New Series of Water Softeners Available in the Twin Cities

Haferman Water Conditioning is now selling three new series of water softeners by Kinetco Home Water Systems. They are the Premier Series, Signature Series and Essential Water Softeners, top of the line water softeners with individual benefits. Twin Cities water softeners help residents to get softer water.

Kinetico water softeners are powered by water flow instead of electricity, making them an economical and energy-efficient choice. Dual-tank systems are capable of providing soft water to households around the clock because even if one tank is regenerating, the other one can pump out soft water. If you have questions about how these water softeners operate, call Haferman Water Conditioning, your local Twin Cities water softener professionals.

Premier Series
The Premier Series water softener is fit with an AccuDial, which allows the water softeners to be personalized to each home and adjusted for precise water flow. This tank is geared for homes with larger plumbing needs because they offer a generous flow rate. The Twin Cities water softener professionals at Haferman Water Conditioning are capable of installing this type of tank in almost any Twin Cities home.

Signature Series
The Signature Series water softener is able to monitor water usage in households and regenerate – or clean itself – only when needed. This system is worry free because it will be able to calculate when it needs to regenerate, which may only be every couple of days if water consumption is low.Twin Cities water softeners

Essential Series
Twin Cities water softener experts recommend Kinetico’s Essential Series of water softeners for the basic hard water challenges. With the conveniences of the other two new water softeners, it’s back in action due to minimal regeneration time.

If you’re ready to purchase one of these new water softeners, call your local Twin Cities water softener professionals us today at 952-894-4040 or fill out our online form for a free estimate.

Pharmaceuticals in Twin Cities Drinking Water

Could it be true? Could they really have found pharmaceutical drugs in our drinking water? The answer is yes. Studies have been conducted and results show that in some cases, there were trace amounts of antibiotics, pain killers, antidepressants and other pharmaceutical drugs in our drinking water, including water in the Twin Cities metro.

The Study

There have been studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies for almost 20 years on the subject of pharmaceuticals, hormones and other organic wastewater containments. Most of these pharmaceutical drugs are believed to have entered our water though a variety of industrial, commercial and agricultural activities and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Experts tested residential drinking water, ocean water and other natural sources of water.

As technologies advanced, studies have been more accurately able to pick up smaller traces of contaminants. As early as 2008, studies were conducted with results stating 75% of the influent water tested had 27 different types of pharmaceutical drugs and other personal care products.

Impacts on Humans

As it stands now, there are no adverse effects on human health from drinking water contaminated with pharmaceutical drugs. The EPA has still labeled this situation a cause for emerging concern. The technology to detect these contaminates is still young. In the years to come, agencies will continue to monitor the situation and make recommendations to the public.

What You Can Do

You can do your part to reduce your personal contribution to this problem. Live a healthier lifestyle in an effort to reduce the number of pharmaceutical drugs you are taking. Properly dispose of unused or expired medicines. Seal pharmaceutical drugs in a container and throw them in the trash, don’t flush them down the toilet. Also, try buying personal care products with natural ingredients, which are healthier for the environment.

To get cleaner, purer drinking water in your Twin Cities home, contact Haferman Water Conditioning by calling 952-894-4040 or fill out our online form today and get started with a free drinking water analysis.

Well Water Quality & Quantity Can’t Be Automatically Guaranteed

This post was guest written by Hartmann Well Drilling, a water well drilling company serving the Lakeville MN area. For more information on Hartmann Well Drilling, please visit www.HartmannWellDrilling.com.

We’ve worked with Haferman Water Conditioning over the years on a few projects, and are amazed at the amount of knowledge this team has about water quality issues. As water well drillers, we know this can be an issue for some, especially when it comes to well water quantity and quality.

If your well driller has given you an idea on the quality or quantity of water before the actual drilling, then you’ve most likely been fed misinformation. There is no way to determine quality or quantity prior to the drilling. Once the well has been complete, we’ll be able to determine the water quantity, and the quality will be known after testing. (Click here to request a free water analysis from Haferman Water Conditioning.)

What common quality issues impact Minnesota wells?

Proper construction and testing can help to prevent or identify the following issues:

  • Bacteria
  • Lead
  • Arsenic
  • Fluoride
  • Pesticides
  • Nitrates
  • VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals)

How often should your well be tested?

The most important thing any homeowner can do to ensure a trouble-free well is to have it properly constructed and maintained. In Minnesota, your well is your responsibility, and you will need to be the one to have it regularly tested and maintained.

Minnesota requires all water wells to meet location and construction requirements of the Minnesota Well Code. According to the Minnesota Department of Health:

Wells can provide safe water for many years, but as wells age, they will deteriorate and eventually lose their ability to keep contaminants out of the water.

Experts suggest homeowners have their well tested on an annual basis, but many only have this done once, either when the well is built or the property is purchased. And if the test results come back clean, they consider the matter resolved, not realizing that the water still has to travel through the homes, and these pipes might be in need of testing themselves.

Your well and all its components will work only as good as they are maintained. Ensure years of proper use by taking care of your well.

Home Water Treatment Systems: The Final Barrier of Protection for Minnesota Homes

Kinetico Drinking Water System

The Kinetico K5 Drinking Water Station

Minnesota is approximately 2,000 miles from California. The states have plenty of differences: the culture, the weather and so forth. One thing that Minnesota does have on California is the water is generally safer. The Water Quality Association (WQA) recently issued a press release following a report from the Associated Press that over half of the water supplied to Californians begins contaminated.

“Nothing is more basic than clean and safe water,” said Dave Haataja, executive director of the Water Quality Association. “With final barrier protection in the home, residents can feel assured that the water they are drinking has gone through rigorous treatment.”

Mr. Haataja’s remark about final barrier protection is something that applies not just to Californians, but to everyone. While municipal water systems are treated for nitrates, arsenic and other pollutants and contaminants, you can still take proactive steps to make the water even safer.

What is final barrier protection?

Final barrier protection or final barrier treatment is a term coined by the WQA. According to the organization:

We believe the future scheme for treating water will be to treat it once at the central plant to a level that will insure the immediate health of the general population. Then, treat that portion of the municipal water that is intended for human consumption (1%), again, at or near the point of consumption.  We call this “Final Barrier Treatment.”

Click the links below to learn about issues with city and well water systems:

Putting the “final barrier” in your home

Kinetico makes a wide range of products that allow you to put a final barrier in your home. At Haferman Water Conditioning, we sell and install drinking water systems that will filter out chemicals, metals, algae and other pollutants, viruses, bacteria and contaminants so your home is provided with safe, clean drinking water.

If you find your water is giving you a foul odor or taste, we have specialty water filters that can remove the substances that cause these to happen.

How to get started

The path to safe, clean water begins by calling us today at (877) 894-4040 or by Clicking Here to Request a Free Water Analysis.

Reverse Osmosis System Installed in Prior Lake Home

We recently installed a reverse osmosis system in one Prior Lake home.

This Kinetico reverse osmosis drinking water system was installed under their kitchen sink. Why do people choose Kinetico reverse osmosis systems?

Reverse osmosis systems are an extremely effective form of filtration. They are used in military installations where clean water isn’t ready available. These systems are able to filter out a wide range of contaminants, including lead.

How reverse osmosis systems work

Reverse osmosis forces water with a greater concentration of contaminants (i.e. the source water) into a tank of water with extremely low contaminant concentration (the processed water). The high water pressure on the source side is used to reverse the natural osmosis process, with a semi-permeable membrane permitting water passage, while rejecting most other contaminants.

We have all types and sizes of filters and reverse osmosis systems for your purified water needs. Call us now at (952) 894-4040 or Click Here to Request a Free Quote.

Are nitrates in your water?

You may have heard of nitrates in drinking water, but may not know what they are or how they affect your home’s water quality.

Nitrates are nitrogen-oxygen chemical units that combine with various organic and inorganic compounds. According to the EPA, ingestion of nitrites – the conversion of nitrates taken into the body – above maximum contaminant levels by infants under six months of age can have severe health effects.

Nitrates get into drinking water through runoff from fertilizer use; leaking septic and sewage tanks; and natural deposit erosion. And nitrate contamination from fertilizer runoff is what Dakota County is tackling, according to a recent article from The Farmington Independent:

For years, Dakota County and the Vermillion River Watershed District have played a leadership role in working to understand and address groundwater and surface water contamination from agricultural activities through the Agricultural Outreach program, developed as a result of the Hastings Area Nitrate Study almost 10 years ago.

At its regular meeting this week, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners executed a grant agreement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which administers the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 319 grant program and executed an agreement with the University of Minnesota for the Dakota County Nitrate Reduction Project.

Farmers have responded positively to nitrate contamination reduction efforts, according to the article, and many have adopted different farming and land management practices.

However, despite progress, nitrate contamination is still a problem for many Dakota County drinking water sources. So, what can you do to reduce nitrates in your drinking water?

The first thing is to let the Haferman Water Conditioning team do an analysis of your water. This service is free, and once results are determined, we can put together a plan to tackle your water quality issues. Call us at (877) 894-4040 or fill out our online form.

Afterward, we can recommend a product to effectively tackle your nitrate problem, like the Haferman Springsoft Reverse Osmosis system. The EPA has found reverse osmosis systems to be effective at removing nitrates to below maximum contaminant levels. Our reverse osmosis system and other products can be found on our drinking water systems page.

If you have any questions or would like to request more information, please call (877) 894-4040 or visit our contact us page.

Water Quality: Arsenic in Drinking Water

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element of the Earth’s crust. It’s also a byproduct of mining, coal burning and other industries, and often ends up in drinking water supplies.

The American Cancer Society says that “arsenic levels tend to be higher in drinking water that comes from ground sources, such as wells, as opposed to water from surface sources, such as lakes or reservoirs.”

Removing this contaminant from drinking water is a health priority, and Environmental Health News recently reported that a study found that a reduction in arsenic levels helped to reduce effects from past exposure:

Even though it can take years, people can partially or fully recover from the skin lesions brought on by long-term exposure to arsenic. A study from Bangladesh has found that reducing exposures from drinking water significantly curbed the severity and prevalence of the lesions, which can lead to more severe diseases.

We have many systems to reduce arsenic at the point-of-entry (POE) into the home and also drinking water at the point-of-use (POU). Click here to see our filters, and click here to see our drinking water systems.

It’s important to have arsenic removed from your drinking water, as it is linked to the following health effects:

  • Cancer: Bladder, lung and skin. It also may cause kidney and liver cancer.
  • Harmful to central and peripheral nervous systems.
  • Harmful to heart and blood vessels.
  • Cause of serious skin problems.
  • May cause birth defects and reproductive problems.

If you’re not sure whether your drinking water contains arsenic or not, have Haferman Water Conditioning perform a free analysis of your water. Click Here to Request a Free Analysis.

Peace of Mind with Water Treatment

Have you ever seen pink water? The people of St. Michael have, as FOX9 recently reported:

In a press release sent by the city on Tuesday, officials explained that the routine maintenance includes the use of potassium permanganate to “recharge” the water filters at the plant. Potassium permanganate is a non-toxic chemical and is used every day to remove iron and manganese in the water treatment process.

While the report said potassium permanganate is non-toxic, the Material Safety Data Sheet on ScienceLab.com says the substance can have an array of health effects, including damage to lungs, kidneys, liver, skin and central nervous system.

No one should have to turn on their faucet and find their water has become pink. Luckily, our water treatment equipment can help to offset this – and other water quality issues – from occurring. Not only do our products provide you with safe, clean water, but also with the peace of mind of knowing you’re using and drinking water that has had foreign materials removed from it.

And we all deserve that.

Having water quality issues? Click here to request a free water analysis.

Water Softeners, Drinking Water Systems & More Recent Projects

It’s been a busy time for the Haferman Water Conditioning team. We’ve not only been getting ready for Christmas, but we’ve been installing water softeners, drinking water systems and more for clients all over the Twin Cities MN metro. Here’s what we’ve been working on as of late:

Commercial Installation – St Louis Park MN

This client needed both their water heater and softener replaced, and chose Haferman to install a new Kinetico water softener. We’re glad they did!

Water Softener – Edina MN

We replaced an old GE water softener with this new, state-of-the-art Kinetico system.

Water Softener – Eagan MN

One home in Eagan decided to update their water softener to a non-electric Kinetico system that provides soft, conditioned water all the time regardless of demand.

Drinking Water Supply – Prior Lake MN

We completed the rough-ins of drinking water supply lines at a new lake home being constructed. The lines were installed to the main level kitchen sink and refrigerator, and lower level bar sink (not pictured).

New Construction – Shakopee MN

We installed this Kinetico system that removes sediment, chlorine, odor and hardness for this new home construction.

Whole House System – Eden Prairie MN

This Eden Prairie home now has a Kinetico whole house sediment filter, dechlorinator and water softener.

Did we install a system in your house recently? Post photos on our Facebook page by clicking here!

Health Effects from a Water Softener

Water softeners do more than just make hard water a thing of the past: they can also help with some health issues that were heightened by hard water. Here are some of the most common health concerns that a water softener can help address, and we also address a common myth:

Skin and hair condition

Hard water makes detergents less effective, and can cause soap scum to remain on the skin, which makes it harder to wash off dirt and bacteria. Hair can become dull and hard to tend to, but a water softener restores sodium to your water supply, thereby alleviating these problems. It will allow your shampoo to scrub your hair more completely, meaning a full head of soft, shinier hair that won’t need as much conditioning.

If you live in an area where the climate is dry or there is low humidity during the winter, then you might notice your skin becoming parched and dry. While lotions offer temporary relief, bathing in soft water is a more pleasant way to treat the irritation as the irritating minerals are removed from your home’s water supply.

Eczema

Soft water will not permanently cure eczema, but can help alleviate some of the symptoms. Studies have found that installing a water softener can help to relieve itching and skin rashes, which are common symptoms of the skin condition.

Consuming softened water

There have been many reports that suggest consuming softened water is detrimental to one’s health. Despite what myths and rumors are being circulated, a water softener doesn’t generate salty-tasting water or greatly increase your sodium intake. According to the Mayo Clinic:

Hard water contains large amounts of calcium and magnesium. Some water-softening systems remove calcium and magnesium ions and replace them with sodium ions. The higher the concentration of calcium and magnesium, the more sodium needed to soften the water. Even so, the added sodium doesn’t add up to much.

However, water softening is not the same as water filtration. If you would like to know how to get the best tasting drinking water, check out our Drinking Water Systems.