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Fact Sheet
August 2005
Whole House Water Treatment Systems, Anytown, USA
INTRODUCTION
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established this fact sheet as a quick reference to individuals receiving a Whole House Water Treatment System.
The whole house water treatment systems are being used to ensure any volatile organic contaminants and sedimentation reaching your well is reduced to a safe level. Each system contains a carbon cartridge and a sediment cartridge. The purpose of the cartridges is to reduce:
• Unwanted tastes and odors, including chlorine
• Organic Contaminants
• Sediments
• Other suspended particles
Whole House Treatment Guide
The water treatment systems should be properly maintained to make sure contaminants and sedimentation are being filtered out of drinking water. The carbon filter should be changed every six months, and the sediment filter should be changed every three months or as often as needed depending on the individual well and when an unacceptable pressure drop occurs due to clogging of the sediment filter. It is important to install the filters correctly. The carbon filter works by water flowing around the outside of the filter into the slots that are visible around the bottom of the gasket, and then through the opening at the top as shown on the picture of the top gasket.
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The carbon and sediment filters are placed in the cartridge housings
with the two rings on the 
bottom
of each housing to help center the cartridge and keep it in place. There
are also guides molded into the top of the casing to help keep the cartridge
centered. It is important that the O-Ring gaskets that sit in a groove
at the bottom of each casing are clean and in place when the bottom part
of the casing is screwed into the cap. EPA will provide an extra set of
O-Rings in case replacement is necessary.
The plumbing contractor will install valves before and after the cartridge so that the water coming into the system can be shut off and also prevent the system from draining the water in the house plumbing. The plumbing contractor will show each resident the proper procedure to change the filters.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you have questions, or need additional information, please contact:
Belinda Young
Office of External Programs
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
913-551-7003
1-800-223-0425
young.belinda@epa.gov
Or
Paul Doherty
Superfund Program
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
913-551-7003
1-800-223-0425
doherty.paul@epa.gov
