6
3.3 In-House Water Distribution System Disinfection
The following procedure is recommended for non-municipally supplied water installations of the VPS1140-1 system. For systems
installed on a municipal water system, plumbing system disinfection is at the discretion of the user.
The entire household water system, between the VPS1140-1 and your taps and water outlets, MUST be sterilized before system start up in
order to destroy any residual contamination. The same treatment can also be completed at any time in the future that untreated water is
allowed into your distribution system (e.g. through an inadvertent by-pass, plumbing additions or repairs, etc.) or in the case of seasonal dwell-
ings at the beginning of each operating season.
Unscented household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) is an acceptable decontaminant when used at the rate of 1 liter, (0.3 gallons) of bleach
per 1000 liters, (264 gallons) of household plumbing volume. This includes the volume of water contained in all lines, hot water tanks, etc.
located 'downstream' of the filter housings. This ratio provides a dosage of 50 mg / L or 50 ppm, which is sufficient for disinfection.
To disinfect the distribution system, carry out the following steps (please ensure that the UV System remains on during the
entire process):
1. Familiarize yourself with the various shut-off valves on your system. It is important to understand which combinations of valve
positions allow you to isolate the VPS1140-1.
2. Shut the main water supply off and drain the hot water tank and any other storage tanks that may be downstream of the filter
housing.
3. Close the valves necessary to isolate and remove the Carbon Block filter cartridge from the housing with the wrench provided.
Remove the filter housings using the wrench provided with the system. Pour 1-2 cups of household bleach into the carbon filter
housing and reattach to the filter cap. Remember to leave the carbon filter out during chlorination.
4. Re-install the filter housing (without filters). Make sure that the housings are seated properly against the filter heads. Re-open
water lines, checking to ensure there are no leaks.
5. Go to the furthest tap in the house and run the cold water until you notice the odor of bleach. Repeat this step at all other taps,
including washing machine, shower heads and toilets.
Caution: The above procedure (steps 1-5): The addition of Chlorine (Bleach) to a hot water tank that has in the past been
fed with untreated raw water with high levels of contaminants (iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, organics, etc) will
result in oxidation of these contaminants and may require repeated flushing of the hot water tank. This contingency must
be dealt with independently under the start-up procedure.
6. Allow the solution to remain in the lines for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the filter housings with the wrench provided with the system. Re-insert both the Sediment and Carbon Block filters into
their housings and attach them to the system. Make sure that the housings are seated properly against the filter heads.
8. Slowly open up the main water lines and check the system for any leaks.
Caution: It is critical to ensure that the water distribution system is fully flushed of all residual chlorine prior to use.
EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED, as the level of chlorine in the system is approximately 25-50 times greater
than that observed in municipally treated water (this is required for the disinfection of the household lines). It is
extremely important that proper flushing procedures be followed for all taps prior to use.
