Best Ways of “Producing” Clean Water

There are so many diseases these days which are caused by consumption and exposure to dirty water; you have typhoid fever, Legionnaire’s disease, cholera, even dengue fever (because dengue virus-carrying mosquitoes breed in stagnant water), to cite a few, which put people’s lives in great danger. Other than those, drinking contaminated water can also lead to diarrhea and vomiting, which can deplete the body of nutrients and weaken it.

To prevent these water-related health maladies, it’s imperative to know the different ways of purifying water. Listed here are some of the best methods of doing that.

Boiling — The high temperature reached by water will kill off any bacteria present in it, and will automatically reduce the chances of you getting sick from drinking it. Just let the water boil for some time to make sure that all bacteria and other harmful components are gone. This method of water purification is highly advisable after flooding or if water was collected from “open” sources like wells, rivers, etc.

Filtering and adding Alum — This process works for muddy water. Filtration will get rid of floating material and small particles. A fine cloth can be used to filter muddy water into a different container. Add half a teaspoon of powdered Alum to 10 mg/liter of water then stir well. After stirring, leave the water alone for 7 hours so the sediments coagulate and settle at the bottom of the container. Filter the water a few times again and voila, clean water ready for drinking!

Add purification tablets — This is a great alternative if you don’t have a water purifier at home. These tablets will kill off bacteria but will leave a bitter taste. After adding the tablets and letting them dissolve completely, strain the water through a fine cloth to get rid of tiny particles. It’s important to mention, though, that water treated with these tablets is not advisable for pregnant women, people with thyroid issues, and women over 50.

Water testing — This is perhaps the best way of ensuring the quality of water for use. Water testing will reveal all the harmful elements present in the water from the tap, such as Legionella bacteria which are known to infect people through mere inhalation of steam. Currently, there are water testing kits that can be used to determine if temperature-resistant bacteria are present in the water. Labs correctly identify each of them and then recommend the most appropriate methods for treatment which include effective cleaning of the origin points of these bacteria. Once water testing is completed and appropriate treatment is implemented, you can be sure that you’ll be safe however you consume water.

This post is sponsored by Aquacert.