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This guide will help homeowners decide if water treatment is necessary and, if it is, which treatment device or system is appropriate for a particular problem. It will also be a valuable reference for extension agents, regulators, and industry representatives. Homeowners on a public water system may find the information useful for improving the taste, smell, or appearance of their water or for treating contaminants that may leach from household plumbing. Included, in appendixes, are U.S. Environmental Protection Agency primary and secondary drinking water contaminants, their uses and/or sources, their possible chronic health effects, and potential treatment devices or methods for their removal. Also included are forty-one illustrations, thirty tables, a glossary, and a list of references. (1995)

Do you rely on a well, spring, pond, or other private water source for drinking water? Did you recently purchase a home that has a private water supply? Are you concerned that recurring health effects within your household may be the result of contaminants in your drinking water? Does your drinking water have an unpleasant odor or contain bothersome minerals that stain your sinks and other fixtures?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may be interested in Home Water Treatment, NRAES-48, a publication from the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES). The 120-page guide describes twenty-three of the most common home water treatment devices and methods, how they work, which contaminants they remove, and how much maintenance they require.

Home Water Treatment will help homeowners decide if water treatment is necessary and, if it is, which treatment device or system is appropriate for a particular problem. It will also be a valuable reference for extension agents, regulators, and industry representatives. Homeowners on a public water system may find the information useful for improving the taste, smell, or appearance of their water or for treating contaminants that may leach from household plumbing.

Chapter 1 provides background information about the basics of home water treatment, including common terminology, guidelines for testing water, and federal and state regulations. Chapters 2 and 3 comprise the descriptions of physical and chemical treatment devices and methods. Two appendixes list U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) primary and secondary drinking water contaminants, their uses and/or sources, their possible chronic health effects, and potential treatment devices or methods for their removal. A third appendix lists pesticide products that contain U.S. EPA drinking water contaminants, and a fourth provides conversion factors. A glossary and reference list are also included. Supplementing the text are 41 illustrations and 33 tables.

The guide was written by Linda Wagenet, Senior Extension Associate, Cornell University Center for the Environment; Karen Mancl, Professor, Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University; and Marty Sailus, Director, NRAES.

Home Water Treatment, NRAES-48, is available for $15.00 (plus shipping and handling) from NRAES, Cooperative Extension, PO Box 4557, Ithaca, New York 14852-4557. Quantity discounts are available. Shipping and handling for single copies is $4.25 within the continental United States. New York residents, add sales tax (calculated on both the cost of publications and the shipping and handling charges. Click here for more information). If ordering multiple copies or from outside the continental United States, please contact NRAES for shipping and handling rates. Orders from outside the United States must be prepaid in U.S. funds. Checks should be made payable to NRAES. All major credit cards are accepted. For information about quantity discounts or for a free publications catalog, contact NRAES by phone at (607) 255-7654, by fax at (607) 254-8770, or by e-mail at nraes@cornell.edu