by Anonymous
(Tempe, AZ)
HELP: I Ozonated the tap water. Chlorine taste is gone but there is a nasty tasting chemical taste after the ozone smell is gone.
Are there chemicals that Ozone will not remove?
If so, I need to learn what they are and if there is any treatment that will remove this.
Years ago in another state; I used ozone and drank the water and found it refreshing.
If there is a way to rid the water of the chemical taste, please advise. Thanks
Thirsty in Tempe, AZ
RESPONSE:
It's hard to say which chemicals (if any) are not being removed by your ozonator. All the technical information I've read about the effectiveness of ozone for water treatment basically says it "depends on temperature and pH of the water, the grade and type of ozonator, etc."
You can see a partial list of some chemicals removed on pages 21-23 of this draft EPA document: Ozone in Drinking Water Treatment
However, since this overview is more for municipal ozone water treatment, you most likely would get more specific information by contacting the manufacturer of the ozone machine you purchased to find out if they have any specific testing results for chemical removal.
I believe ozone is effective for destroying organic contaminants (bacteria, virus, etc.) but not as effective as multi-stage water filters for removing various chemicals, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, etc.
I don't believe you are going to get the same degree of filtration with city water using just ozonation.
You might want to get a copy of your annual water quality report so you know exactly what's in your source water.
You can check out the EPA site here to see if your Consumer Confidence Report (water quality report) is listed.
When you know what's in your water, then you can determine which type of filtration you will need to get rid of whatever the ozone is not removing.
Return to Ozonated Drinking Water Debate.
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