How To Make Water Safe For Drinking

Tap water is the most common source of drinking water in many parts of the world. What many people do not know however, is that it is dangerous to our health. This is because it is laden with bacteria, chemicals and other harmful compounds. There is a way through which tap water can be made safe for consumption in the home. It is possible to transform contaminated water into clean, pure and safe water using water filters.

Home water filters are made using filtration systems which are specially made for eliminating unhealthy and harmful elements in the water. These include excess chlorine and other particles. Water filters improve the quality of your drinking water. There is a difference in the taste, smell and color between filtered water and unfiltered water. Although water may be safe at its point of origin, it gets contaminated along the way. It is therefore important for every one to take extra measures in ensuring that they install water filtration systems at home. This will help reduce cases of cancer and other serious illnesses caused by contaminated water.

Though home water filters are effective in removing chlorine and sediments, they may not be able to remove all the harmful compounds present in water. This is compounded by the fact that even after tap water has been filtered; it mixes with contaminants as it passes through the plumbing lead. A whole house filter prevents this from happening. You can combine it with a secondary drinking water filter to clear any remaining contaminants before it streams from your tap.

Another popular drinking water option for many people is bottled water. Most of us wrongly believe that bottled water is safe and healthy for drinking, and prefer drinking it to tap water. Well, research has shown that 25& of all bottled water is more unclean than tap water. This can be explained by the lack of regulation on players in the bottled water industry.

Methods of water purification
Water purification and water filtration are two different concepts. Water purification is the removal of microbiological contaminants from water using a disinfectant such as chlorine. Filtration on the other hand is the removal of chemical contaminants from water but not microbiological ones. There are different types of water filtration and purification systems and they all have different efficiency levels. The type of water filtration to use depends on three major factors. These are; the cost and performance of the filtration system, the state of your local water supply and the health benefits to be derived from the system.

Most purification units use iodine tablets to purify water. They are efficient in removing protozoa, viruses and bacteria but not cryptosporidium and other toxic chemicals from water. There are portable water filters which come in handy when one is traveling. They are easy to carry, they are versatile and can be quite helpful should you run out of drinking water and they are available in most camping stores. A word of caution when using portable water filters; always read the instructions carefully before use.