Make Your Backwash More Effective With 4 Simple Steps

By optimizing your backwash system, you can improve your overall filter performance and reduce backwash frequency, while cutting down on media costs and preventing excessive water usage.

1. We recommend increasing your backwash frequency if you are experiencing:

• Excessive headloss (debris buildup in media)
• Diminished effluent water quality

2. We encourage you to sample your backwash water on a monthly basis to detect system issues and ensure your system is working properly. We’ve included the four easy steps to sampling your backwash water below:

• Gather a sample of backwash water halfway through Simul-Wash™ or a backwash.
• Swirl the sample in a jar; if there is media present, this will cause it to settle in the bottom-center.
• Allow settling for a few minutes and note if there is media present. Any media collected should be minor – less than a dime in size and very fine in texture.
• If you see an excessive amount of filter media, your backwash water rates are probably too high. This will also affect your filter performance and shorten media life.

3. Adjust the backwash flow rates to get highest rate without excessive media loss.

• If you haven’t checked flow rates recently (over the last 12 months), then using the above technique, gradually increase flow while sampling, until a trace of media is observed. Reduce this rate slightly to eliminate media loss.

4. Simul-Wash™ and backwash durations vary depending on your raw water quality and frequency of backwash. Ensuring your filter media gets clean during backwash will improve overall filter performance.

If utilizing a U.S. Water Brand Simul-Wash™, backwash duration spans 6 to 10 minutes.

• Purge the air out of the media for about 2 minutes.
• Backwash until the water is translucent without any solids, about 1-5 minutes.
• Each system’s backwash duration will vary depending on your specific application and water conditions.

An efficient backwash system will promote high quality water and prolong the life of your media. Have additional questions? Contact us or learn more about our Simul-Wash™ backwash system.