Thursday, 1 March 2012

Water Conservation


Canadians are among the highest per capita water users in the world

On Average, How Much Water Do the Following Activities Take?
Taking a Bath or Shower      50-120 Liters  
Watering the Yard              700 Liters
Washing the Dishes            50-225 Liters
Washing Clothes                200 Liters
Washing the Car                350 Liters
Brushing Your Teeth            4 Liters
Cooking                            40 Liters
Drinking                            2 Liters
Flushing the Toilet (once)    15-25 Liters

How Much Water Does It Take To Produce 1 Serving of:
Lettuce                             20 Liters
Wheat Bread                     50 Liters
Rice                                130 Liters
Milk                                250 Liters
Steak                           9,800 Liters
Typical Breakfast for 1       800 Liters
Typical Lunch for 1         5,400 Liters
Typical Dinner for 1      11,000 Liters

How Can We Save Water?
  • There are a number of ways to save water and they all start with you
  • Run your clothes washer and dishwasher when they are full. You can save up to 4,000 Liters a month
  • Put food colouring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 4,000 Liters a month
  • Use a water-efficient shower head. They are inexpensive and easy to install; and you can save up to 2,800 Liters a month
  • Turning the tap off while brushing your teeth can save 95 Liters a month
  • A tap leaking 1 drop of water per second wastes more than 25 Liters of water a day - That's 9,000 Liters a year
  • High efficiency Ecowater water softeners will use less than half of the salt and water of other systems
  • Zero Waste Drinking Water systems are available. 

 

Friday, 24 February 2012

Newsletter

Our latest newsletter is just out. On just 1 page, we packed:
  • Interesting water stories from around the web
  • A fun video on YouTube
  • A Special Promotion
  • All of the ways you can contact us or keep up to date
  • Plus a savings certificate for your next service
Check it out The Holmes Water Page

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Businesses are Switching to Bottleless

Bottleless water coolers for Business are THE way to stay hydrated and Go GREEN!

The working world is fast paced. However, certain parts of a business may be slowing it down. Deliveries, for instance, are an annoyance. Professionals have to drop what they’re doing to survey the goods, check the invoice and make sure the supplies get put in the right locations. What if one major delivery could be eliminated for good, without removing the supply from inventory? With Holmes Ecowater Bottleless Water Coolers, you can eliminate water jug deliveries, freeing up space and saving time during the day.

We offer a wide array of water coolers that do not require water jug refills to operate. These state-of-the-art water dispensers tap directly into a building’s water supply, filter out contaminants and tastes and regulate water temperature. Businesses that forgo the traditional water coolers for more convenient options are able to focus their attention on other, more important tasks.

With a bottleless water dispenser, people get to enjoy an endless water supply that tastes great. The no-hassle system assists businesses in freeing up office space, too. There is no need to store large water jugs in the workplace. Instead, the water coolers purify drinking water 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help make sure people get the best-tasting water whenever they’re thirsty.  It’s endless fresh water.

We also help you become more eco-friendly. The top-of-the-line water dispensers use less plastic, so businesses have minimal recycling to handle on their end, which also reduces their carbon footprint. When it comes to creating a more spacious and hassle-free office environment, Holmes Ecowater water coolers are a must-have in the workplace.

Monday, 30 January 2012

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.









Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Reverse Osmosis Maintenance

REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM TROUBLESHOOTING

Normal maintenance includes regular replacement of prefilter and post filter. System should also be sanitized periodically. Maintenance procedures are in your manual or on our website www.holmeswater.com.

If your system is not working properly please call us to service the system. If you wish to troubleshoot on your own, you will find some steps in the owner’s manual. In order for us to diagnose problems and make recommendations without checking the unit, we need to know the following answers.  

  1. What equipment do you have? Make and Model? If you purchased it from us, we should have a record for you. 
  2. How old is the system? 
  3. Are you running out of water with the same usage pattern as before when you didn’t run out? 
  4. Is the water quality okay? 
  5. When were the prefilter and post filter last changed? 
  6. When, if ever was the membrane or RO filter changed? 
  7. Are all of the valves turned on – Main supply valve, Leak Controller, Tank Valve? 
  8. With all valves still turned on and you are experiencing the problem: 
    1. Does the storage tank feel full? An empty tank weighs a couple of pounds - full, it may weigh up to 20#. 
    2. Can you hear any water running at the unit? 
    3. Open the faucet to drain the water from the system – it should slow to a steady drip or trickle 
    4. Measure the water dripping from the faucet. You should get 1 cup in less than 5 minutes. How long to get 1 cup? 
    5. This is the best time to take a water sample for purity. What is the Total Dissolved Solids measurement? (you may need to bring a sample to our office) 
  9. Close the main supply valve, leaving the faucet turned on 
    1. With the storage tank empty, measure the air pressure in the tank using a suitable tire gauge,etc. Air pressure should be 5-7 psi if the unit is under the sink, 10 psi if it is in the basement. Air pressure? 
    2. Disconnect the drain line. 
    3. Direct any water from the drain line to a bowl or other suitable collector 
    4. Open the main supply valve 
    5. Measure the water dripping from the drain line – How long to get 1 cup? 
    6. Turn off the faucet  
    7. Does the water dripping to drain stop within a few minutes? 
  10. Don’t forget to reconnect everything and open all valves when finished. 
  11. If these instructions do not make sense to you, we suggest you have one of our certified service technicians repair your system.

These tips are provided as a convenience for our customers to provide a guide for self service. They will not apply to all systems. 

As always, be careful when working on water treatment systems. Double check that water is turned off before taking anything apart and that everything is reconnected properly before turning on the water.