green algae in pex pipes

[Master Plumber Mark]

just went to someones house today and they showed me some clear pex lines that were turning green within
and I was wondering what is the best way to deal with this situation??

They are on city water with a water softener,, and I figure its because of the incomming light from the glass block windows
but what is the best way to clear thisup?????

 

[Reach4]

I would try to sanitize with a bleach solution, and a utility pump to promote flow. But why was the city chlorine/chloramine not sufficient? You might check the residual from the city.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Sylvan]

This may help

The NYC Plumbing Code mandates that rooftop drinking water storage tanks be drained, cleaned, and sanitized at least once annually. If unsafe conditions are found, the tank must be emptied, cleaned, and disinfected following technical specifications within the city codes. [1, 2]

Standard Tank Cleaning Procedure
The NYC Plumbing Code establishes this step-by-step procedure for tank disinfection and cleaning: [1]

1. Drain and Clean: Completely drain the tank. Clean the underside, top, bottom, and walls using a hypochlorite solution containing 100 or more parts per million (ppm) of available chlorine.
2. First Disinfection: Refill the tank with water and a hypochlorite solution to bring the treated water to a level of 10 ppm.
3. Contact Time: Let this treated water sit in the tank for two hours.
4. Final Flush: Drain the tank again and refill it with fresh, clean water. [1]

Compliance & Reporting
While the Plumbing Code does not require official paperwork to be filed with the Department of Buildings for the annual cleaning, the NYC Health Code does require a written report for the tank inspection. Building owners must keep these inspection and cleaning results on file for at least five years and make them available to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene within five days upon request. [1, 2, 3]

Who Can Perform the Work?
Inspections and cleanings must be performed by an NYC Licensed Plumber or a qualified individual who is in the business of cleaning and inspecting roof tanks, provided they have a proper permit from the commissioner. [1]

 

[Reach4]

I just was thinking... that house probably has a carbon tank before the softener. And that removes the chlorine/chloromine, increasing resin life, plus making the water nicer.

Putting that carbon in bypass for a while might be enough to kill some stuff.

Thinking about that, it seems to me that they might want to sanitize all of the plumbing, as you might do if you have a well. If you kill off all of the microorganisms with strong disinfection, then the city treatment should keep new stuff from coming in.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my well sanitizing write-up, but it has some thoughts that could be useful for a deep sanitizing of internal piping, including dropping and measuring the pH of the recirculating water, and measuring the chlorine. One problem is that my procedure is not very time-efficient.

With a sewer, it is going to be easier in that you don't have the problem of where to put the used solution as you do with a well and septic.

 

[Jeff H Young]

pretty easy to cut it out shouldnt it be trash anyway sitting in the sun ? rip rip zip zip protect it from sunlight would be the best way i think .

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

I just was thinking... that house probably has a carbon tank before the softener. And that removes the chlorine/chloromine, increasing resin life, plus making the water nicer.

Putting that carbon in bypass for a while might be enough to kill some stuff.

Thinking about that, it seems to me that they might want to sanitize all of the plumbing, as you might do if you have a well. If you kill off all of the microorganisms with strong disinfection, then the city treatment should keep new stuff from coming in.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my well sanitizing write-up, but it has some thoughts that could be useful for a deep sanitizing of internal piping, including dropping and measuring the pH of the recirculating water, and measuring the chlorine. One problem is that my procedure is not very time-efficient.

With a sewer, it is going to be easier in that you don't have the problem of where to put the used solution as you do with a well and septic.

It has no carbon filter and is getting chlorinated water through the water softener...