Water Chemistry and Corrosion: Effects and Treatment

The corrosivity of water has been generating headlines of late. The results of lead corrosion in Flint, MI have caused a number of communities to reevaluate the quality of drinking water in schools and homes. While the situation in Flint was due, initially, to the low pH of a new water source, galvanic corrosion often accounts for the presence of lead in finished drinking water in areas where the water pH is neutral or higher. The recent report on ground water corrosivity released by the USGS pointed out that certain water chemistries, specifically certain ratios of chloride to sulfate ions, can exacerbate galvanic corrosion. While a number of treatment options are available for counteracting low pH, galvanic corrosion requires a different approach.

 

This presentation will sort out the chemistry of acidic corrosion and treatment as well as explore the impact of specific anion ratios on distribution systems containing dissimilar metals.