The Process of Water Finding Your Home

water ripple

At Kinetico, we’re proud to provide water filtration systems that provide you and your family with clean, healthy water. You don’t want to have to think about the quality of your water every time you get in the shower or grab a glass to drink, and our water filter systems will stop you from ever having to do so.

As professionals in this field, we have a great appreciation for every step of the process of water moving from natural sources to, eventually, your home. Let’s look at the basics of how this process takes place, including some of the most common sources of water.

Sources of Water

In general, there are two possible sources for your drinking water: Wells or a public water supply. The former are generally sources for people who live in rural areas, while the latter are usually used by those who live in or close to cities and larger metropolitan areas.

If you live near a large body of water, it’s likely the supply originates from there. People who use a public supply will be charged a monthly bill for the amount of water used in the home.

Process of Water Entering Your Home

Well water, also called ground water, requires drilling to access. On the flip side, surface water will be found from sources above the ground like lakes, rivers and streams.

In either case, water is collected using pipes to siphon it to a desired location. From here, it’s treated through a water filtration process that helps remove any chemicals or buildups that are unwanted. It’s then sent to either water tanks or an underground reservoir to be stored. From these locations, it can be pumped through pipes or mains that connect directly to your home water supply. When it’s already been used, waste is sent to a wastewater treatment plant for filtration and recycling.

For more on the process of water reaching your home, or to learn about our water filtration systems, speak to the pros at Kinetico today.

Winter Water and Weather Facts, Part 2

water splash

In part one of this two-part blog series recently, we went over several curious facts about winter weather and the water considerations that come along with it. As one of the wettest periods of the year in many parts of the world, we at Kinetico have a great interest in winter and water interactions.

Here in part two, let’s continue where we left off. Here is another set of remarkable facts you may not have known about winter weather around the globe.

Snowy City

Every year, citizens of Aomori City in northern Japan receive an average of about 312 inches of snowfall, a remarkable amount. This is about 26 feet of snow per year! This is the most average snow received of any major city on earth.

Salt

Salt is used on roads around the world to help remove ice and snow, and in the US alone, over 22 million tons of salt are used per year. That’s about 137 pounds of salt per person, per year.

Wind Chill

When talking about temperatures, have you ever heard the term “wind chill” used? This refers to the “true” feel of temperature – the air may be a given temperature, but wind speeds can make it feel even colder. This is calculated using a precise formula that we won’t even list here due to its complexity.

Snowball Formation

When we think of snowballs, we think of someone picking up a bunch of snow, then packing it together to make a snowball. But in some parts of the world, snowballs actually form on their own – “ice orbs” have been found in Siberia that reach nearly three feet in width.

Wet Snow and Snowmen

When building a snowman, you always want to go for wet snow. The perfect snow-to-water ratio, as determined by one scientist, is 5:1.

Snow Disposal

In some cities, there’s so much snow that it creates an issue with finding space to dispose of it. Certain large cities even dump snow in the ocean, but this takes heat from environmental organizations. Others use snow melters to melt snow at a high hourly rate, but this can be expensive and burn fuel.

Snowflakes Not Always Unique

We’ve all heard the legend that every snowflake is unique, and while this is usually true, there’s at least one instance of truly identical snowflakes. This happened in 1988 in Wisconsin.

Freezing Rain Versus Sleet

You may think of these two as the same things, but they aren’t. Sleet is a slushy form of water that’s semi-frozen by the time it hits the ground, while freezing rain is fully frozen.

For more on winter and water, or to learn about any of our water filtration systems, speak to the pros at Kinetico today.