help with microbiological contaminants, while maintaining the proper pH and alkalinity levels with a balancing system can help stabilize your water. 

Not sure where to start with checking your water supply for contaminants? The team at Complete Water Solutions is here to help. We’ll help you with a custom treatment strategy that can include all of the above, and more! Don’t wait before it’s too late. Preventive maintenance is a great way to avoid downtime and other potential issues. Get in touch with our team today for more information on how we can help you with identifying and solving any issues your water supply might have with contaminants.