Chapter 3.0 Water Purification

3.0  Water Purification

Water is practically found everywhere on Earth. Rivers and lakes which are the main sources of water are exposed to different kinds of pollution and contaminants.  As such, to ensure that the water that you drink is safe for drinking, it must undergo a series of treatments.

Water purification eliminates certain pollutants and contaminants present in water.  Moreover, it also improves the quality and taste of water.

3.1 Why is Water Treated

Water is generally contaminated with impurities or microorganisms that can be harmful to the health.  As such, in order to make sure that the water is safe for cooking and drinking, there is a need to seek for water purification.

Water purification frees water from any kind of impurity and contaminants.  The purification process consists of many steps that need to be progresses depending on the types of impurities present in the water. This would mean that different kinds of water may have different kinds of water purification methods.  A wide variety of technology can be used for purifying water and removing its contaminants.

Fig.7. Contaminated Water Source

Factors that affect the choice of water purification technology

3.2 Benefits of Water Purification

Some of the bacteria that can be removed with water purification technologies include coliform bacteria and rain leeches. It is worth noting that hepatitis A and coliform bacteria can leech into aquifers tapped by wells.  This fact makes water purification a must in order to avoid severe illnesses that are brought about by these bacteria and viruses.

Water purification eliminates heavy metals that are contained in water such as mercury, lead, and arsenic.  These heavy metals can easily leech into water sources and are harmful to the body.

Some of the most parasites that can infect drinking water include Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, and Helminths. These parasites can cause severe illness and even death if untreated.

Some toxic chemicals naturally occur in the earth’s crust and can easily leech into aquifers used for well water. Water purification purges these toxic chemicals so that these could not cause harmful effects to humans and even animals.

Surely, everyone prefers odorless, tasteless, and crystal clear water for drinking.  Although the taste and odor does not affect the health benefits of water, it is more of an aesthetic reason to purify water which is actually an important issue to many people.