If your business will serve food to the public, then properly treating and filtering your water is an absolute necessity. Depending on the jurisdiction that you operate in, water treatment may already be mandated by local regulations. Even if this is not the case, the health of your customers should be a priority for any business owner, and as a result it makes sense to go above and beyond what may be required by law.
As a business owner, there are a variety of potential solutions for water treatment. While water filtration and safety are highly complex topics, this guide will provide a gentle introduction and answer a few basic questions to help you get started.
Most Commercial Systems Are Inline
One of the most common questions asked by business owners is whether they will need to store large tanks on site to deal with treated water. In most cases, this is not necessary. The majority of commercial systems are installed inline, which means that they essentially plug into the existing city water lines that your business already uses. Most do have tanks which store the filtered water, but this is simply to guarantee that enough filtered water is available at any time to meet demand.
Treatment Takes Multiple Forms
While most people associate water treatment with filtration, commercial treatment also commonly includes water softening. Some manufacturers produce systems which combine filtration and softening into a single unit, but it is also possible to use multiple units for either space or cost reasons. Water softening can be especially important for businesses that serve food. Not only does hard water usually have a noticeably unpleasant taste, it can also considerably reduce the lifespan of appliances.
Installation Size Is Flexible
For many systems, the filtration or softening device itself is the only part of the installation which is absolutely required. Storage tanks help to ensure that treated water is always available, but the number can usually be customized to fit your particular business needs. In some cases, multiple tank sizes may be available as well. This allows you to choose between efficiency and size to suit your particular needs. It also means that most systems are expandable in the future as your needs grow.
Professional Consultation Is Always A Good Idea
It can be tempting to try to pick out a treatment system on your own and then simply have it installed, but it's usually a good idea to consult with a professional first. A water treatment expert can help analyze your water for any particular issues and suggest the right system for your business. Although this adds a bit to your upfront cost, it can save you a large amount of money in the long run since a professional evaluation will also give you the information you need to select a properly sized system that will not require upgrades in the future.
