The properties of copper
The earliest recorded example of copper being used for natural 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 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 swimming pool water purification system.
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 freshwater swimming pool.
Then, at the beginning of the 21st century, a pioneering company in Queensland, Australia, developed a third and vital component to create a swimming pool water purification system as close to chemical-free pool cleaning as is available on the market. Supported by the government, tested by independent laboratories, granted patents for the unique innovations and accredited by NSF, the world’s leading authority on safe water treatment, the Enviroswim system was launched.
Since then, the world’s greenest and safest system for pool water purification has been welcomed by pool owners and installed in some of the world’s most innovative and sophisticated spas and resorts. Take a look here.