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These Deposits Take a Lot of Elbow Grease'
Author(s) -
Smith Gary R.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
opflow
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1551-8701
pISSN - 0149-8029
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8701.1983.tb00081.x
Subject(s) - softening , grease , water softening , water supply , shower , coating , environmental science , waste management , metallurgy , materials science , environmental engineering , engineering , composite material , mechanical engineering , nozzle
This article describes the problem of copper oxide deposits which occurred in that portion of a municipal water supply where the water was of medium hardness and not softened during water treatment procedures. Customers complained of blue‐green deposits on plumbing fixtures, lavatories, bathtubs, and shower stalls. The copper oxide deposits were found both in new homes utilizing a water‐softening unit and in new homes without softening units. To solve the problem, the water utility recommended that customers who had installed water‐softening units either remove the units or bypass them for three to six months to allow a protective scale coating to build up in the newly installed pipes.