What Do We Do?

A lot of people do not really know what we do - friends, customers, suppliers . . . A lot of people have heard of us, know our name and know some of what we do but I want to take this opportunity to answer the question.

45 years ago, Andy Holmes saw a need for water treatment and became a Culligan dealer. Through his and other's marketing efforts, "Hey Culligan Man!" became one of the best recognized corporate slogan - but it still doesn't say what he did. 

12 years ago, after searching for better equipment, we became an Ecowater dealer. We developed our slogan "At Holmes Ecowater, we make your home's water - better!"  It does a better job of telling what we  do, but many didn't know what it really meant.

Contact with us is the best way to find out what we really do.

• Rural homeowners that had untreated well water that caused staining or smelled bad found out that we fix well water
• Or if they had dugout water that was contaminated or dirty found out that we fix surface water
• Or if they had bad tasting water found out that we made their water taste better
• People in the city that got tired of bathtub ring, scummy showers, dingy clothes, dry itchy skin found out that we made their water feel better
• People that were spending too much on soaps and detergents, clothes and linens weren't lasting as long as they should, paying too much to heat their water found out that we made their water save money
• Those living in the city that didn't like the taste of chlorine found out that we made their water taste better 
• Families that became concerned about chemicals or other contaminants in their drinking water found out that we made their water safer
• And for many years, when people wanted to just get great water from a water cooler found out that we made great water for them to take home.
• When businesses saw spots on dishes, high cleaning expenses, scaling plumbing or production problems, they found out we make their water a valuable business partner.
• When people visited places like Vancouver and noticed how much better water could be, they found out that we can bring that vacation water to their homes
• When people worried about greenhouse gases, carbon footprint, and the environment, they found that Our products are Zero Footprint
  
  Certified, We recycle our cartridges and our systems reduce your impact on the environment.
• When concerns came up about chemicals in the plastics, energy consumption making and transporting bottled water, We discontinued bottled water and offer bottleless water coolers.

When you see all of this and consider that we work on commercial and industrial water as well as residential, you can see that our slogan doesn't tell you all that we do, but until we can find the perfect one - remember:

At Holmes Ecowater, We Make Your Home's Water - Better!

Advantages for Drinking Water in the Morning

Water in Your Body

Water in our Body

Our Latest Newsletter

Check out our latest Newsletter.

It's full of interesting links, all of our contact information and a savings coupon.

Is Hard Water Making You Ill?

We've always considered hard water to be an aesthetic concern. You know: hard to clean bathtub ring and film on shower tiles, dry itchy skin after bathing, dramatically higher cleaning costs, increased heating and maintenance costs due to scale build up.

But now, evidence is making us reconsider what that scale can actually do. 

Legionnaires Disease is far more common that we think.

The CDC estimates that between 8,000 and 18,000 cases are hospitalized with many cases going unreported. CDC Fact Sheet.

Any place moisture can build up may cause bacteria, such as legionella, to grow. The bacteria can grow in hot tubs, air conditioning systems (especially large commercial units), hot water tanks, plumbing systems and cooling towers. Limescale deposits in the water system allow water to pool when the fixtures aren’t in use. This pooling allows bacteria to grow and potentially infect those using or exposed to the system.

“By far the greatest risk lies within the humble hot and cold water systems, which deliver the disease through taps and shower heads. Legionella bacteria thrive in temperatures between 20-45 degrees Celsius; and if water is allowed to sit at these temperatures the bacterium can multiply into large numbers which can cause Legionnaires’ disease,” according to Simon French, a legionella expert and HVCA Service and Facilities Group member.

In another study, scientists tested shower heads. Tests revealed nearly a third of devices harbour significant levels of a bug that causes lung disease.

Levels of Mycobacterium avium were 100 times higher than those found in typical household water supplies. 

M. avium forms a biofilm that clings to the inside of the shower head, reports the National Academy of Science.

Lead researcher Professor Norman Pace, said: "If you are getting a face full of water when you first turn your shower on, that means you are probably getting a particularly high load of Mycobacterium avium, which may not be too healthy."  BBC Article

If you want a scientific article, here it is.

Gives you something to think about and another reason to appreciate your water softener.

If you don't have one yet - give us a call.

Just look at the top benefits of drinking water!

Drinking plenty of water each day prevents dehydration, cleans out the body and promotes healing processes.
A steady diet of 8 glasses of water a day (ideally, half your body weight in ounces of water), when it’s pure and free of contaminants, will:

• Improve your energy
• Remove toxins and waste products from your body
• Allow for proper digestion
• Increase your mental and physical performance
• Help you lose weight
• Reduce headaches and dizziness
• Keep skin healthy and glowing

There is a difference between drinking pure water and beverages that contain water. Coffee, soft drinks, tea and fruit beverages may contain substances that are not only harmful, but actually contradict some of the positive effects of the added water.

For each cup of coffee you consume, your body needs 3 cups of water to compensate for the water loss that occurs due to coffee’s diuretic effect.
Other caffeinated beverages, such as soft drinks and tea, also stimulate the adrenal glands and act as diuretics, robbing your body of necessary water. Soft drinks contain phosphorus, which can lead to depletion of bone calcium, and various acids, which can cause erosion of the enamel on your teeth. A 12-ounce can of regular soda contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of white sugar and loads of empty calories.

Fruit beverages or drinks such as PowerAde, Gatorade, lemonade, etc. may be fortified with vitamins or calcium, but usually has 10% or less real fruit juice. Sugar is the added sweetener. If you are drinking too much of these beverages daily, you may be unknowingly adding extra unwanted pounds to your waistline.

Reservoir Tips

Reservoirs must be properly maintained to ensure the best possible water quality. Treatment of reservoirs may harm fish, and care should be taken. 

Poorly maintained reservoir

These procedures are based on our experience with reservoirs since 1968 and are our recommendations. They should be used as a guide only. Please remember to take all necessary precautions when using chemicals.

Aeration
Dugout aeration will tend to inhibit algae growth, and will lessen the odour problems associated with anaerobic decomposition.

Taste, Odor, Color
The foul taste, odour and colour in reservoir water usually results from algae or water plants. Decomposing algae and plants on the bottom of the water produce hydrogen sulfide gas, which gives the water a "rotten-egg" taste and odour. By the end of winter, water may become black. Control of algae and plants during the spring and summer will reduce these problems.

Controlling Aquatic Vegetation
All preventative and mechanical methods should be considered prior to chemical treatment.

Preventative Methods 
Deeper dugouts with steeper slopes reduce the shallow areas where plants grow rapidly. Limit nutrients:  

• Flood diversion dikes with gated culvert inlet.
• Grass the water course and the area around the dugout.
• KEEP LIVESTOCK OUT!

Mechanical Methods

• Hand pull plants
• drag a heavy chain or harrows across the bottom to cut plants

Polydex

Polydex is a mineral based bacteriostatic algaecide liquid concentrate that can:

• Reduce algae, bacteria and associated toxins
• Improve colour, taste and smell in the water
• Reduce suspended solids
• Reduce organic film build up in lines

It is easy to apply and quickly disperses. Initial treatment is 1:60,000 followed by periodic testing with maintenance dosages at 1:500,000

Copper Sulphate (Bluestone)
Copper sulphate can be an effective treatment for algae. It is more effective if used before the algae population becomes heavy. To apply, it may be placed in a burlap sack and dragged around the reservoir, or the water filling the
reservoir may run over the sack. The dosage is 1 to 2 pounds per 100,000
gallons.

If heavy blooms of blue-green algae develop, use caution. Another source of
water should be used for 2 weeks after treatment. Copper sulphate is toxic to fish. If you must treat a dugout containing fish, treat 1/3 at a time and space the treatments 24 hours apart. Water usage should be avoided for 24 hours.

Turbidity
Reservoirs that become turbid (muddy) will usually clear by themselves. Be
careful not to confuse colour caused by decaying algae or organic matter with
turbidity, as treatment is different. If turbidity persists, Alum may be used. The alum should be dissolved in water 1/2 pound per gallon) and spread evenly over the surface. The dosage is 10 to 20 pound per 100,000 gallons.

Reglone A (Diquat)
This chemical is used to control aquatic plants. Treated water should not be used by humans or animals for 2 weeks. Contact your supplier for correct dosage.

Granular Chlorine
More effective than Copper Sulphate for organic matter and algae is granular
chlorine. It may be simply broadcast over the surface. The dosage is 4# per 100,000 gallons. In severe cases, it may be necessary to repeat treatment in a week.

Copper sulphate treatment may be
applied at the same time for enhanced
results.

Gravel Filters 
Gravel filters installed in or beside the
dugout are not recommended. 

Floating Intakes
During the summer, 80% of the impurities are close to the bottom. A floating intake, 3 feet from the surface willcollect the best water. During winter, lower the float to below the expected ice level.

Floats may be constructed by 16' of 1 1/2" pipe coupled in a ring, or 3' of 3" PVC or ABS pipe capped at each end.

Blue Green Algae
Blue—Green Algae can be toxic. Please follow this link to Alberta Environment
information:

http://www.environment.alberta.ca/documents/Blue-green_algal_FS.pdf

We are almost 70% Water

We are made up of so much water, it should really make us think about the water that we consume.

• 85% of gray matter in the brain is water
• 83% of blood is water
• Even bone is 22% water.
• Total water in an average adult - 37 Liters
• Sound is conducted through the middle ear by water
• Water serves as a cushion for the brain and spinal cord
• Water serves as a lubricant for moving surfaces such as joints, the heart, and intestine.
• Water moistens the surface of the lungs for gas diffusion.
• Water is the medium for digestion, absorption, metabolism, secretion, and excretion.
• A six-year study of more than 20,000 healthy men and women aged 38-100 in the May 1, 2002, American Journal of Epidemiology found that women who drank more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack than those who drank less than two glasses. The protective effect was even greater in men!
   

Do you think it matters what water you put in your body?

Drinking from a hose

Ah summer. What a great time of year to be a kid! Warm days spent outside playing - no school to worry about, just fun.

Water always played a big part - whether it was going to the beach, or the pool or most often just playing with the hose in the yard. Running through the sprinkler, sipping from the hose when thirsty.

It was always better sipping from the hose than going to the house. Trying to set the water flow just right to drink. I don't know about you but somehow we either got it wrong and we got all wet, or our friends - played with the valve to get us.


When I had daughters, I taught them how to drink form the hose and yes - i might have played with the valve to get them wet. I even taught my 14 month old grandson how to last summer.


BUT WAIT!

A new study released is exposing the dangers of drinking from the hose. Garden hoses don't have the same requirements as drinking water plumbing. The research team left a section of garden hose filled with water out in the sun over multiple days. When the water was tested it was found to exceed federal standards for safe drinking water for several chemicals — including four times the standard considered safe for phthalates, 18 times that for lead and 20 times that for BPA.

A spokeswoman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said that the commission would never recommend that any consumer drink from a garden hose. “The real health concern here is bacterial contamination,” she said. “Garden hoses sit outside and bake in the sun. Anything can get in them, and it’s a perfect environment for all sorts of microbial communities.”

Now that's a mouthful, but I don't think I'll be taking a mouthful of hose water any time soon.

Are Neti Pots Dangerous?

What Happened? 

Recent news articles have linked Neti-Pots with users dying, so we wanted to pass along what we know and what you should consider.

Celebrity endorsements and maybe just the times has resulted in large numbers of us using Neti Pots whether to ward off colds or to clear sinus infections. So if something is supposed to be good for you, how can we stay safe.

From what we have been able to find, there have been 2 deaths directly linked to Neti Pot use. In both cases, a rare water borne amoeba was the cause. This little creature is generally only dangerous when it is introduced directly into  the brain - like through sensitive sinus tissues.

We don't know if these users were using treated water, but treated water - even if it kills 99% of these organisms - could still pose a threat.

The salt solutions should generally sterilize the water, but to be on the safe side, we are recommending to use distilled, sterile or previously boiled water to make up your solution.

Demand on our water systems, new measurement methods and new techniques are constantly changing our thoughts about water. We try our best to keep informed so that we can better keep you informed.