Drinking Water Treatment - Avoiding the Risks

Around 1.8 million people die each year due tohouseholds on a regular and sustainable basis. Drinking
water-borne diseases spurring authorities andwater parameters are generally categorized into
companies to work together and develop safer andchemical or physical and microbiological. Chemical or
more effective means of distribution. Drinking waterphysical include trace organics, heavy metals, turbidity
treatment can be done in various ways but it isand TSS or total suspended solids. Microbiological
equally important to maintain ecological cleanliness forinclude E. Coli, protozoans, bacteria and viruses. These
long term benefits. Here are the different approachescan affect water properties such as taste, odor and
of treatment.appearance.
Introduction to Water TreatmentWhat's in Your Water?
The process used to make water acceptable andWater coming from surface waters such as rivers or
safe for consumption is referred to as drinking waterlakes is exposed to different external conditions and
treatment. The uses may vary aside from drinkingelements such as acid rain, pesticide runoff, storm
such as medical purposes, industrial processes andwater runoff, industrial waste and mud. A number of
the like. The main goal of treatment is to eliminate ornatural processes can improve and cleanse the water
remove all present contaminants in the water andat an extent such as aeration, presence of beneficial
continually improve it for future use. Treated watermicroorganisms and minerals and exposure to sunlight.
can also be safely discharged into the naturalGroundwater such as those in private wells and a
environment without any negative ecological effectsnumber of public water supplies may take longer to
through processes like coagulation, settling or slowcontaminate. The natural cleansing processes also
sand filtration.take longer. Drinking water contamination can include
The need for clean water continues to rise especiallydisease-causing pathogens, agricultural chemicals and
among developing countries. High standards are vitalhazardous household products.
for drinking purposes while factories have lowerContaminants are supposed to be regulated when
purification requirements. Household connection andpresent in drinking water supplies and pose a risk to
community water point sources may not be verypublic health. The EPA established safety levels and
safe for human consumption. Surface waters andmargins that may be adequate for the majority but
open-wells almost always need drinking waterbecome dangerous to selected individuals and groups.
treatment.Scientists use "acceptable daily intake" to assess the
The Standardsrisk of non-cancer-causing toxic materials.
Drinking water treatment requires the rightDrinking Water Contaminants
technologies and applications that include bothDrinking water contamination can stem from four
household-scale point-of-use or POU andsources namely microbial pathogens, organics,
community-scale designs. There are severalinorganics and radioactive elements. Pathogens are
approaches to destroy microbial pathogenic agentsthe most common stemming from sewage and
such as filtration, boiling, chemical disinfection and UVanimal waste that lead to health problems like
or ultraviolet radiation exposure. Field-based studieshepatitis, salmonella infection and dysentery. Organics
have been conducted to determine how POUinclude pesticides and volatile organic chemicals which
approaches reduce the possibility of waterbornecan lead to cancer, birth defects and system damage
diseases. POU capabilities regarding disease controland disorders. Inorganics include toxic metals and
depends on the potential to eliminate pathogens asnitrate that can cause poisoning and cancer.
well as social factors like proper usage and culturalRadioactive elements include radon stemming from
application.decayed uranium rock and soil. It can lead to lung
The priority of POU proponents is to provide cleancancer.
and safe drinking water treatment to low-income