Your Water Source

Packaged ice safety starts with the water entering your plant. Public Water Sources (PWS) in the United States are generally very safe. The US uses Chlorine or Chloramines to disinfect water before it is delivered to your facility. The EPA standard calls for your tap water to have at least 0.2 ppm of free chlorine in water when it reaches your facility to ensure it is safe until you need it. While public water sources may meet this requirement at the treatment plant, many public water sources do not meet this by the time the water travels to your plant.

The good news is that you can easily determine the Free Chlorine with test strips like those used for pools and spas. This is your first line of defense against bacteria and viruses.

If your PWS does not have detectable free chlorine, you should evaluate if further treatment is necessary before you produce your ice. Every PWS is different based on the source and how far it travels from the treatment plant to your facility. Do not accept a treatment system proposal without a water test. Testing will ensure that the treatment system is engineered specifically for your plant’s unique requirements so you are not over – or under – treating. Modern ice has several testing options available based on your water source. Request a consultation to review water testing options for your plant. 

Based on the water chemistry and your objectives, a treatment plan ranging from sediment or carbon filtration all the way to Reverse Osmosis to reduce Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) to near zero can be designed to meet your objectives. Depending on how much water your ice machines require and the hours you operate, systems can be designed to feed your ice makes directly or to stop purified water in a water storage tank until called for by your machines. With either approach, there are important sanitation and monitoring programs that need to be in place to ensure product safety.

If water is stored in a holding tank after it is treated (which is often done to allow for the surge in water to feed your ice makers), the tank becomes a possible source of contamination. Ensure that you have a sanitation procedure for disinfecting the tank. Disinfection technology featuring Ultraviolet (UV) or Ozone can be designed to give you peace-of-mind that the water remains safe until used to make ice. Both methods are FDA-approved and can effectively keep your water free of waterbone microorganisms. 

Remember that disinfection systems can be complex. There are many factors that go into selecting the right equipment including capital cost, ongoing maintenance, and ease of operation. Modern Ice can conduct a comparative system analysis of your existing system to ensure it is providing the protection needed for your plant. 

Modern Ice can assist you in testing your water and developing a treatment system specifically for your water and plant or evaluating the treatment system you currently have. Modern Ice wants to help keep you, your employees, and your product safe! Let us know if you have questions or want additional information. 

Coming Soon: Part 2 – “Your Employees”