Is Activated Carbon the Only Way to Remove Color from Water?

Activated carbon is the most common method of removing color from water, but it is not always the most appropriate method. Sometimes the color in water comes from very small particles of suspended solids and not from dissolved solids. The particles imparting the color are so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye, but they do exist. If color results from these small particles, activated carbon is an unnecessarily expensive way to remove it.

A multi-media filter is the most efficient and least expensive choice. In order to determine whether color is coming from suspended solids or from dissolved solids, have a water laboratory test for color units in a representative sample of water. Then have the lab technician pour the water through 5-micron filter paper and test the filtered water again for color units.

If color is not detectable and the water appears clear, a multi-media filter is the most effective choice, and activated carbon will not be necessary. If most, but not enough of the color is removed, then a multi-media filter followed by activated carbon should produce the desired result. If color is virtually unaffected by the filter paper, then use activated carbon.

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Everfilt : Is Activated Carbon the Only Way to Remove Color from Water?