Purification of drinking water

Water and purity

Water is necessary for life. However impure water can cause many diseases. So therefore it is necessary to use on clean water for drinking, bathing etc. Unfortunately much of water around us has become contaminated. Moreover there are a very few sources to obtain clean drinking water in our country and abroad. All over the world thousands of people die every year due to diseases caused by impure water. Many children below the age of 5 are killed due to unclean water. Therefore it is necessary to get the drinking water free from impurities. There should be no disease causing bacterias in water.

Diseases caused by impure water

A number of bacterias, viruses and protozoa can cause a number of diseases. The most dangerous diseases caused by impure water are hepatitis, Polio, diarrhea, typhoid, malaria etc. These diseases can become life threatening after a stage. In addition to bacterias and viruses, the nitrates and substances in the water can also cause diseases. Chromium in impure water can cause skin problems and cancer. The fluorides in the water can damage the teeth and bones. Too much iron content in the water can cause gas and other problems in the body. It is therefore necessary to purify the water before drinking. I will now discuss steps in the purification of water.

Purification of water by chlorine.

Chlorination can purify water. Water in municipalities is usually mixed with chlorine. This is called chlorination. In excess quantities chlorine can be damaging to the body, however. Liver and kidneys can be damaged. Scientifically, in 1 liter of water only 2.3 mg of chlorine should be added and the water is fit for drinking only after half an hour. When chlorine is mixed with water it forms hypo chlorides which kill germs and bacterias in water. There is a substance called Geoline in the market today which has chlorine mixed with other substances. This is said to be more effective. However chlorine is not effective at eradicating all types of bacterias.

Purification of water by water filter

There are a number of water filters available in the market today. Water filters remove heavy particles from the water but this does not remove the harmful bacterias. The best water filters are those with carbon filters. It is better to expose the water to ultra violet rays after filtering it to destroy the bacterias and viruses in it. This practice is being adopted today for better purification.

Mineral Water

The best mineral water is the one obtained from springs. This is natural water which is free from impurities. In other countries if one purchases a bottle of mineral water, one can read 'spring water' on the labels. Spring water in India is not easy to procure and supply at low costs. One bottle of mineral water costs Rs 15 and supplying mineral water through taps to households is not feasible. Moreover in India, not all mineral water is procured through natural springs. Companies often mix substances to purify the water.

Boiled water

Since the good old days boiled water has been considered the safest. And this is a fact also. There are a number of people who are filtering the water along with boiling it for added safety. Although boiling water consumes your cooking gas, it is a small price to pay for health safety. People buy electrical water purifiers and they basically boil the water in them and purify it with internal filters. However water purifiers are safe only if the internal filters are changed regularly. Water boiled for 5 minutes is not enough. The water should be boiled till 20 minutes at least and then filtered with a simple house filter for it to be effectively clean. This water is now free from harmful bacterias and viruses.

Are Soft drinks safe?

Many people take soft drinks to quench their thirst. They think that soft drinks are safer than tap water. But this is a misconception. Soft drinks contain 95% water and 5% mixture of chemicals, sugars, citric acids, phosphoric acids, hydrochloric acids, sodium chloride, potassium chloride etc. Cold drinks are also added with unnatural colors and too much chlorine.