Water is essential to life. But how much should we drink each day to stay healthy?

And does it have to be water, or do other fluids count? What happens if we don't get enough - or too much?

In this report, we explain how much water we need daily, list good food sources of water, and tell you how to look out for signs of dehydration.

Why we need water

Your body consists mainly of water - about 70 percent of your total body weight is water. Women typically have lower average body-water content than men because they tend to have more body fat, which contains less water than muscle tissue. It's possible to survive for more than 50 days without eating, but you can live only a few days without water.

Water is vital to all sorts of bodily functions. One key fluid - your blood - helps transport essential nutrients and oxygen around your body. Other fluids act as lubricants for joints and eyes, help you swallow, act as cushions for your nervous system, and help with waste disposal. And water serves to regulate your body temperature - you sweat when you get too hot.

There are other ways in which water contributes to good health.

• It maintains the health of your kidneys by helping flush toxins and body waste through them.
  
  
• It reduces the risk of stones in your urinary tract (kidney stones or bladder stones).
  
  
• Some research has suggested drinking plenty of fluid (particularly plain water) may reduce the risk of cancers of the colon and urinary tract (including kidneys and bladder) and breast cancer. However, it's too early for definitive conclusions to be drawn.
  
  
• It's thought drinking more water (but not fatty or sugary drinks) could help prevent childhood and adolescent obesity, partly because it creates a feeling of fullness and also because we can sometimes mistake feeling thirsty for feeling hungry.

How much?

Your body continually loses water through urine and faeces, through your skin, and from your lungs when you breathe out. So you need to top up your water levels regularly by drinking enough to replace what's lost.

Without perspiration, the normal daily turnover of water in adults is about four percent of body weight, which is 2.8L for a 70kg person. However, the amount of fluid lost will vary from person to person because we're all different - it will depend on your metabolism, your state of health, your diet and how much exercise you do.

According to the Ministry of Health, the average man needs about 3L of water each day; for women it's about 2.2L. Allowing that about one third comes from food, dietitians recommend the average adult drinks at least eight glasses (2L) of fluid per day - more during hot weather and physical activity.

You don't need to drink glass after glass of plain water. There are several other sources of water in your diet. But plenty of water is recommended. Apart from anything else, it's best for quenching your thirst, is cheap (or free) and contains no calories.

Drink more water if any of the following applies:

• You're exposed to high temperatures.
  
  
• You're carrying out strenuous work or physical activity.
  
  
• You're exposed to air conditioning or heating for long stints.
  
  
• You're pregnant or breastfeeding.
  
  
• You've got a fever or diarrhoea, or have been vomiting

Not getting enough?

A whole range of body processes work to keep your fluid levels relatively stable - the thirst mechanism and kidney function are just two. Generally, your total body fluid levels vary by less than one percent, regardless of fluctuations in what you drink. But there are dangers if you persistently drink too little.

It takes only small changes in your overall fluid levels to destabilise your system and bring about the symptoms of dehydration - as little as one to two percent of your body weight can do it. If you were 20 percent dehydrated or more, you'd die.

Early signs of dehydration include headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, flushed skin, heat intolerance, light-headedness, dry mouth and eyes, a burning sensation in the stomach and dark urine with a strong odour.

If dehydration becomes more advanced, you may get symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, clumsiness, shrivelled skin, sunken eyes and dim vision, painful urination, numb skin, muscle spasms and delirium.

Of course, long before these things start happening a powerful thirst should kick in. Your kidneys are also super-efficient at regulating water - if things get desperate, you'll probably stop urinating.

If you're not sure whether you're getting enough water, a simple check is to keep an eye on the colour of your urine. It will be yellow first thing in the morning, but should become paler by mid-morning. If it doesn't, you're not drinking enough.

Don't wait till you get thirsty to drink. Thirst is actually an emergency response. You don't become thirsty until you're already dehydrated. The typical symptoms, such as a horrible taste, dry throat and cravings for cool wet liquid, are physiological responses your body uses to signal its dehydration.

Too much water

It's possible to drink too much water. Your body's fluid balance can be dangerously upset if you drink more water than your kidneys can excrete. Your body cells swell, and you may feel drowsy and weak and suffer convulsions.

You'd need to drink more than six litres over a short period for this to be a danger, and you'd probably make yourself sick in the process. But it does happen. Several people have died from drinking too much water after taking the recreational drug ecstasy.

Exercising

When you're losing water rapidly, as you do when carrying out strenuous physical activity, you could already be dangerously dehydrated by the time your thirst mechanism kicks in.

A water loss of one percent of body weight can impair physical and sporting performance during exercise, while a loss of three to five percent can diminish performance by around 20 percent. Apart from making you feel light-headed and nauseous, dehydration also increases muscle glycogen use - so you get tired faster.

Experts say you should:

• Hydrate yourself two hours before exercising by drinking 400 to 600mL. This allows time for adequate hydration and excretion of excess water.
  
  
• Drink sufficient fluid during exercise to prevent dehydration from exceeding two percent of your body weight. Small amounts (150 to 300mL) every 15 to 20 minutes should do the trick.
  
  
• Weigh yourself before and after exercise, and make up the weight loss in water.
  
  
• For exercise that lasts less than 90 minutes, plain water is fine. For longer periods of exercise, a sports drink with added glucose and electrolytes may be beneficial.

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/by+unid/9912B8916D56A5CCCC257272006D3127?Open

This "How to install a water filter video" can be viewed directly on YouTube.

O2 Spa Filters

Xenon, Cerium, Mercury, Palladium, Spectrum, Nitro, Iridium, Colbalt, Neon.

Aqua Dynamics also stocks replacement filter cartridges for most of the BBQ Factory Spas they no longer sell, including:

Leisurerite Spa Filters

Aqua Dynamics stocks replacement filter cartridges for the Capri, Omega deluxe, Aztec Capri, Gem Deluxe, Gem Entertainer, Opal Deluxe, Sangria Deluxe, Sahara Deluxe, Elite Octagon, Sahara Premier, Cosmopolitan, Supreme Deluxe, Venetian Deluxe, Supreme Premier, Oasis.

Our replacement codes include. Leisurerite C50(LR50). Spa-Quip Series 1000 C50(SQ501). Leisurerite 2000(LR2000). Spa-Quip Series 1000 C40(SQ401). Spa-Quip SQ50(SQ50). Spa-Quip SQ100(SQ100). Leisurerite C100(LR100).

Monarch Spa Filters

Aqua Dynamics stocks replacement filter cartridges for the Grand Duke Spa, Marquis Spa, Royale Spa,Crown Spa, Sultan Spa, Contessa Spa, Jubilee Hot Tub, Sire Hot Tub, Earl Hot Tub. These all use either a single or pair of Monarch Skim filter cartridges (MS50).

Signature Spa Filters

Aqua Dynamics stocks replacement filter cartridges for Platinum Eden, Platinum Mirage, Platinum Eclipse, Platinum Niagara, Platinum Cabriolet, Platinum Cadillac, Platinum Arizona, Generation IV Miami, Generation IV Millenium, Generation IV Big Sir, also Infinity Swim Spas - Platinum Aquazone, V-Stream Series 1, V-Stream Series 2, V-Stream Series 3. All spas use either (or a combination of) Signature 50 skim (SG50), Signature 25 skim (SG25), Bullfrog XMF50BF (SG50B), Bullfrog XMF25BF (SG25B).

Bullfrog Spa Filters

Aqua Dynamics stocks replacement filter cartridges for Bullfrog 251, Bullfrog 331, Bullfrog 362, Bullfrog 451, Bullfrog 552, Bullfrog 562, Bullfrog 662, Bullfrog 662, Bullfrog 682, Bullfrog 454 Swim Spa. All spas use either (or a combination of) Signature 50 skim (SG50), Signature 25 skim (SG25), Bullfrog XMF50BF (SG50B), Bullfrog XMF25BF (SG25B).

Designer Spa Filters

Entertainer, X-Stream, Cascade, Colorado, Milan, Tasman, Azure, Lagoon, Atlantic, Titan, Trinity, Regatta, Riviera. All spas use either (or a combination of) Signature 50 skim (SG50), Signature 25 skim (SG25), Bullfrog XMF50BF (SG50B), Bullfrog XMF25BF (SG25B).

Cyclone Spa Filters

Zephyr, Tempest Sports, Twister Sports, Tempest, Storm, Whirlwind, Tornado Sports, Typhoon, Hurricane, Tornado. All spas use either (or a combination of) Signature 50 skim (SG50), Signature 25 skim (SG25), Bullfrog XMF50BF (SG50B), Bullfrog XMF25BF (SG25B).

Rotaform Spa Filters

Aqua Dynamics stocks replacement filter cartridges for the Forme Leisure Spa and Forme Leisure Hot Tubs.

Trueform Spa Filters

Aqua Dynamics stocks replacement filter cartridges for the Extreme, Family Deluxe, Hydromax, Malibu, Miami, Milan, Milan Deluxe, Pacific, Patio, Relaxer, Tasman, Wairakei.

Plus all Kiwi Spas and Kent Hot Tubs and models.

Why Purified Water?

Some people wonder why they should use distilled water for their cleaning needs. Many have suggested that because you’re just using it to wash clothes or scrub floors, any water will do the trick. The truth, however, is that it’s not necessarily a good idea to use water that comes straight out of your faucet for cleaning purposes, especially if you make use of well water. Water that comes from a well may be unsafe to drink and to use. In just the blink of an eye the water can become microbiologically unsafe for humans, due, mainly, to infestation from fecal matter. This fecal matter can add E Coli into the water which can be spread just by allowing the water to touch another surface. For instance, if you use water that has been contaminated with E Coli to wipe your counter, you have automatically spread E Coli onto your counters, making it unsafe to use or to place food upon.

How Water Purifiers Help

Water purifiers work by getting rid of the impurities that are in water. While there are a variety of different types of filters, they are all designed to do their best to get any chemicals or impurities out of the water. For example, those who are using bore water for their household needs can use a water filter in order to get the excess of nitrates out of the water. These minerals can damage your countertops and tables, not to mention floors. Using a bore water filter, or a regular water filter if you are using a well or tap water, can allow you to utilize the water that you have handy without having to subject your household to the impurities and bacteria that you can find in water.

The process is really quite simple. Most work on the idea of reverse osmosis. Here, the water is pushed through pre-filter that removes any sediment or other large particles from the water. From there, it is pumped through a much smaller filter, almost cellophane like in texture, to remove additional contaminants. Before it ever reaches you, though, it also passes through a carbon filter to remove additional chemicals.

Softening Your Water

The idea of unsafe water, though, isn’t the only problem with choosing to use the water that so freely flows from your faucet. Hard water can also cause problems in the home, which is why many look for a water softener along with a home water filter system. Some systems include this aspect, but others don’t, so it’s essential that you ask before you make a final decision. A water softener replaces the calcium and magnesium ions on your water with sodium ions, and that can help make life a bit easier. If you use a clothes washer in your home, hard water can cause the filter to clog up which can make it more difficult for your laundry machine to do its job. The harder your machine has to work, the more energy it uses and the results aren’t always as effective as one might hope.

Whether you have city water or a well, having your water treated and cleaned before you use it for your housework is an excellent idea for a myriad of reasons.

What The Taste Means

What most people don’t realize is that water tastes odd because of the chemicals that are added to it. Before water comes out of your tap, it is put through a very thorough cleaning process. During the process, however, the water has a good deal of chemicals added to it in order to ensure that it is cleaned. The addition of the chemicals, however, makes the water taste funny, which prevents people from drinking it or forces them to add various concoctions to make it taste a bit better.

Some of the chemicals that are put into the water during the cleaning process are iron hydroxide, aluminium hydroxide, polyDADMAC, and lime or soda ash. Lime or soda ash are used in order to adjust the pH level of the water appropriately, but often it adds to the hardness of the water. The other chemicals are added in order to clarify the water, allowing it to be clear and without colour to it. The problem is, however, that while these chemicals are added in order to make the water look and smell better, they honestly do not make it taste better, and they can even add a metallic taste that most find disagreeable.

Water that is used at home that has not been cleaned thanks to a water filtration system often has a very strange taste to it. Sometimes the water even smells strange. Many people report that their water has a sulphuric smell to it. This is not the result of water coming through metal pipes or a metal faucet, but is, in fact, due to these kinds of chemicals.

Making It Taste Better

The easiest way to make water taste better in your home is to use home water purification devices. There are a number of water filtration systems, including those that go on the counter and those that go under the sink, that are designed to take the chemicals out of the water. Most work using one of two methods. Either they create a physical barrier so the contaminants cannot pass through the filter or they use a filter that chemically attracts the contaminants. Once trapped, using either method, they cannot escape, and after the chemicals are removed, the water immediately tastes better and is much more easily consumable. A good rule of thumb to remember is that water should taste clean and fresh, not metallic or sulphuric. If it does, you may be in need of a uv water filter.

Why Use Fluoride?

It is true that a small amount of fluoride can be found in naturally flowing water, but it isn’t enough to do what scientists and doctors want it to do, which is to help keep the teeth strong and healthy. Cities and governments insert fluoride into a town’s water supply in order to help their residents stay free of tooth decay. To ensure that the fluoride works properly, a specific level of the compound needs to be put into the water. By drinking this water, low levels of fluoride go into the saliva, which reduces the rate of tooth decay and helps to prevent cavities as well. But is it safe?

The Dangers of Fluoride

A number of scientific studies have proven that having too much fluoride in the water can be harmful to your health. A study in one journal overwhelmingly demonstrated that rats that drank a small amount of fluoride had lesions in their brain that were similar to those seen in patients with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. In the United States, the New Jersey Department of Health discovered that bone cancer was found in male children at a much higher percentage in areas where water was heavily fluoridated. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has also confirmed that there are bone cancer causing effects that can appear when low levels of fluoride have been used in animal testing.

In the United Kingdom, a toxicologist discovered that prenatal deaths were 15% higher in areas where the water was fluoridated than it was in areas where there was no fluoride added to the water.

What can you do to avoid the fluoridated water that comes out of your faucet? The easiest way to eliminate it is to use some form of home water purification device which is designed to take the dangerous chemicals, include fluoride, out of the water that you are drinking. While there are lots of different purifiers out there, only a few can actually take the fluoride out of the water that you drink. Most reverse osmosis systems, activated alumina deflouridation filters, and distillation filters will do the trick. While each uses a different process to remove it, they’re effective systems to help you keep your family safe. If you’re unsure as to whether or not the filtration system you’ve chosen helps to remove fluoride from the water, be sure to check with the company before you’ve made your final purchase.

Buying Distilled Water

It is possible to purchase distilled water at almost any store. This water has gone through a factory and has been cleansed a number of times in order to make it safe to drink. However, purchasing it isn’t only costly, it is slowly destroying the environment as well, as much of the water you can purchase is sold in a plastic bottle which takes a very long time to break down, causing the landfills to become too full for the environment to handle.

Water Filtration at Home

Home water purification is the ultimate solution for those who are looking to have clean water that they can drink. Twenty years ago, a water purifier was too expensive to even contemplate, but thanks to new technology, you can purchase any number of different types of water purifiers, including under the sink water filters and countertop water filters.

Today’s water filter is designed to treat all of the problems in water that can be found in New Zealand. Most of the water becomes unclean due to infestation from fecal matter, which can bring a number of unsafe chemicals and contaminates into the water. Water in New Zealand also generally contains a good amount of soluble iron in it, which not only tastes bad but can cause the pipes to become stained.

While the inner workings of each filtration unit can vary, most filters start by using activated charcoal. Charcoal is a carbon, and a filter that is made with charcoal is extremely porous, which is how it absorbs a number of the impurities that can be found in water, including impurities that come from unsafe chemicals that are placed into the water on purpose, or infestations that come from the environment. By grabbing problems like soluble iron before they reach your drinking glass, the water instantly becomes cleaner than you could ever imagine.

One of the best ways to help protect the environment as well as to have safe drinking water is to look into home water purification devices.

Stop Wasting Money

The truth is that most people waste a great deal of money in order to have good water. Many spend thousands of dollars a year to get clean drinking water. Here are just a few of the ways people waste money:

Buying a bottle of water from a vending machine. Picking up a few litres at the market each week. Having water coolers delivered to their homes because they do not want to use the water that comes out of the faucet.

All of this money is essentially wasted, especially when you factor in the environmental problems associated with so much plastic being thrown in the trash each day. The money spent on drinking water, however, is not the only part of this equation. Those who have a well often find that they need to replace the filters in their clothes washers due to the silt that comes into the house, and that they have to spend a great deal of money on expensive cleaning supplies for their dishwasher due to the spots that seem to continually appear on their dishes.

Start Saving Money

All of this money can be saved with a home water purification system. Today’s home water filter systems are designed to be much more affordable and efficient than ever before. These filters can go under the sink or they can be placed on the countertop. Homeowners who have a well can purchase well water filters or water softeners in order to make their well water not only taste better, but to make the water less damaging to their appliances as well.

For less money than you spend replacing your clothing because of water problems or buying bottled water because you simply cannot stand the taste of the water from your faucet, you can purchase a home system. There are several different options available. You may choose one that makes use of reverse osmosis technology that not only cleans the water of impurities, but also improves the taste as well. You may also want to invest in a system that employs multi-filtration methods for the cleanest possible water.

No matter which system you choose, most come with a several disposable filters. After about sixty days (depending on the system you purchase), you simply dispose of the old filter and replace it with a new one for an uninterrupted clean water supply. The filters themselves are far cheaper than the thousands spent on replaced clothing, replacement appliances, and litres of water at the market.

Water is an extremely important part of our lives. It is what we drink to survive, and what we use to clean almost everything. Because of its importance it makes sense why people spend money in order to ensure that they have pure water. People, however, can actually save a great deal of money by using a home water purification system rather than by spending thousands of dollars to purchase distilled water.

These cartridges are all quality New Zealand made products, using industry standard Reemay® filter material out of the USA.

Aqua Dynamics stocks filter cartridges for all Leisurerite Spa Pools

Leisurerite Spas are New Zealand's biggest selling spa, they are made in New Zealand, being based on the North Shore of Auckland. Now owned by Australian Based SCS Industries, they act as a division of SCS, selling the Signature Spas, Bullfrog Spas, Cyclone Spas and Designer Spas brands.

Although Leisurerite are no longer manufacturing all of the previous types of Leisurerite spas, Aqua Dynamics still stocks all replacement filter cartridges.

Aqua Dynamics also stocks Spa and Pool pleated filter cartridge elements for the following spas and pools:

Astral, Artesian Spas, Bestways, Caldera spas, Coast Spas, Davey Spa, Davey water products, Filtermaster, FPI, Maax spas, Dynaflo, Finsbury, Dimension One Spas, Hayward, Hot Springs, Hot Spot, Kent Hot Tubs, Hurlcon, Intex, LA Spas, Monarch Spas, BBQ Factory Spas, Rotaform Spas, Kiwi Spas, Onga, Pentair, Paramount Pools, Para Rubber Pools, Poolrite Equipment, Enduro, Quiptron, Rainbow, Signature Spas, Bullfrog Spas, Soft Tub, Sovereign Spas, Spa 2 Go, Spa-Quip, Spa International, Spa Systems, Sundance Spas, Waterco, Waterway, O2 Spas, plus many more…

By installing a Wyckomar Ultra Violet unit you negate the need for harmful chemicals to be used in your water supplies. The UV unit will not alter the taste or smell of the water thus eliminating the unpleasant odours associated with added chemicals.

All Wyckomar units are made of top grade polished stainless steel chambers and all feature an audible lamp fail alarm. These highly efficient user friendly units enable you to replace lamps easily after their lamp life has ended. These units enable you to be safe in the knowledge that they will reduce bacteria and viruses in your water to 99% at the stated flows.

We are pleased to offer you the state of the art economically and environmentally friendly Wyckomar Ultra Violet units out of Canada

Aqua Dynamics are New Zealand's sole distributors for Canadian based manufacturer Wyckomar Inc. Wyckomar is your first choice for chemical-free UV water disinfection equipment and complete water systems integration. They have been manufacturing and selling worldwide since 1978.

They have an extensive range of stock models but as manufacturers and system integrators, they can design and build any water purification system to your specifications on time and on budget.

The Wyckomar brand of residential and commercial water disinfection systems have been best sellers worldwide for nearly 30 years and can be found in more than 35 countries around the globe.

The popular UV-700 system is one of the most powerful UV systems available for the residential market and has been a hit with consumers and retailers for many years.

Reliable, powerful and on guard 24/7

Wyckomar works hard to develop new product innovations for the water purification market, and they have successfully introduced several new designs recently including solar powered and effluent wastewater systems.

Many of us choose to buy bottled water as an alternative to tap water. Some people think it tastes better; others are motivated by the convenience factor or the perceived affordability. But what is the real cost of bottle water, on your pocket, on the environment and not to mention the socio-economic symptoms of mass consumption of bottled water?

Much of the bottled water we buy in NZ comes from countries that struggle to supply their own people with reliable and safe water. Bottled water costs around $3 on average per bottle which is not cheap when you think about the cost of tap water. And when you are done with your plastic bottle it will most likely contribute to the growing billions of plastic bottles filling up our dumps and landfills.

The safest, most affordable option for clean, fresh tasting water is water filtration. Having a simple water filtration system in your home eliminates the need for bottled water. Water filter systems are very easy to install and extremely low maintenance. Water sterilization is by far the most affordable, convenient and environmentally friendly choice for fresh tasting, chemical and bug free drinking water.

Whether you live in an urban setting or rural environment water filtration systems provide long term cost and health benefits on an individual level as well as globally. Bottled water may be a good option on the run but water filtration at home provides far more value for much less money and you will be supporting NZ business by buying your water filtration system from Aqua Dynamics, totally NZ owned and operated.

3. Although the tap will have drained most of the water in the lines, there will be some residual water so it might be a good idea to put a towel down to absorb any water that drains from the cartridge or line.

4. Using your fingertips, pinch and push the pushlock fitting inwards (towards the cartridge) while at the same time pulling the tubing out of the fitting (away from the cartridge). This is quite tricky the first time around so it might take a few goes.

5. Take out the old cartridge.

6. Taking note of the directional flow arrow on the cartridge, put the new cartridge in.

7. Take the two ends of the tubing and push them into the cartridge ends.

Important

1. A 1/2” plug needs to be installed if you are not using the backwash function.

2. If using the backwash, you need the proper flow control or upper basket and an inline shut off valve on the backwash outlet!

3. Teflon tape should be used on all fittings for a water seal.

Important Warnings

1. Do not use the Multi-Valve handle to tighten the head to any tank.

2. Do not sweat any copper fittings to or near.

3. Do not lift any filter by the Multi-Valve handle or push down on the handle.

4. Handle only turns 180 degrees.

5. Do not use any tape or PVC cement or any other glue other than high strength hot glue applied by a hot glue gun to secure the upper basket to the Multi-Valve.

6. Do not over-tighten any pipe fittings with excessive force. This could cause damage.

7. Distributors must be sure a copy of this is sent out with every unit.

8. A prefilter needs to be installed if any sand or grit type material is present.

9. If all above is not followed the warranty is void!

Application Includes:

Prefilters for RO, Ozone, Exchange Tanks, Carbon and Multi-Media Bed Systems for P.O.E., Under-Sink Backwashing, Drinking System for P.O.U. with 6” by 18” Tank for the home, office, boats and RV’s. Also can be used with 13/16” or 1” riser with the Multi-Valve riser adaptor.

Operation

1. Turn handle to the “In Service” position to have filtered or conditioned water.

2. Turn handle to the “Bypass” position to have non-filtered water. For example, when you water the lawn, you do not want to waste filtered water. This will extend the filter life.

3. Turn handle to the “Off” position to shut-off the water supply to the home.

4. Turn handle to the “Backwash” position, open backwash drain line shut-off valve. Let the unit backwash the proper time then close the backwash drain line shut-off and turn the handle back to the “In Service” position.

Manufacturer’s Product Warranty

The manufacturer warrants its equipment to be free of defects in material or workmanship on the main base for the period of 5 years. On the valve, handle and O rings the warranty period is 1 year from the date of delivery from our factory or authorised distributor. The manufacturer’s liability is limited to repair or replacement of part which is returned, prepaid to the factory from the original purchaser and which is proven defective upon examination. This warranty does not include installation or repair or any other service costs, and in no event shall the manufacturer’s liability exceed its selling price. The manufacturer disclaims all liability for damage to its product through misuse, abuse, improper installation or use or attempts to operate such products beyond their functional capacity, intentionally or otherwise, or any unauthorised repair. The manufacturer is not responsible for consequential or other damages, injuries or expense incurred through the use of its products.

Installing Tap

1. Before you begin it is a good idea to turn the water off at the mains first as you will need to do this later on anyway. Run the tap to drain the pipes of any residual water.

2. Choose an appropriate place for the placement of the faucet and drill a 12mm hole through the benchtop.

3. Fix tap as per illustration above right.

Installing Saddle Valve

You have been supplied with both a self tapping SV-3 saddle valve and a ½” Plumbers Delight diverter fitting. Use the one that suits your needs better. If you have buteline piping then please be careful not to over tighten the bolts as this will cause the pipe to crush. Alternatively please see your distributor for other adapter options.

4. Place brackets on either side of mains pipe. The brackets can be reversed to fit different sized pipe.

5. Making sure that the “tapping needle” is all the way up, evenly tighten the bolts on either side of the bracket.

Installing Cartridge

6. Fix cartridge bracket in to back wall somewhere between tap and saddle valve. This can be vertical or horizontal making sure that you leave enough room either end of cartridge so kinks do not appear in ¼” tubing.

7. Put supplied ¼” John Guest “push lock fittings” into both ends of cartridge.

8. Click cartridge into fixed bracket.

9. Make sure that the flow is going from mains to tap. There are two arrows on the cartridge that illustrate the flow

10. Cut the ¼” tubing to size, remembering that right angle kinks will affect pressure and could cause the tube to eventually burst. Remember also to leave some slack at the mains end for the Pressure Limiting Valve.

11. Attach the tubing to both ends of the cartridge using the push lock fittings.

Installing Pressure Limiting Valve

12. Fix the PLV to the wall on the mains side of the cartridge.

13. Take note of the flow shown on the PLV.

14. Cut the 1/4” tubing and push both ends into the push lock fittings in the valve.

Tapping the Mains Pipe

15. Turn the needle valve on the SV-3 clockwise until it bites.

16. You have now pierced the copper/ buteline pipe. The tapping needle acts as a shutoff valve.

17. SLOWLY TURN ON THE MAINS WATER

18. Turn the faucet handle to open.

19. Turn the needle valve on the SV-3 counter clockwise to open the valve and start the water flow.

20. Run the tap for 3-5 minutes to flush out any carbon fines.

YOU NOW HAVE AN INSTALLED WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM

Replacement cartridges

21. There is no set time frame for the life of a cartridge due to varying water quality and usage. Manufacturer’s service recommendation is approx 7500 litres usage or 1yr to 18 months after installation. Once your pressure drops and it is time to replace you cartridge, turn your tap on and then turn the needle valve clockwise until the flow stops (turning the tap on is a good way of showing that the flow is fully shut off).

22. With your fingernails, push the push lock fitting (the moveable insert piece) all the way in at the same time pull the tube out (this is quite tricky the first time).

23. Put the new cartridge in as per notes 7-11 above.

If you have any questions please see your local distributor and they will be more than happy to help you.

TOWN SUPPLY

TANK OR ALTERNATIVE SUPPLY

Disease causing microorganisms like bacteria and viruses can be transmitted via contaminated water supply. Tank water is especially susceptible to contamination through faecal matter, run off from roof tops, or stream/river water. Faecal matter carries faecal –coli bacteria that causes virus like cryptosporidium and giardia. Symptoms of these highly unpleasant viruses include diarrhoea, dehydration, fatigue, fever, vomiting and stomach pain.

So how do you treat tank water?

Treating tank water is essential if you want clean, safe and bacteria free drinking water for your home. There are a number of products you can use to eliminate contaminants from your water tank. Chlorine is a widely used product but it has a high chemical content and it alters the taste quite significantly, also it has a limited effect on some of the more nasty bacteria. Water Dosing with a chlorine free product like Geo Shock can also reduce the effects of harmful contaiminents and is good when cleaning your tank.

The most effective tank water treatment is ultra violet disinfection. UV light kills 99.9% of micro-organisms leaving tank water bacteria and chemical free. UV serialisation works using ultra violet lamps which effectively eliminate pathogens by rendering them unable to reproduce.

UV water filters harness the natural power of UV light, admitting rays into water which are then absorbed by the micro-organisms. This process eliminates the effect of these contaminants leaving fresh, clean and safe drinking water.

UV water filters are particularly important for homes running off water supply from tanks, rivers and streams. Rural water supplies tend to contaminated with faecal coli-forms which are highly hazardous to humans. UV water filtration kills the bacteria caused by the introduction of these containments making the water safe for human consumption.

UV water fliter systems may be used in conjunction with other water filter systems to ensure the mineral content, sediments and orders are eliminated, and taste of the water is premium. Because UV sterilisation leaves no residue it is recommended that it is used in the final part of the filtration process, as close as possible to final distribution.

Ultra violet sterilisation is effective in killing other harmful diseases such as; Legionella Pneumophillia, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Streptococcus. These systems can be used for a broad range of purposes like residential water treatment , bore water treatment , tank water treatment , rural water filtration, relief water filtration and industrial water sterilisation.

The following document is a brief outline on water problems that are typical to New Zealand. The information contained here does not pretend to give a comprehensive study on each item rather than to give you a brief outline on the item, which may help you in discussions with your customer. Please contact Aqua Dynamics for a more detailed outline of these problems.

BACTERIA, E COLI,  CYSTS AND VIRUSES

Perfectly safe water can change in the blink of an eye to become microbiologically unsafe for humans. This is due to infestation primarily from faecal matter that introduces E Coli, Giardia and a whole host of other nasties to the water. Very few natural water sources are free from contamination of this nature. In the very worst cases drinking this water can result in death but generally causes sickness to people who drink this water. Infestation of this water is generally from birds or animals fouling the waterways or depositing onto roofs. The New Zealand drinking water standard for E Coli in potable water is zero and recently the same standard has been applied to Dairy Sheds. Many of these sheds are supplied by rain fed tank water or streams and this water should generally be considered to be contaminated. The same should be said for rain fed or stream water-supplying houses with their water. To quote a Government scientist the writer recently had discussions on this matter about, “if they drink untreated rain or river water they should not bother washing their hands after they go to the toilet”. Enough said.

Treatment

Aqua Dynamics offers a wide range of systems to treat this water. However, generally we suggest an Ultra Violet sterilisation system as a minimum. 

PH AND ACIDIC WATER

The lower the pH of water the more acidic it becomes. pH is at a neutral level when it’s reading is between 7.0 and 8.0. Water with a pH below 7.0 is generally acidic and as such aggressive towards plumbing fittings. A sure sign of this is blue/green staining occurring on whiteware which is actually copper from the plumbing fittings that has been eaten away by the acidic water. 

Rainwater generally has a low pH. As the rain falls through the atmosphere it absorbs carbon dioxide and after it hits the ground this continues as it absorbs carbon dioxide from decaying vegetation. This absorption of carbon dioxide reacts with the water to form an acid called carbonic acid, which in turn causes the water to be aggressive toward fittings.

Treatment

This is relatively easy to correct by installing a pH Neutralising filter. Aqua Dynamics offers a full range of options on the units with varying flow rates and backwashing options.

HARDNESS

Water is considered hard when magnesium and calcium are present in the water. When water is hard it cannot react to soap i.e. it is difficult to get soap to lather, it also causes scale build up inside of the pipework with the eventual result of the flow through these pipes being restricted. Hard water also shows when the water temperature is elevated by forming scale. This does shorten the life of hot water cylinders and heating elements such as in the kettle. Other symptoms are, scale in the toilet and on recently washed windows, and it is very hard to get the clothes clean in the washing machine, as the washing powder will not lather.

Treatment

Aqua Dynamics offers a wide-ranging variety of Water Softeners. We offer Electromechanical heads with 12-day clocks or the full Electromechanical heads. We have all sizes of tanks and heads for these units and are able to cater for any flow rate you may require.

IRON AND MANGANESE IN BORE WATER

Soluble iron is commonly found in bore water in this New Zealand. This iron is usually in a soluable state when it first comes from the ground but in very short order it oxidises and the water turns a reddy brown colour. This stains plumbing fittings and causes build up inside the pipework. It also causes the water to have a horrible taste. This is a common problem in rural areas and the treatment of iron does depend on many different things and every application has to be treated on an individual basis. Generally speaking the soluable iron is oxidised to a precipitated state where it is removed from the water. This may be accomplished by an ion exchange system such as in a water softener or other oxidisation methods may be used. Another common system is aeration into the tank and removal by way of a sand filter. Iron and manganese removal can be tricky and each application is different.

TURBIDITY

This is a general term for suspended matter such as decaying organic matter in water that may make the water appear dirty or cloudy. There are many things that can cloud water such as clay, iron, sand etc. This is measured on water tests by an NTU reading that is a unit that measures the reflection of light off particles suspended in the water. High levels of turbidity can reduce the effectiveness of disinfection procedures for water such as Ultra Violet sterilisation.

Treatment

There are many ways to remove turbidity from water starting with simple cartridge filtration all the way through to automatic backwashable multi media sand filters. Again all such cases should be treated on their individual merit from either a water sample or a water test result.

FLUORIDE

Fluorides are soluble salt compounds that occur in New Zealand water supplies. Municipal supplies of water have Fluoride added to the water to prevent tooth decay. However there are people that do object to the presence of Fluoride in the water and will ask for it to be removed.

Treatment

Reverse Osmosis will remove Fluoride but also there are Fluoride specific cartridges available form Aqua Dynamics that will fit easily into an under bench filter unit to remove the fluoride form the water.

HYDROGEN SULPHIDE (ROTTEN EGG SMELL)

Hydrogen Sulphide is a flammable poisonous gas which is produced in water as a result of decomposing organic matter present in the tanks. It is generally noticed by the smell of rotten eggs and foul taste. It can also result in tarnishing of polished metals and is toxic to aquarium fish life. It is more apparent during the warmer times of the year.

Treatment

Generally if Hydrogen Sulphide is present the best idea is to dump the water in the tank and get the tank cleaned out thoroughly. Some form of disinfection should then be installed to prevent this from occurring again. Again each case is different. Please contact us for a recommendation.

NITRATES

Nitrates are not good to be present in water. In high concentrations they can be dangerous to young children causing a blue tinge to the skin because of a decreased ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Nitrates present in water may also indicate the presence of bacteria.

Treatment

Nitrate specific cartridges are available from Aqua Dynamics. Reverse Osmosis is also an effective way to remove nitrates from water supplies.

SILICA

Silica is formed inside the earths crust by the erosion of rocks and sand and may be present in water although not always visible to the human eye. It forms on containers and can block treatment screens in things such as Water Softeners. It is also hard to remove when it has been allowed to build up inside pressure tanks and boilers etc. It has been known to cause major problems with water supplies and is quite difficult to remove (although not impossible) as the general treatment for this type of thing, Multi Media sand filtration, does struggle as using sand to remove sand does not always work correctly. However if you have a Silica problem please contact us at Aqua Dynamics and we will design a system for you.

COPPER

Copper is not naturally present in New Zealand water supplies that often. Occasionally it is detected when the water source is near a copper mine or such like, but generally it is seldom found naturally. Copper however is generally found in water where the pH of the water is low (see pH chapter above) and this acidic aggressive water has eroded the copper plumbing fittings present. This is generally characterised by blue/green staining of the whteware in the house. Copper in water is toxic to fish and does make the water taste somewhat bitter.

LEAD

The same occurs for lead which again is very rarely found naturally occurring in New Zealand water supplies. If lead is present in water it is generally from lead or soldered fittings being eroded by acidic aggressive water as above.