The Unsung Hero: Understanding Alkalinity and its Importance
March 23, 2024
Nicholas Piskura
Reading Time | 5 Minutes
Understanding Alkalinity
In the world of water chemistry, alkalinity often plays a crucial, yet somewhat unnoticed, role. It’s not a specific molecule but rather a measure of a water body’s ability to neutralize acids and resist changes in pH. It acts like a buffer, ensuring a stable environment infrastructure.
Think of alkalinity as a shield against acidity. Water naturally contains dissolved minerals, some of which, like bicarbonates, carbonates, and hydroxides contribute to alkalinity. These substances act like chemical warriors, readily reacting with acids to neutralize their effects and maintain a stable pH level.
Not Sure If Alkalinity Is Helping or Hurting Your System?
Alkalinity protects infrastructure when it’s balanced—but excess alkalinity can drive scale and damage. ChemREADY can help evaluate your water chemistry and identify whether alkalinity is within the optimal range.
Protecting Infrastructure: Acidic water can corrode pipes, tanks, and other infrastructure. By neutralizing acids, alkalinity helps prevent corrosion, thereby extending the lifespan of crucial infrastructure and minimizing costly repairs.
Maintaining Water Quality: Alkalinity plays a role in various water treatment processes. It can help with coagulation and flocculation, which are essential steps in removing impurities from water, ultimately contributing to cleaner and safer drinking water.
Natural Filtration: Alkalinity can also play a role in natural water filtration processes. The presence of certain alkaline minerals can help bind and precipitate heavy metals, preventing them from contaminating the water further.
Dealing with Scale or Calcium Carbonate Buildup?
High alkalinity is a common driver of calcium carbonate scaling that restricts flow and damages equipment. ChemREADY helps facilities control alkalinity and prevent scale before it becomes a costly problem.
One of the most common problems we solve for our customers at ChemREADY is Calcium carbonate buildup. Though beneficial in some ways, Calcium carbonate can become problematic in infrastructure when water alkalinity is high. This leads to excessive buildup, forming scale that clogs pipes and hinders water flow. In severe cases, this can even cause pipes to burst. Furthermore, very high alkalinity can trigger a process where existing calcium carbonate dissolves, weakening the overall infrastructure. So, maintaining a proper balance in water alkalinity is crucial to avoid these negative consequences.
While not directly visible, alkalinity is a vital component of healthy water systems. It protects infrastructure, and contributes to maintaining water quality. By understanding alkalinity, we can appreciate its hidden role in ensuring the health and sustainability of our water resources. Visit our website to learn more or contact sales@getchemready.com to discuss your specific application.
Need Help Balancing Alkalinity in Your Water System?
From alkalinity control to full water treatment programs, ChemREADY supports industrial and municipal systems with practical chemistry solutions and expert guidance.