Clean drinking water

Water hardness is a term that indicates how many hardness ions (especially lime and magnesium) are dissolved in the water. We usually express the hardness of the water in degrees of hardness, or ˚dH. The values vary significantly from each region. If the water hardness is higher than 2.7 ˚dH, limescale particles begin to settle in the form of limescale deposits. Due to a build-up of limescale deposits in pipes, the disadvantages of limescale deposits are:

• Loss of optimal flow capacity
• More cleaning work
• Higher use of detergents
• More abrasion of equipment
• Higher energy usage

The presence of iron in water is not harmful to health. Iron is essential because it is part of important proteins and enzymes for the body. A limited amount of iron is necessary, but too high concentrations are not recommended. Moreover, water containing too much iron can cause technical problems:

• Rust precipitation
• Inactivation of medicines administered by water
• Changes in colour, smell, and taste of water
• Blockages in the pipework

The iron content in drinking water for animals may be between 0.2 – 5 mg/L Fe.

Manganese, like iron, is naturally abundant in the soil and raw spring water. The presence of manganese in water causes black deposits in water pipes. This deposition reduces the water release and increases the bacterial pressure in a pipe. Also, manganese gives the water a metallic taste, leading to reduced water absorption in animals and, therefore, lower performance.

Ammonium occurs naturally in low amounts in both groundwater and surface water. In groundwater, the concentration is usually lower than 1 mg/L. However, in many areas ammonium is found in high concentrations. Besides, ammonium from organic manure can leach directly into groundwater or enter rainwater via roofs via dust particles. Too much ammonium in drinking water has consequences for:

• Drinking water smell
• The intestines (inflammation and diarrhea)
• The energy balance

The cause of these consequences can be explained. The conversion of ammonium to nitrate will leave nitrite as a stopover and the conversion of ammonium into a harmful ammonia gas. It takes unnecessarily large amounts of energy to render ammonium harmless, via the liver. In all cases, increased ammonium content leads to a reduction in performance.

Nitrate occurs in water. Nitrate is not a harmful substance, but it can get converted into nitrite. Nitrite is poisonous in high concentrations. Generally speaking, the presence of nitrate indicates pollution. Some naturally occurring bacteria convert nitrate into nitrite, leading to blood pressure reduction, kidney damage, and reduced resilience in animals. Too high a level of nitrite can also lead to fertility problems. Increased levels of nitrate/nitrite lead to performance problems in animals. Nitrite causes low oxygen transport in the animal.

The small intestine poorly absorbs sulfate. The main effects of ingesting large amounts of sulfate are dehydration, intestinal irritation, and catharsis. Also, sulfate makes water taste bitter.