The RainDance "Sulfate Filter" Catalog & Selection Guide 

Well water that is high in sulfate can be found throughout the western portions of the Northern Plains, including the Dakotas, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana as well as New Mexico, Texas and other southwestern states.

What Are Sulfates: Sulfate (SO4) occurs naturally in most groundwater sources. As water moves through soil and rock formations that contain sulfate minerals, some of the sulfate dissolves into the groundwater. Minerals that contain sulfate include magnesium sulfate, sodium sulfate, and calcium sulfate.

Problems With High Sulfate In Well Water: Sulfate (SO4 ) may cause water to have a bitter taste. In addition, it may have a laxative effect on humans, especially if they are not accustomed to drinking water containing sulfate. For this reason, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a secondary drinking water standard or secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for sulfate. High sulfate levels in water are of particular concern with infants, who may suffer from dehydration due to diarrhea. Young livestock may also be at risk. If sulfate in water exceeds 250 mg/L, a bitter or medicinal taste can make the water unpleasant to drink. High sulfate levels may also corrode plumbing, particularly copper piping.

How Does RainDance Remove Sulfates In Well Water? In the ion exchange process, well water containing high sulfates is passed through a modified RainDance Sulfate Eater water softener. This special softener contains a resin that is manufactured for the purpose of removing sulfates in the water. As they are removed they are replaced (exchanged) with chloride. The source of chloride is from the salt used to regenerate the unit which can be either traditional softener salt - sodium CHLORIDE or a special salt called potassium CHLORIDE. Rather than waste either the sodium or the potassium we place the special sulfate resin on top of regular softening resin and along with removing the sulfate we also soften the water with the same amount of salt being used. We get a free bonus of softening.

Of particular importance is the proper selection of the sulfate removal resin. It is specially formulated to cling tightly to the sulfate a until regeneration is required and not let them release into the water in excess amounts --- a process called "dumping". As long as the equipment is functioning, safety is virtually guaranteed. A meter control on the Sulfate Eater is very important to insure that regeneration is done even when unexpected excess water use occurs.

You can choose to buy a sulfate water filtration system "off the rack" and take your chances or you can let us recommend a system based upon your specific needs. If you already have a water report please email Support@RainDanceWaterSystems.com ATTN: Sulfate Recommendation. Once we have reviewed your water report we will contact you with the best water treatment solution.