Aside from air, water seems to be the most important element needed by all living things for survival. Hardly can these living things go without it. Even plants when they are not watered, dry up after some time. Humans can barely go a day without it and for animals, even camels store it for later use when it is not available in the immediate.
Water is a transparent, inorganic, odorless and tasteless substance. Its chemical composition includes two parts of hydrogen and one of oxygen written as H20. It can exist in different states and the most common is liquid. At high temperatures, it reaches boiling point and takes the form of gas that can evaporate into the air or condense onto a surface. The final form it can take is a solid state. This occurs at very low temperatures and it is frozen at this point.
It can be referred to by several names depending on its state; ice when it is solid, steam in its gaseous state, fog when it is an aerosol, rain when it forms precipitation.
Water is the most abundant as well as the most essential of all the compounds. It also can dissolve various substances. This very versatile substance is a major constituent of the earth’s hydrosphere. In fact, 71% of the earth’s surface is made up of it.
Water is vital to life and it plays a crucial role even in the economy of the world. Its uses range from economic and commercial purposes to private use. Many things can be said about this wonderful and versatile substance but for this article, we would be concentrating on its personal use in the home. You can read further about it here.
How is Water Useful in the Home?
Water does not provide any form of organic nutrients nor calories but it is the best substance that can be consumed. When it is taken as a drink, it refreshes and energizes. It is also used for cooking, bathing, washing, laundry, cleaning, watering plants, flushing toilets, etc.
It makes up about 60% of the total weight of the human body and it also makes up 90% of the brain. It is important that the body is adequately hydrated. This helps to energize you and causes the body to function optimally. It also helps to aid digestion, weight loss, detoxify the body and hydrates the skin. All in all, it helps to keep you healthy.
Treatment and Filtration
Most water that is consumed in households comes from either groundwater sources such as wells or they come from surface water body sources like rivers and lakes. This is then transported from these sources to treatment plants. After treatment, it goes to a storage tank and finally, it is supplied to different homes. All these are done through a vast array of pipe systems.
The treatment process typically goes through four processes:
Coagulation and Flocculation – At this point chemicals are added which binds particles and dirt that may be present into larger particles referred to as floc.
Sedimentation – Here the floc settles at the bottom as it is quite heavy.
Filtration – The now clear water passes through filters that include sand, gravel as well as charcoal to make it clean. Here bacteria, viruses, dust, and chemicals are removed.
Disinfection – At this stage, chemicals such as chloramine, chlorine, and fluorine are added to kill any germs, viruses and bacteria. Fluorine helps to prevent tooth decay. Other chemicals may also be added based on the hardness of the water and its pH levels to control that and to prevent corrosion.
Due to all the chemicals used in the treatment of water before it gets to a household, most homes usually have a filtration system to further purify theirs. This is done by the use of what is called filters. You can read more here https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_treatment.html
Contaminants and Their Sources
Without filtration, you will ingest through drinking, absorb via washing and showering and also breathe contaminants present in the water when you use it. This eventually will likely impact your overall health.
The downside to these contaminants is that they can impede or obstruct several bodily processes. They may also be toxic to vital organs in the body. Common contaminants include chlorine, chloramine, iron, lead, trihalomethanes (TTHM), and hydrogen sulfide.
Others include debris as well as oil which is one of the most popular due to oil spills. These contaminants contaminate water by various means which can either be natural or man-made. A lot of the time it is based on factors such as physical, chemical, radiological, and biological impurities. The pipes through which water passes through can as well be a source of contamination when they are old.
Filtering Water in Your Home
You may not have the ability to control the quality of water that you get in your home. But by use of a filtration system, you can protect yourself and your family from any harmful contaminants that may be present. There are several methods by which water supplied to a household can undergo filtration.
You can have whole house filters that take care of filtration for your whole building. There are under sink filters, portable filters, countertops, faucet attachments, shower filters, etc.
You can contact a Water Filter Advisor if you need more information or want to know what steps to take. They can help you make informed decisions when buying a filtration system so that your home is adequately protected.
Conclusion
Water is essential to life and we cannot do without it. Unfortunately, the integrity of what is supplied to homes cannot be totally relied on. This is oftentimes not the fault of the supplying authority but it can be due to a wide range of factors.
To protect yourself and your loved ones you should not leave your health to chance. Rather, you should be proactive. Take measures to ensure that whatever water is used in your home is properly filtered to rid it of or reduce any present contaminants.
