Home Water Filter Could Provide Answer To Stockton's Chloramine Problem
STOCKTON (CBS13) — A solution to cleaning up Stockton's water supply could come in the form of a new water filter system.
Home-repair business J.H. Simpson Company chose two Stockton families to receive its new water filters for free.
It's an involved job, but the filter is designed to get rid of chloramines.
"I have three kids," said Sheri Valdez. "It makes me nervous to bathe them and have their clothes washed in water that's not safe."
Since January, Stocktonians have worried about the disinfectants added to the city's water supply. J.H. Simpson owner Mike Lawson started looking into filters.
"It was hard to find a water filter company online," he said.
So, he reached out to become a distributor for Aquios filters. Lawson decided to offer free filters to the first two people to call in.
"The first person called in at 12:18 a.m.," he said. "It was the same kind of story, but with different voices. It was like,' hey, my skin is red and irritated.'"
Lawson didn't have to go far to test the filtered water. Next door, Precision Enviro-Tech Laboratory ran some tests and it came back chloramine-free.
Mayor Anthony Silva thinks this idea could be on a larger scale to cover the city.
But the water treatment plant says overhauling the system to a carbon filter would shut the plant down for awhile and cost an estimated $15 million.
University of the Pacific Associate Professor Mary Kay Camarillo of the School of Engineering and computer science, does a lot of work on water. Camarillo says there are a few things consumers should consider when buying a home filter to remove chloramines.
- It is possible that a carbon filter could remove chloramines.
- However, it must be tested using the exact filter media to be used. (Removal rates vary depending on the type of carbon.)
- Testing should be done using the exact water source to be filtered.
- Testing should be done by a third party using a certified laboratory.
- Other things in the water, such as organic matter, may use up the adsorption sites on the carbon.
J.H. Simpson offers the Aquios AQFS220 water filters for $1,995.00. The price includes installation and pre and post water testing by Precision Enviro Tech Analytical Laboratory.
A second water filter is included.
The filters need to be manually changed every six months. A new filter's estimated cost is $68.
J.H. Simpson offers a 60-day money back guarantee and the Aquios filters have a 20-year warranty.
