Case Study: Pure, Safe Drinking Water Restored in a Lorca Country Home

Ruwa Reverse Osmosis water filter

We had an email from a homeowner in Lorca with a private water supply to his house in the campo. The gentleman was struggling with extreme limescale build-up - so bad that he had replaced his kettle three times in the past year. Limescale was affecting taps, appliances and showers.

In a sure sign that the water quality in his area was poor, even the gentleman’s dogs refused to drink the tap water. The water was being drawn from an unknown source via a 35mm underground poly pipe and a secondary 15mm copper connection to the house.

We carried out a 24-point comprehensive water test and discovered that the tap water had a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) level of 2968 ppm (parts per million) - almost double the safe limit for drinking water (1600 ppm). The calcium and magnesium carbonate levels exceeded the maximum of 1000 mg/l limit of the test equipment, but even at the top limit readable by our equipment, the level was twice the safe limit of 500 mg/l and had a Langelier Index of 0.7 (safe level is 0.5), demonstrating that the water had corrosive properties.

Our testing also found that the level of sulphate was 280 ppm (safe level is 250 ppm), and carbonate at 250 ppm (safe limit is 100 ppm). It also had traces of bromine, nitrates and iron that were a little below safety levels.

This was some of the most contaminated water we had tested and it was no wonder to us that the dogs turned their noses up at it!

Our Solution

To solve the customer’s issues with limescale and contaminated water, we designed a system that combined a whole house water filtration system with a dedicated reverse osmosis drinking water filter.:

Sediment Pre-filter and Kinetico water softener

Sediment Pre-filter: A 10” 20-micron filter to capture solids before they reach the home’s plumbing.

Kinetico Premier Compact Water Softener: Our non-electric water softener to remove calcium and magnesium carbonate, protecting all water using appliances and taps in the house.

RUWA Reverse Osmosis Water Filter: Fitted under the kitchen sink to deliver pure, safe drinking water.

Foldable Three-way Black Tap: To complement the customer’s kitchen design and allow him to open his windows by folding it flat.

Installation

We installed the sediment prefilter and the Kinetico water softener neatly in the customer’s outside sink, close to the incoming water supply using 15mm copper fittings and stainless steel flexible hoses for reliability and easy maintenance.

The RUWA Reverse Osmosis water filter was fitted inside a kitchen cupboard under the sink, feeding the new three-way tap. Water pressure throughout the house remained strong with the new installation, which blended seamlessly into the existing layout.

Results

The transformation of the customer’s water was immediate and dramatic. Our water tests immediately after installation showed:

• TDS reduced from 2968 ppm to 250 ppm - a 91.58% improvement in the amount of total dissolved solids. 

• Calcium and magnesium carbonate reduced from 1000+ mg/l to 120 mg/l - a minimum of 88% reduction in limescale forming minerals.

• Water flow maintained at 1.8 litres/minute at the filtered drinking water tap.

These reductions will improve over time as the filtration settles in and builds up its capabilities.

So the house went from a highly contaminated drinking supply to crystal-clear, great-tasting water that even the dogs are lapping up happily, and a customer whose peace of mind about his water was well and truly restored.