A question that has largely gone without response: Is your water pure. Unfortunately, this is not a question that many people know the answer to because of the limited resources available and the relative lack of access to either centralized locations or laboratories with experts who are responsible for determining purity. ________ is the proportion of dissolved salts to pure water.?
Even more unfortunate is that knowing how to test for purity does not alleviate one from the responsibility of purifying their own water. Being able to take such a small step in protecting oneself from potential health risks can dramatically change your outlook on life when you realize what you are capable of doing when it comes down to helping others way beyond simple access.
How to know if your water is pure or not?
1. Chlorine
On the surface, knowing if your water has chlorine in it or not is a relatively easy task. All you need to do is smell your water and see if there is any chlorine smell to go by. Chlorine is not necessarily dangerous to your health but is a good indication of bacterial water contamination. Chlorine is used as a tool of purification because it creates an environment in which bacteria cannot thrive, neutralizing their potential to cause harm.
2. Taste
Taste is a subjective experience that can be driven by many different things, but it is generally one of the best ways to determine if water is truly pure or contaminated. Taste can be an indicator of byproducts from chlorination and mineral content; however, this depends on the location from which you are drinking the water. Sometimes taste is a good indication of purity and other times it is not.
3. Color
Cloudy or colored water is often an indicator of particulates in the water which can potentially be substances that are not safe for your health, even if the color itself is not impure. Color can be an indicator of bacterial contamination but this is not always the case. The only way to know for sure is by conducting a test; however, even then, there are situations where the test result may prove inconclusive.
4. Bad/sick water smell
This is generally a good indication of bacterial contamination, but this is not always the case. Bacterial contamination can be sensed in specific ways as well including by a “bad” or “sick” water smell. This indication can come in a number of forms ranging from overly pungent to earthy – even raw sewage.
The best way to determine whether germs are present within water is by conducting a test using home-made purification methods. Methods such as chlorine and iodine can be used, both of which are typically commercially available as well. It is also a good idea to periodically test the water from different sources just to have an idea as to where potential health hazards might be located.
5. Cone test
This home-made water purity test is one of the most popular techniques that can be used to ensure safe drinking water.
What you will need: a clear container, a black plate, tin foil and household ammonia.
1. Label three 1/2 liter (1 UK Pint) bottles A, B and C.
2. Fill bottle “A” with water from your source and pour it into the clear container; label it as such.
3. Fill bottle “B” with the same amount of water from the same source but this time add about 1/4 teaspoon of household ammonia to it before pouring it into the jar labeled “B”. Leave “C” empty for comparison purposes.
4. Place the black plate over the mouth of bottle “A” and tightly seal the bottle. Leave it for about 24 hours or so; when you remove it, look for any color change.
5. If your water contains a stain of blue or purple, then you have a bacterial contamination problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
6. If your water is clear, then you can consider withdrawing it from use as only distilled water should be used for drinking purposes; however, if using tap water use an antimicrobial agent such as chlorine to disinfect and sterilize the water before drinking.
7. If all of your water came from the same source, then you can be sure that there are no bacterial issues.
The benefit of this test is that it is relatively easy to conduct and will usually provide an accurate indication as to whether or not there is a bacterial contamination issue within your water source.
Summary:
However, before conducting this test on a larger scale it is best to consult the experts at a laboratory since there may be situations where the test results don’t always translate into action.
Is Your Water Pure? Finding a laboratory that can conduct water purification tests has been made easier with the development of portable testing kits; however, with this new technology also comes potential risks associated with bacteria as well as other contaminants.
