1. The Properties of Copper
The earliest recorded example of copper being used for water purification can be found in ancient egypt. A medical text, known as the smith papyrus (c. 2400 bc), mentions the use of copper as a sterilization agent for drinking water and wounds.
The Aztecs used a copper solution as a gargle for sore throats. The romans applied a number of remedies involving copper. In diluted form, nose drops were used to clear the head. Drops helped cure ear infection and were taken orally to soothe mouth sores and ulcers.
The old folk tradition of throwing copper coins into wells and fountains was and, in many parts of the world, still is a vestige of this ancient medicinal science.
In our own time, copper-based algaecides are still being used by water treatment biologists to control algae problems. Copper is the first component in the Enviroswim es3 water purification system.
2. The Power of Silver
Like copper, the use of silver as an anti-bacterial agent in water goes back to ancient times. Herodotus wrote that Persian kings would travel with a long train of wagons carrying silver jars to keep the water fresh.
Greek craftsmen produced silver vessels for use on ships. The Romans would keep silver coins in drinking vessels and other household items.
In the European middle ages, families of means gave their children silver spoons to suck on. This is the origin of the saying ‘born with a silver spoon in his mouth’.
Closer to home, settlers in the Australian outback suspended silverware in their water tanks.
More recently, scientists involved in the NASA space program combined the powers of copper and silver for state of the art water purification onboard their spacecraft.
This technological breakthrough allowed the astronauts to enjoy the benefits of pure water without the hazards of chlorine. It worked in space and it will work in your swimming pool.
3. Back to Nature
Copper is a powerful algaecide. Silver is a powerful anti-bacterial agent. But they don’t have oxidizing properties.
If you try to run a pool just on copper and silver, you don’t have anything to break down the oils, body fats, dust, dirt, leaves, all the organic compounds that find their way into pools. And this is why people use chlorine as an oxidizer.
So what we use for the oxidization part of the process is an electronic method that we designed ourselves. This produces small amounts of extremely powerful natural oxidizing agents. In essence, we are oxygenating the water through an electronic process.
The result, as our customers will tell you, is a wonderful ‘back to nature’ crystal clear water experience every time you take a dip in your pool.