Preferred Pipe Material for Chlorinated Water

[49Chevrolet]

Due to a problem with iron reducing bacteria, among other things, I am installing a Chlorinator to treat well water. My system will include a chlorinator, well pressure tank, a contact tank, a filter, a carbon filter, and a water softener.

My house is currently plumbed with galvanized pipe from the pump to the pressure tank, PEX from the pressure tank to the current water softener, and copper pipe throughout the remainder of the house.

Is there a correct pipe material (CPVC, PEX, Copper, etc) that I should be using between the pressure tank and the carbon filter, where there will be high chlorine exposure? I am mostly concerned with corrosion and chemicals leaching into my drinking water. The pH of my water is 7.0.

Thanks.

 

[Kevin Wentworth]

Due to a problem with iron reducing bacteria, among other things, I am installing a Chlorinator to treat well water. My system will include a chlorinator, well pressure tank, a contact tank, a filter, a carbon filter, and a water softener.

My house is currently plumbed with galvanized pipe from the pump to the pressure tank, PEX from the pressure tank to the current water softener, and copper pipe throughout the remainder of the house.

Is there a correct pipe material (CPVC, PEX, Copper, etc) that I should be using between the pressure tank and the carbon filter, where there will be high chlorine exposure? I am mostly concerned with corrosion and chemicals leaching into my drinking water. The pH of my water is 7.0.

Thanks.

Hello,
I am a tech/ installer for kinetico water systems.
I have come across a slough of older chlorine injection systems on pipe of all types. Today I installed one in pex but I've definitely seen pvc. Id use pex if its what you're plumbed in already, it can witstand chlorine in high doses. I use uponor brand of pex. Its higher quality than the box stores.

Also it sounds like you're going to be injecting into the plumbing rather than the well. I'd use stenner pumps as a brand. Very long lasting. I can get the model we use if you want.

For iron, I really recommend a dual tank softener. Uninterrupted 24/7 treated water, where single tank softeners will always let some through.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[49Chevrolet]

Thanks for the response Kevin. This system was actually purchased by the previous owner of a house I recently moved into, but it was never installed. It has a new pressure tank, stenner pump and tank. 120 gallon contact tank, filter with katalox light media with a Fleck 2510, a carbon filter with a fleck 2510, and a water softener with a Fleck 2510. I don't know if it was something that a professional specified or if it is something the previous owner pieced together himself.

That is correct, I will be injecting chlorine before the pressure tank and the injector will turn on/off with the well pump.

I am still trying to find information on the chlorine that I should be injecting. Does it need to be specialty sodium hypochlorite or can Clorox disinfecting bleach be used? Some information I have found says that the extra stuff in the clorox makes it not usable for water treatment.

 

[Kevin Wentworth]

We use the do

Thanks for the response Kevin. This system was actually purchased by the previous owner of a house I recently moved into, but it was never installed. It has a new pressure tank, stenner pump and tank. 120 gallon contact tank, filter with katalox light media with a Fleck 2510, a carbon filter with a fleck 2510, and a water softener with a Fleck 2510. I don't know if it was something that a professional specified or if it is something the previous owner pieced together himself.

That is correct, I will be injecting chlorine before the pressure tank and the injector will turn on/off with the well pump.

I am still trying to find information on the chlorine that I should be injecting. Does it need to be specialty sodium hypochlorite or can Clorox disinfecting bleach be used? Some information I have found says that the extra stuff in the clorox makes it not usable for water treatment.

We use store bought 8%. generally I stay away from Clorox because I've felt the same way. But I have not done research.
I never use the "concentrate" or splash free stuff.
Believe it or not, the best place we've found is the dollar store bleach. Best bang for your buck.

 

[Reach4]

We use store bought 8%. generally I stay away from Clorox because I've felt the same way. But I have not done research.
I never use the "concentrate" or splash free stuff.
Believe it or not, the best place we've found is the dollar store bleach. Best bang for your buck.

I use Aldi 8.25%. I don't think it has the polyacrylate additive. I don't expect that additive is harmful, but I would prefer not to have it in my bleach use for water treatment or well sanitizing.

https://www.clorox.com/dr-laundry/well-water-and-bleach-usage/ says

Our Clorox® Regular-Bleach actually has an added polymer, polyacrylate, which acts like a sponge to remove and hold the iron keeping it from reacting with the sodium hypochlorite.​

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/clorox-for-water-treatment-sodium-polyacrylate.73105/

I see they are talking about sodium polyacrylate. Would this be a reason to seek out a different chlorine source for water treatment? I don't see polyacrylate listed on the SDS.

https://www.clorox.com/dr-laundry/w...-might-be-most-compatible-with-clorox-bleach/ says in response to a question about sodium polyacrylate

Finally, to answer your last question, Clorox® Germicidal Bleach1 and Clorox®Regular-Bleach1 are different products that do have different formulas — taking one ingredient out is not the only change. Since our specific formulas are proprietary, I can’t be any more specific than that.​

The dollar store bleach is much weaker. I am sure of that for my area. The bottles I looked at did not even have a % number on the bottle.

 

[49Chevrolet]

Thanks for the information Reach4

. I will probably just go with whatever is stocked local.