Rick Andrew
- Principal Consultant, Rick Andrew Consulting Services
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Articles by Rick Andrew
Marketing
How your water quality dealership can compete against the big brand names
Parting Thoughts
By Rick Andrew As I prepare for my retirement at the end of September after more than 24 years with NSF, I can’t help but think back on the evolution of the NSF/ANSI Drinking Water Treatment Unit (DWTU) Standards since this Water Matters column debuted in 2003. On one hand, it is difficult to believe that 20 years have passed. On the other hand, when I consider the development of the standards in that time, I am amazed that it all occurred within two decades.
Product Literature Requirements for Drinking-Water Treatment Units
By Rick Andrew The NSF/ANSI Drinking Water Treatment Unit Standards include testing-based evaluations for several characteristics of point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) water-treatment systems, including the safety of the materials in contact with drinking water, structural integrity, and reduction of contaminants.
Product Testing & Certification
PVC pipes, particularly those used in our water systems and referenced in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, have been a hot topic over the past year. As an industry, we know ...
Testing Activated Carbon Systems for Total PFAS Reduction
By Rick Andrew In 2019, NSF/ANSI 53 was updated to include requirements for reduction of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Since then, work has been ongoing to expand the scope of PFAS reduction claims under the standard. As a result, NSF/ANSI 53 has been updated to include requirements for the reduction of total PFAS.
Water Softener Evaluation Under NSF/ANSI 44
By Rick Andrew The point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) water treatment industry considers water softeners to be a key element of its overall water solutions portfolio because of the value they provide for end-users with hard water. In many areas of North America and beyond, hard water is common, especially in certain regions such as the Great Lakes region.
Standards for Post-Mix Beverage Water Filtration Systems
By Rick Andrew Post-mix beverage applications present an interesting and special situation in the world of water treatment. Post-mix treatment involves water that is blended with carbon dioxide (CO2) and concentrated beverage syrup to produce soft drinks at the point of use. This locally available water may have characteristics that could negatively impact the color, clarity, odor, and taste of the soft drink, which then becomes a problem for consumers, restaurants, and soft drink companies.
Evaluating the Capacity of Residential Water Softeners
By Rick Andrew “Softening capacity” is a widely discussed term related to residential water softeners, especially in the realm of marketing and advertising. Many of us are familiar with the advertising of softeners that include descriptions such as “30,000-grain softener” or “40,000-grain softener.” People with some understanding of these terms generally know, or at least assume, that a 40,000-grain softener is bigger than a 30,000-grain softener.
Standards for Membrane Filtration Technologies
By Rick Andrew The standards for filtration systems are structured based on the technology and end use of the product being evaluated. Likewise, the standards requirements are developed based on the capabilities, operating mode, and limitations of these technologies and their associated end uses. An excellent example of this structure can be seen in membrane filtration technologies.
Evaluation of Arsenic Reduction in Active Media POU Systems
By Rick Andrew Arsenic is a well-known and widely encountered naturally occurring contaminant in groundwater. For over 20 years, the EPA has promulgated a value of 10 μg/L as a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic. This MCL has been enforced since January 23, 2006. Over the last 15 years since the MCL for arsenic was lowered to 10 μg/L, many communities have been working to improve their water treatment capabilities to meet the requirement.
Evaluation of POU and POE UV Systems under NSF/ANSI 55
By Rick Andrew Systems using ultraviolet (UV) technology based on a low pressure mercury source have been well established for use in POU and POE drinking water treatment. With sufficient UV radiation energy at the 254 nm wavelength, DNA in pathogenic microorganisms is destroyed so they cannot reproduce, which prevents them from causing disease in people drinking the water.
Manganese Reduction Considerations
By Rick Andrew Manganese has long been recognized as an aesthetic drinking water contaminant due to its potential for black staining—including fixtures and laundry—and its bitter metallic taste. USEPA has recognized this issue by establishing a Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) in drinking water. This aesthetic contaminant status and SMCL have in turn been reflected in requirements for contaminant reduction for manganese being established in NSF/ANSI 42.
Total Organic Carbon in Organic Contaminant Reduction Test Water
By Rick Andrew The contaminant reduction test methods in the NSF/ANSI Drinking Water Treatment Unit (DWTU) Standards are carefully and scientifically crafted to provide robust assurances that products tested in accordance with these standards will work effectively under most real-world scenarios.
Formalizing the Approach to Testing Scaled-Down POE Systems for Contaminant
By Rick Andrew The NSF/ANSI Drinking Water Treatment Units (DWTU) Standards include requirements for both point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) water treatment systems. However, other than water softeners under NSF/ANSI 44, most of the evaluation and certification work conducted by the various certification bodies has centered around POU systems. There have not been nearly as many third-party certifications of POE systems as POU systems.
Contaminant Reduction Test End Points and the NSF/ANSI DWTU Standards
By Rick Andrew An important consideration when testing a water treatment system for effectiveness in reducing contaminants is the end point of the test. Consider a test that covers only initial system performance.
01.21.22 -- Digital Protection: Lessons From 2021 For A More Secure 2022
Get the best of Water Online delivered straight to your Inbox! sign me up Newsletter | January 21, 2022 View web version here. Selected Editorial From The Latest Water Innovations: Digital Protection: Lessons From 2021 For A More Secure 2022 (And Beyond) By Rick Andrew While the water industry continues to embrace the benefits of automation and digitalization, it is equally important to be cognizant and resistant to the inherent risks.
Digital Protection: Lessons From 2021 For A More Secure 2022 (And Beyond)
By Rick Andrew While the water industry continues to embrace the benefits of automation and digitalization, it is equally important to be cognizant and resistant to the inherent risks. 2021 was a growing year for most of us as we adapted and remained flexible through the ever-changing pandemic. As a global community, we have taken the obstacles from the past couple of years and have used them as learning tools to move forward with awareness and courage.
Flooding's Impact on Public Water Supplies, Sanitation
There is an old saying that goes “there is nothing new under the sun” – and this certainly applies to the negative effects floods from extreme weather can have on access to clean and safe water. Almost a century ago, President Calvin Coolidge and then Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover faced one of the biggest challenges in their political careers.
Nitrosamine Reduction Testing for Water Filters
By Rick Andrew Nitrosamines are a class of chemicals that can be formed in drinking water as a result of the use of chloramine as a disinfectant. According to US EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (2002), some of these compounds can have significant toxicity. Considering the potential risks related to nitrosamine formation in drinking water, US EPA included several nitrosamine compounds in its Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR-2).
Extreme Weather, Droughts, And The Impact On Our Water Supply
By Rick Andrew Drinking water is obviously affected by the persistent drought plaguing the U.S. — but not just in terms of its supply. Learn the other effects, including degraded water quality, and how to combat them. Climate change and human-induced droughts are wreaking havoc on life as we know it. Droughts are prolonged periods of dry weather caused by a lack of precipitation, resulting in extreme water shortages for activities, populations, and ecological systems.
Evaluation of Concrete Site Mixes
By Rick Andrew Most US states have regulations in place that require materials in contact with drinking water in the distribution system to conform to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61. These regulations typically have a broad scope, including essentially all materials from source to tap. POU and POE treatment systems are among very few exceptions because they are covered by the NSF/ANSI Drinking Water Treatment Unit standards.
Log-Reduction Requirements for LED UV Systems Under NSF/ANSI 55
By Rick Andrew Ultraviolet (UV) water treatment systems use UV energy to break bonds in the DNA of microorganisms, which prevents them from reproducing and causing infection. Over the years, a number of research studies have been conducted to establish the energy, or UV dose, required for UV disinfection to be effective on many waterborne pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and cysts.
Extraction Testing of Powdered Materials
By Rick Andrew Certain media and other materials used in the manufacturing of water treatment equipment may exist in powdered form prior to being incorporated into their final form for POU/POE water treatment. As such, manufacturers of these powdered materials are interested in establishing conformance of their products to the material safety requirements NSF/ANSI Drinking Water Treatment Unit (DWTU) standards by conducting extraction testing on them.
NSF/ANSI 44 Requirements for Water Softeners
By Rick Andrew Water softeners are an important part of the POU/POE industry because of the value they provide for end users with hard water, which is relatively common in many areas of North America and beyond. They are also complex pieces of equipment, designed and constructed to provide years of reliable and efficient service.
NSF/ANSI Standards for Ion Exchange
By Rick Andrew Ion exchange has long been one of the important tools in the water treatment toolbox. Recognizing its significance in the industry, a number of NSF/ANSI standards address ion exchange in various ways, depending on the end use and the particular standard involved.
February Archives - WCP Online
Monday, February 15th, 2021 Water, Inc.’s Acuva Eco NX-SILVER Water Purification System is available now for the entire US through Water, Inc.’s dedicated network of 2,500 dealers and distributors. It features the company’s patented UV-LED IntenseBeam™ Technology, which eliminates up to 99.9999 percent of bacteria and viruses and provides clean drinking water instantly at the point of consumption.
Standards for Membrane Filter Cartridges
By Rick Andrew Membrane filter cartridges are a familiar water treatment technology. They are widely employed for reduction of particulate contaminants in drinking water, potentially including microbiological contaminants. Because of their wide application, a number of different NSF/ANSI standards address membrane filter cartridges or systems using membrane filter cartridges. Cartridges versus systems A filter cartridge by itself cannot perform filtration.
NSF/ANSI Standards for Onsite Wastewater Equipment
By Rick Andrew Onsite wastewater technology varies across a broad spectrum, from simple septic tanks to much more sophisticated advanced treatment systems. Effective operation of these advanced treatment systems is very important because they are typically deployed in sensitive environments, such as near rivers and other bodies of water that could be negatively impacted by untreated wastewater discharge.
December Archives - WCP Online
Tuesday, December 15th, 2020 Watts introduces recent improvements to its plumbing project specification tool SpecHUB™, enabling engineers, architects, designers and specifiers to quickly specify plumbing and flow control, water quality and drainage products according to local building codes. Professionals can quickly find the Watts equivalent of another manufacturer’s product with a new cross-reference tool and easily create new projects by copying master spec templates.
POU RO Systems and Arsenic Reduction
By Rick Andrew One of the technologies commonly employed to help reduce arsenic levels in drinking water, particularly for those people who have private wells that are impacted by naturally occurring arsenic, is reverse osmosis. Because arsenic does occur naturally in groundwater, it is a relatively common issue that homeowners with wells can face.
November Archives - WCP Online
Sunday, November 15th, 2020 Internal Pipe Technologies’ Aquapea, now available in North America, is a free-swimming, efficient method of non-intrusive, in-line pipe repair that bonds to all pipe materials. The patented polymer-based technology is comprised of a specially formulated polymer material that, when mixed, starts a curing process; at its core is a polypropylene flotation and plugging methodology.
Requirements for the UK Market
By Rick Andrew The UK has established regulations, requirements and testing of water supply fittings since the 1980s. For the purposes of these regulations and requirements, fittings means any product or assembly including valves, connections, POU or POE products, etc. These requirements were significantly updated in the form of the UK water supply regulations of 1999.
Selecting water filters for businesses
When selecting water filters for buildings or businesses, some contaminants of concern likely come to mind first — such as lead, arsenic or fluoride; but other contaminants are also worth considering when looking for the right filter. Over the last several years, two specific subsets of emerging contaminants have appeared on news channels as their effects become clearer as data is collected: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microcystin.
Standards for Treatment Technologies Used with POU Water Coolers
By Rick Andrew Certain POU water treatment technologies are designed for use with POU water coolers. When used with coolers, these technologies are treating potable water supplies to help address concerns with taste, odor, appearance or specific contaminants that may be present in the water. Use of this treatment with POU water coolers can add value to the cooler and enhance the experience for end users who drink water from the coolers.
Developing a New Contaminant Reduction Claim under NSF/ANSI 53
By Rick Andrew One of the questions that I am asked from time to time is why there are requirements for claims of reduction of certain contaminants included in the NSF/ANSI DWTU Standards, whereas other contaminants do not have those requirements. This is a simple question with a complex answer that has several possible reasons associated with it. One of the main reasons why certain contaminants are included is because of market demand.
September Archives - WCP Online
Tuesday, September 15th, 2020 Blue White Industries’ CD1 Dual Diaphragm Pump with Hyperlink Drive Technology pumps chemicals continuously, is self-priming, will not vapor lock and is engineered for zero maintenance, including the patented, ultra-durable diaphragm, DiaFlex®. The exclusive, single-layer diaphragm has been designed to last the life of the pump. The energy-efficient, brushless, DC variable-speed motor helps achieve a large turn-down ratio for extreme accuracy.
June Archives - WCP Online
Monday, June 15th, 2020 Goulds Water Technology, a Xylem brand, introduces its e-HME and e-SVE pumps with integrated and variable-speed control and intelligence. These easy-to-install systems combine a state-of-the-art hydraulic pump with permanent magnet-motor technology and a variable-speed drive to provide up to 70-percent energy savings in residential and agricultural applications.
August Archives - WCP Online
Saturday, August 15th, 2020 Clack Corporation introduces the two-inch Plastic Inline Flow Meter, an economical, glass-filled, composite unit that offers many advantages. It is non-corrosive and has union-style adapters that have a small range of motion to assist with installation and to account for flex during operation. The meter has service flow ranges from 1.5 gpm to 150 gpm (5.67 to 567.81 L/m) and its accuracy is rated at +/- 5 percent.
Standards for POU Activated Carbon Systems
By Rick Andrew There are a wide variety of POU systems that utilize activated carbon in granular form or in carbon block form, either as the primary treatment technology in the system or as a secondary technology, such as a postfilter to a POU RO system. Considering the widespread use of activated carbon for POU systems, it only stands to reason that there are well established NSF/ANSI standards addressing POU activated carbon systems.
NSF/ANSI 55 for UV Systems Including LED UVC
By Rick Andrew NSF/ANSI 55 Ultraviolet Microbiological Water Treatment Systems was first adopted as an American National Standard almost 20 years ago in May, 1991. At that time (and for years afterward), the dominant technology for POU and POE UV systems was low-pressure, mercury lamp systems. So not surprisingly, NSF/ANSI 55 was written specifically to address effective and rigorous evaluation of low-pressure, mercury lamp systems.
May Archives - WCP Online
Friday, May 15th, 2020 CETCO announces the launch of FLUORO-SORB® adsorbent, a proprietary, NSF/ANSI 61-certified product that effectively treats multiple variants of PFAS. It binds the entire spectrum of PFAS (including PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS and PFNA) efficiently and in a wide variety of removal and remediation processes.
RO Systems and Lead Reduction
Posted: Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 in 2020, April, Columns, Industry, Product Testing/Certification, Rick Andrew, Writer By Rick Andrew In January, this column reported on an update to the requirements in NSF/ANSI 53 for the lead reduction claim. Essentially, the Joint Committee on Drinking Water Treatment Units revised the pass/fail criteria for lead reduction from 10 μg/L to five μg/L in the effluent (filtered) water.
April Archives - WCP Online
Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 Puronics Water Systems, Inc. introduces its line of residential solar-powered systems. The new power option allows homeowners to choose a greener method for water treatment and not worry about power outages. The solar-powered feature is available on any unit using an iGen® control valve, including Bacteriostatic and Chlorostatic® water softener and filter systems.
Water Softeners – It’s All in the Family - WCP Online
By Rick Andrew Many of us are familiar with the concept of product families. This idea runs across many industries and product types and has common themes. Small-, medium- and large-size versions of a product is one example of how a product family can be developed and is probably the most common. This concept could apply to cookware, automobile tires, refrigerators, mattresses and more. The idea also could (and does) carry over to water softeners.
Testing Anion Exchange Systems for PFOA and PFOS Reduction
By Rick Andrew One of the technologies used to treat PFAS in water is anion exchange. Recognizing the relevance and importance of this technology in combating the growing occurrence and detection of PFAS in water, the NSF Joint Committee on Drinking Water Treatment Units looked to develop a robust, repeatable and reproducible test method for testing reduction of two specific PFAS compounds: perfluorocctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroctane sulfonate (PFOS) in drinking water.
Upcoming Adjustment to Lead Reduction Requirement under NSF/ANSI 53
Posted: Wednesday, January 15th, 2020 in 2020, Columns, Industry, January, Product Testing/Certification, Rick Andrew, Writer By Rick Andrew Lead in drinking water continues to be a major concern for the general public, especially those served by public water supplies with aging infrastructure.
January Archives - WCP Online
Wednesday, January 15th, 2020 By Kurt C. Peterson, Publisher As I write this, it’s still 2019 and we’re getting ready to close out the year and begin anew. A business can only survive if it is dynamic and willing to make changes when necessary. You probably have already heard about the Vision 20/20 theme of the 2020 WQA Annual Convention & Exposition to be held April 1-3 in Orlando, FL.
LED UV Systems and NSF/ANSI 55 Update
By Rick Andrew In May, this column discussed the fact that historically, NSF/ANSI 55 was limited in scope to POU and POE UV systems using low-pressure mercury UV sources. It described progress regarding updating that standard to include requirements for UV systems with UV sources other than low-pressure mercury lamps, most notably LED UV systems.
Testing Mechanical Water Filtration Systems for Microbial Reduction in Healthcare Settings
By Rick Andrew Healthcare facilities have increased focus on infection prevention in recent years. Many of their patients are immunocompromised and therefore more susceptible to infection, so this increased focus can have a significant impact on public-health outcomes. One of the major sources of infection is waterborne pathogens such as Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
PFAS Update - WCP Online
By Rick Andrew PFAS, which as many of us have learned is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, continues to be a major topic in the news media and in industry discussions. PFAS compounds are man-made chemicals that are highly persistent and slow to degrade in the environment. They are considered to be emerging contaminants by US EPA. The two most common of them are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).
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