Iron & Manganese Removal

Filtration with Greensand Media provides a one-step treatment option for Iron and Manganese Removal

Iron and manganese occur naturally in water, especially groundwater. Neither of the elements causes adverse heath effects; they are, in fact, essential to the human diet. However, water containing excessive amounts of iron and manganese can stain clothes, discolour plumbing fixtures, and sometimes add a "rusty" taste and look to the water.

The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) has established a secondary (aesthetic) standard Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for iron in drinking water of 0.3 parts per million (ppm); for manganese it is 0.05 ppm. At present, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not set health standards for either iron or manganese in drinking water, therefore, stated MCLs are not enforceable. However, a health based standard for manganese is possible. Manganese may affect neurological and muscle function in humans. The Department of Environmental Services (DES) Health Risk Assessment Program has adopted an interim health based standard for manganese of 0.84 mg/L. How iron and manganese are removed depends on the type and concentration, and this helps determine the best procedure and treatment system to use. Iron and manganese can be present in water in one of three basic forms:

dissolved, particulate and colloidal. The predominance of one form over another is dependent on the water's pH. The two most common treatment methods are removal by oxidation/filtration and adsorbing onto ion exchange resins.