Silver Residual-Treatment
for Water - FAQ

• What is Silver Residual Treatment?
  
• How does Silver Residual Treatment work?
• Does Silver Residual Treatment remove all microbes?
• Who else uses Silver Residual Treatment?
• Why use Silver Residual Treatment instead of chemical treatment?
• Why use Silver Residual Treatment instead of pasteurisation?
• Is Silver Residual Treatment expensive?
• How do I know if the Silver Residual Treatment is working?
• Can I purchase Silver Residual Treatment cheaper elsewhere?
• Can I try Silver Residual Treatment before I buy?

What is Silver Residual Treatment?

How does Silver Residual Treatment work?

The simple answer - is, tiny particles (ions) of silver are released in to the water from a pre-mixed solution.  These ions use the Trojan Horse attack method.  Microbes mistake silver ions for food and are poisoned.  Silver is non-toxic to humans, animals and the eco-system.

The efficacy of silver as a natural anti-microbial technology has been known for thousands of years.  In recent years, many scientific research papers have been written on silver as a biocide.  For further data see Science Papers.This research was based on anecdotal evidence over centuries where sailors tossed a silver coin in to a ships water supply before leaving port.  It is also where the old saying “born with a silver spoon in their mouth” comes from.  All discerning Royal households use silverware for good reason.

Some organisations have worked on colloidal silver as a potential health tonic.  At present, the author is not aware of any validated scientific evidence to support any health benefits from drinking colloidal silver.  The size of colloidal particles is considered by most current scientists to be too large for a human body to assimilate the metal in to the bloodstream.

According to research scientists, the molecular mechanisms of silver ions to inactivate microbes is proven.  Silver Ionisation is an accepted treatment method in many countries.  It is accepted as a water treatment to combat legionella in the UK under Health & Safety document L8.  Silver Ion Treatment is not accepted as a treatment method in a number of European Countries including Germany, where the government accepted rate for any additive is very low.  The majority of German scientists accept the method as a proven technology but Facilities Managers must not use it in Germany.  This is the main reason why hpS Technology (which adds nothing) is popular in Germany.

Silver Residual Treatment uses a pre-mixed solution of silver in water at a concentrated level.  The concentrate is dosed in to the system relational to flow rates of water and the correct dilution rate.

Microbes seek nutrition from ion-sized particles in the water.  A silver ion is mistaken by microbes for a nutrient.  Once ingested via osmosis through the cell wall, the silver prevents respiration and duplication.  In short, the silver ion acts as a toxin to microbes.

In scientific tests throughout the world over the last decade, there has not been any record of a microbe building an immunity to silver.  Hence, like the hpS Technology, Silver Residual Treatment works hand-in-glove with nature and man to provide a long-term future-proofed anti-microbial technology.

Does Silver Residual Treatment remove all microbes?

Water Treatment is a complex subject, ranging from producing ultra-pure water (completely sterile and containing no contaminants) through to producing raw water for cooling towers or irrigation.

This site concerns water in the built environment and focuses on treating bathing water through to cooling systems.  Evidently one would not use silver ions to produce ultra-pure water for micro-chip production, as silver is a contaminant (Ultra-Pure water people see hPS Technology).  For hot/cold water systems in buildings through to cooling systems, air-conditioning systems, etc, Silver Residual Treatment is ideal.

When dealing with the systems covered by this website, one is concerned with the question of how many microbes in a given amount of water are an acceptable limit.  For example, drinking water must contain <1cfu/ml of certain microbes. Whilst eco-nex are happy to work with and advise water bottling and water supply companies, our remit on this website is to discuss water fro bathing through to water for commercial and industrial systems.

A ballpark acceptable limit for most hot/cold water systems used for bathing purposes is <100cfu/ml.  A ballpark acceptable limit for most cooling towers is  <10³cfu/ml.  One is not looking for sterility within such water systems.  One is seeking to make sure that microbial levels remain within acceptable limits.  For these situations, Silver Residual Treatment can be the ideal microbial control tool.

Who else uses Silver Residual Treatment?

The simple answer - is that many organisations across the World have been using silver ion treatment for almost a decade.  This ranges from Olympic Swimming Teams in the USA who want minimal chlorine in a pool, through to the Eden Project tropical gardens in the UK.  The author has installed silver ion technology in to hospitals in teh UK and was one of the UK pioneers of successful silver ion treatment projects in the 1990's.

Why use Silver Residual Treatment instead of chemical treatment?

The simple answer – is that many cheap chemicals such as chlorine are not effective against modern diseases such as legionella.  Silver Residual Treatment is effective against most modern water-borne diseases.  A second major point is that chemicals dissipate very rapidly in a matter of minutes.  Silver Residual Treatment can stay active in a water system for up to 12 weeks.  Only silver ions can provide this incredible residual killing effect.  Thirdly, silver is drawn in to Dead-Legs via capillary action.  This is the only treatment process that can actively control microbial growth in Dead-Leg pipe work.

For many years, chlorine revolutionised sanitation across the World, preventing diseases like cholera.  Over the last century, microbes have mutated and new strains have formed that are now tolerant or immune to chlorine.

Silver at ionic levels of 20-80ppb is considered to be a non-chemical environmentally proven alternative to chemicals.  When used in swimming pools bathers can benefit from chlorine at much lower levels.  One does not need to be an olympic swimmer to know that red-eyes and dry-skin caused by excessive amounts of chlorine limit time spent in a swimming pool.  Similarly, in spas, jacuzzis, hot tubs and therapy pools, using less chlorine and more silver makes a far more enjoyable experience.  Not surprisingly, health clubs and discerning hotels are moving over to silver ion treatment for their members and guests.

Facilities Managers are beginning to understand why silver ion treatment is ideal for dead-legs to prevent a legionella outbreak.  Hospital Estate Managers are generally faced with an antiquated pipe-work system that may have been in existence for over 100 years.  Somewhere along the line, demands have been made on managers to re-plumb systems over and over again on ridiculously short time limits and low budgets.  The result is that few realistic water-schematics remain for many properties.

Coupled with these problems are sites such as hospital wings/hotels/office-blocks where opening and closing to meet demands can happen sporadically or seasonally.  This leaves an array of dead-legs, which if left untreated, are generally the source of a legionella oubtreak.  Silver ions with a 12 week residual are the only realistic answer.  Via capillary action, the particles of silver slowly work their way along dead-legs providing a protective anti-microbial coating on pipe-work.

Why use Silver Residual Treatment instead of pasteurisation?

Is Silver Residual Treatment expensive?

This simple answer to this question is NO.  As a general anti-microbial treatment Silver Residual Treamtent destroys microbes such as legionella.  Using cheap chemicals such as chlorine or heating water via pasteurisation are generally considered ineffective against legionella.  Silver ion technology is the only method of providing protection for up to 12 weeks.  Silver Ion technology is the only method of treating Dead-Legs via capillary action.  Silver Ions provide quality water in swimming pools, therapy pools, spas, Jacuzzis and hot tubs without the red eyes and dry-skin.  No other treatment method has all these benefits.

Silver Residual units are a capital purchase followed by shipment of drums of silver water as required. Compared with expensive chemical alternatives over a 5-year treatment programme, Silver Residual Treatment is similar in price. 

Pasteurisation is often seen as cheap solution to combating microbes in water.  Many pathogens are becoming heat-resistant.  For further details why pasteurisation is an outdated and potentially harmful process see Why use Silver Remedial Technology instead of Pasteurisation?

Chlorine is cheap and readily available.  Yet chlorine does not kill many pathogens such as legionella.  There is little point in purchasing a chemical that will not protect one from water-borne diseases.  For further details read Why use hpS Technology instead of chemical treatment?

How do I know if the Silver Residual Treatment is working?

This can be achieved on-site using eco-nex rapid test equipment; by our systems surveyors working with testing laboratories; or via your own in-house laboratory or external water consultants.

It is common practice for some water treatment companies to base the efficacy of their chemicals on the amount of chemicals in your system.  This fallacy is based upon laboratory experiments for the kill rates of chemicals against specific microbes under specific conditions.  Any Facilities Manager worth his salt will tell you that the laboratory and real life are two different things.  In short, how can one make a realistic determination of microbial control without actually taking microbial readings?  The only real way to determine whether any anti-microbial technology is working is to undertake regular microbial tests (See Consultancy).

Eco-Nex are equipment suppliers and Consultants.  We appreciate that some customers may simply wish to purchase Silver Residual Treatment products.  Any competent in-house engineer or competent external supplier can provide microbial surveys.

In some circumstances, tests can take up to two weeks before receiving the results. This time-lag can be a concern to Facilities Managers.  A few legionella bacteria entering a system on day1 can multiply to a potential outbreak by day3.  Hence why eco-nex supply rapid test equipment that we can deploy, or easily train your engineers to use.

Can I purchase Silver Residual Technology cheaper elsewhere?

Can I try Silver Residual Treatment before I buy?

Why should I buy Silver Residual Liquid instead of a Silver-Ion Machine?