Healthy Drinking Waters
for
M A S S A C H U S E T T S
Safe and healthy lives in safe and healthy communities
Aeration Treatment of
Drinking Water Supplies
Effective Against:
dissolved gases such as radon, carbon dioxide,
some taste and odor problems such as methane,
and hydrogen sulfide, as well as volatile organic
compounds, like MTBE or industrial solvents.
Aeration can be used for the precipitation and
©istockphoto.com/Lise Gagne
removal of iron and manganese. Aeration raises
the pH of water.
Not Effective Against:
heavy metals, pathogenic (disease-causing)
organisms like bacteria and viruses.
working shop. For inside the home locations,
How Aeration Works the intake should be at least a foot above the
Aeration treatment consists of passing large floor and preferably near the ceiling. If the
amounts of air through water and then vent- home is “air-tight” construction, an interior
ing the air to the outside. The air causes the intake location may result in a vacuum being
dissolved gases or volatile compounds to created within the home. This will prevent
release from the water. The goal is to allow proper venting of the heating system combus-
the contaminants to volatilize into the air. In tion gases unless a fresh air source is provided.
the case of iron and manganese, the air causes If the intake is outside the home, the in-
these minerals to precipitate out of solution. take should be high enough to avoid contami-
The water can then move through a filter to nant discharges from such activities as power
trap the iron and manganese particles. lawn mowers, leaf blowers, automobiles,
Air intakes for the aerator can be posi- boiler exhausts, and splash from roof runoff
tioned either outside or inside of the home. and garden hoses. The intake also needs to be
First, take a look around the house to identify positioned away from the waste air discharge
a clean area for locating the air intake. Avoid location on the aeration treatment system.
areas that have moisture, mold, odors or At the air intake, you can install an air filter to
airborne particles, such as dust from a wood- ensure clean air. Take steps to prevent entry
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Healthy Drinking Waters for Massachusetts
A e r a t i o n Tr e a t m e n t o f D r i n k i n g W a t e r S u p p l i e s
of animals and insects into the intake air.
Waste air from the aerator needs to be
disposed of outside the home. This air is now
moist and has a higher concentration of the
contaminant removed from the water. The
waste air discharge point should be above the
eave of the roof. Place the vent away from
windows and on the downwind side of the
prevailing wind direction. The waste air line
should include a manufactured vent cap that
prevents the entry of dust, bird droppings,
small animals, and other bacterial hazards.
Mist will carry over from the aerator into
©istockphoto.com/Alexander Hafemann
the waste air vent line and condensation
may also occur. Both the intake and waste air
line need to be sloped to allow drainage of
moisture. The waste air line connections need
to be air tight within the home to prevent
leakage of hazardous gas.
Maintenance
Regardless of the quality of the equipment the contaminants. You should continue to test
©istockphoto.com/Suprijono Suharjoto
purchased, it will not perform satisfactorily the quality of both the raw and treated water
unless maintained in accordance with the annually or more frequently (quarterly or
manufacturer’s recommendations for mainte- semi-annually) if high levels of contaminants
nance, cleaning, and part replacement. Keep are present in the raw water. Frequent testing
a logbook to record equipment maintenance will also help you determine how well your
and repairs. treatment system is working and whether
Proper, adequate ventilation is a must maintenance or replacement of components
when operating an aeration system. The tank may be necessary.
needs occasional cleaning of precipitated If there are elevated levels of dissolved
©istockphoto.com/Joe Gough
sulfur, iron sulfide, rust, and algae. A valve iron or manganese in the water, the aeration
controlled drain line to the ground surface process can cause rust and other solids to
makes flushing the storage tank, once or form, staining plumbing fixtures and clothing
twice each year, easier. unless a post-treatment filter is installed to
trap the solid forms of iron and manganese.
Other Considerations On the other hand, if the raw water coming
Ensure the system you choose is installed into the house contains elevated levels of iron
and operated according to the manufacturer’s and manganese in its solid, precipitate form,
instructions. After installation, retest both a filter may need to be installed before the
the raw water (prior to treatment) and the water enters the aeration system.
treated water at a state certified laboratory to Bacterial slime may grow in aerators,
ensure it is working properly and removing requiring continuous or periodic chlorination.
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Healthy Drinking Waters for Massachusetts
A e r a t i o n Tr e a t m e n t o f D r i n k i n g W a t e r S u p p l i e s
Chlorination may oxidize iron and cause it to Product Certification
precipitate out, requiring the need for a filter NSF International is a non-profit organization
to remove the iron particles. that sets performance standards for water
The advantage of aeration is that there treatment devices. Because companies can
is no disposal or regeneration of treatment make unsubstantiated statements regarding
©istockphoto.com/Tommy Maenhout
media necessary. This is especially important product effectiveness, the consumer must
when the contaminant being treated would evaluate test results of the device to deter-
constitute a hazardous waste disposal prob- mine if claims are realistic. Products that have
lem, such as radon. been tested or evaluated by NSF and meet
their minimum requirements are entitled to
Questions to Ask Before You Buy display the NSF listing mark on the products
Before purchasing a water treatment device, and in advertising literature for products.
have your water tested at a state certified Manufacturers and models that meet NSF’s
laboratory to determine the contaminants standard are included in a listing published
present. This will help you determine if aera- twice a year. For more information contact
tion is an effective treatment method for your NSF at: 800-NSF-MARK (800-673-6275) or
©istockphoto.com/Mike Manzano
situation. See the fact sheet Questions to Ask http://www.nsf.org/consumer/
When Purchasing Water Treatment Equipment
for more information.
Consumers should inquire about the fol-
lowing before purchasing an aeration system:
• Has the treatment system been tested and
certified by a third party to ensure that it
meets manufacturer’s claims?
• What maintenance requirements
are there?
• Are there any special installation
requirements that may add to the
equipment cost, for instance changes
to your household plumbing?
• How loud is the air blower? Will sound-
proofing be required?
• How much electricity does the blower
require? Is it energy efficient?
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Healthy Drinking Waters for Massachusetts
A e r a t i o n Tr e a t m e n t o f D r i n k i n g W a t e r S u p p l i e s
Resources
UMass Extension US Environmental Protection Agency
This fact sheet is one in a series on drinking For a complete list of primary and secondary
water wells, testing, protection, common drinking water standards:
contaminants, and home water treatment http://www.epa.gov/safewater
methods available on-line at the University
of Massachusetts website: MA Department of Conservation
http://www.umass.edu/nrec/watershed_ and Recreation, Division of Water
water_quality/watershed_online_docs.html Supply Protection
and Cape Cod Cooperative Extension: Maintains listing of registered well
508-375-6699 drillers, information on well location and
http://www.capecodextension.org construction: 617-626-1409
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/waterSupply/
MA Department of Environmental welldril/index.htm
Protection, Division of
Environmental Analysis NSF International
Offers assistance, information on testing and The NSF International has tested and certi-
state certified laboratories: 617-292-5770 fied treatment systems since 1965. For
For a listing of MassDEP certified private information on water treatment systems:
laboratories in Massachusetts: 800-NSF-MARK (800-673-6275)
http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/ http://www.nsf.org/consumer/
compliance/wespub02.htm
Water Quality Association
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The Water Quality Association is a not-for-
New England Office profit international trade association repre-
Information and education on where senting the household, commercial, indus-
drinking water comes from; drinking water trial, and small community water treatment
testing and national laws; and how to industry. For information on water quality
prevent contamination: contaminants and treatment systems:
http://www.epa.gov/ne/eco/drinkwater http://www.wqa.org
This publication is adapted from a URI fact sheet by the same name produced by the Rhode Island Department of Health
and the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension Water Quality Program.
UMass Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer, United States Department of Agriculture cooperating.
Contact your local Extension office for information on disability accommodations or the UMass Extension Director if you
have complaints related to discrimination, 413-545-4800.
This project was funded, in part, by a grant from US EPA.
This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2004-51130-03108.
06/01/07
