Coconut Shell Activated Carbon

SpringWell published a detailed guide on coconut shell activated carbon, the filter media behind most carbon-based water treatment products, and it's a useful reference for answering why carbon filters work differently than RO or UV systems. The key distinction is adsorption: contaminants bind to the outside of the carbon's porous surface as water passes through, rather than being absorbed into the material. It performs well against chlorine, disinfection byproducts, VOCs, common pesticides and herbicides, and some heavy metals, and it's the reason filtered water tastes noticeably cleaner. The limitations are that it doesn't remove hardness, nitrates, fluoride, dissolved solids, or microbes, which is why it's almost always paired with RO or other technologies in multi-stage systems. On the sustainability side, coconut shells are harvested without harming the tree, the production process burns cleaner than most carbon alternatives, and the material is durable enough to be recycled more effectively than conventional carbon.

WCP Online recaps the recent WQA Convention & Expo, where water treaters gathered for three days of networking, awards, and industry sessions. On the leadership side, Greg Reyneke of Red Fox Advisors takes over as WQA President for 2026-27. On the research side, WQRF flagged the need to update the industry's foundational Batelle softened water study from 2009, noting that 17 years of advancements in technology and research practices make a refresh both timely and necessary. Two trends were highlighted from the educational sessions: microplastics, which were recently added to the EPA's Draft Contaminant Candidate List, and the opportunity to serve small public water systems. One EPA stat worth bookmarking: 97% of the country's 156,000 public water systems serve 10,000 or fewer people, a reminder of how large the underserved small community market actually is. The 2027 WQA Convention & Expo will be held March 28-30 in Phoenix.

We worked directly with John Guest to negotiate lower pricing on their Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDP) tubing, and we're passing the savings along to you!

At Specialty Sales, John Guest LLDPE tubing is now 5% lower across all sizes and colors. This NSF-61 certified tubing is ideal for water purification, ice makers, misting systems, and cold/intermittent hot water applications.

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Need custom cut lengths or have questions about sizing? Contact Specialty Sales by clicking here or reply to this email and we'll get you connected.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2026 Farm Bill last week, which included provisions supporting the Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act (better known as the Healthy H2O Act). The bill now heads to the Senate. If passed, it would expand access to water quality testing and certified treatment solutions in low-income and rural communities, with funding going directly to individuals, licensed childcare facilities, and nonprofit organizations who can assist with testing and installation. The primary delivery mechanism is point-of-entry and point-of-use treatment technology. The act was developed by a WQA task force and was reintroduced with bipartisan support: "As national protections face delays and uncertainty, local communities can't afford to wait."

Ohio Tech News profiles Caddis, an Ohio-based water technology startup developing autonomous, chemical-free solutions for harmful algal blooms. Founded out of Ohio State University research, the company's flagship product is the MANTA, an aquatic drone that runs on a set schedule, moves across a pond's surface, and applies UV-C LED treatment to neutralize algae and toxins without chemicals. The system also collects real-time water quality data while operating, giving customers continuous visibility without anyone needing to be on-site. Current customers are primarily golf courses and municipal parks departments as golf courses want to avoid copper sulfate near turf, while municipalities value the data layer as much as the treatment itself. The technology was developed in a basement, licensed exclusively from OSU, and has now completed initial field deployments across Ohio.