Is water that has been treated safe to consume?
With water that comes from municipal treatment facilities, the water must meet certain safety standards of strict requirements to be safe for human consumption. However, while there are contaminants removed during this process, there are still some left behind at a safe level. This is one reason more homeowners are installing one of the many types of water treatment solutions on the market today. This ensures that the water has been treated again, to make it safer for consumption. Bearing this in mind, is water that has been treated safe to consume, and what kind of water treatment solutions are available for consumers? For more information, you can contact us at 800-633-8469.
What options are available for water treatment?
Even with all the water treatments that municipalities use today, there are many areas where the water could use additional water treatment solutions. Even here in America, a country with unlimited methods of water treatment in every municipality area, there are still more than 10,000 deaths each year caused by waterborne diseases. Some of those waterborne diseases are:
- Small radioactive particles (radionuclides)
- Specific chemicals (nitrates)
- Toxins (cyanobacteria)
With specialized water treatment solutions and methods, these contaminants can be controlled, making the water safer for consumption.
Ten different water treatment solutions have proven to be effective in purifying water, making consumption safer. Eight of those ways include:
- Boiling: This is the most basic and simplest of all water treatment solutions to purify water. Simply bringing a pan of water to a rolling boil, the high temperatures kill any bacteria and viruses, remove all impurities, killing all chemical additions. The downside to this type of water treatment solution is the settling of those impurities and dead micro-organisms have settled at the bottom, requiring the water to be strained through a microporous sieve for the impurities to be completely removed.
- Water Purifier: Another proven method of water treatment solutions is done by using an electric water purifier. This type of water treatment solution uses UF and UV filtration, carbon blocks, and modern water filtration technology in multi-stage processes to eliminate the majority of any chemicals and impurities.
- Reverse Osmosis: Often referred to as RO Purifier, this is one of the water treatment solutions that has proven to be the best method by forcing water through a semipermeable membrane which removes contaminants.
- Water Chlorination: This is one of the oldest of all water treatment solutions, ideal for emergency water treatment. A mild bleach of 5% chlorine is added to create a mixture that serves as an oxidant which kills microorganisms fast and provides safe water to be consumed.
- Distillation: This type of water treatment solution involves collecting the condensed water from evaporation which has removed any contaminants.
- Iodine Addition: This red chemical is available in a liquid or tablet form and kills bacteria and viruses but has two downsides: It affects the taste and if consumed in a high dose, it can be fatal.
- Solar Purification: When UV filtration isn’t possible, solar purification is an ideal alternative using the natural UV rays of the sun. It is achieved by filling water into a plastic bottle, activating the oxygen by shaking it, then placing the bottle in sunlight in a horizontal direction.
- UV Radiation: Water that has been exposed to UV Light will kill any microorganisms and stop any further breeding. However, if an RO Filter isn’t used, heavy metals and impurities aren’t removed.
How can I purify my water naturally?
Of all the water treatment solutions available to us today, you can use the natural method of boiling the water. As we described above, it will kill any disease-causing organisms like bacteria, parasites, and viruses through the high temperature the boiling creates.
For any water that is cloudy or murky, boiling will effectively treat the water, making it safe for consumption. This is why when a city has a water line breaks, a “boil water” order is issued.
Is rainwater safe to drink?
If you’re in a desperate situation, it is water, but it is not necessarily safe. A variety of contaminants are rinsed off into collected rainwater, such as bird poop. Other bacteria, chemicals, parasites, and viruses can be found in collected rainwater that has been found in diseases. It is recommended to use any of the water treatment solutions discussed in this article before consuming collected rainwater.
Is bottled water safer than tap water?
Though it may be surprising to some consumers, the answer is – not really. Bottled water and tap water have the same quality standards, making them equal in safety. However, in some areas, tap water may not have a desirable taste which is why many homeowners choose one of the many water treatment solutions for home consumption.
In Closing
Where your family’s health is a concern, have your water tested by a professional water testing service, or you can test your water yourself using a kit available to the public. This will tell you what contaminants are in the water, if any, and you can choose one of the many water treatment solutions to ensure safer water for your home. If you would like more information on the water treatment solutions that are available to you, reach out to us by calling us today at 800-633-8469.
