Water in various regions around the world contains toxic chemicals and substances, including: arsenic, barium, lead, manganese, and nickel, amongst others. These substances are at high enough levels that they may increase your risk for developing cancer, skin disorders, kidney and nervous system problems, and other health issues. This, however, doesn’t mean you should stop drinking water. After all, drinking water is very important to your health.
In order to understand how to make water suitable for domestic consumption, you must first understand what things make water unsafe. Most surface water (rivers, lakes, streams, reservoirs) contains some types of micro-organisms (protozoa, bacteria, viruses) and/or pollutants (chemicals, foul odours, sewage, spilt fuel). Micro-organisms are living microscopic cells that, when consumed, can cause diseases. Some micro-organisms can even cause death for those with weak immune systems (children, elderly, sick).
Pollutants generally fall into two categories: man-made and natural. Natural pollutants include water contaminants such as minerals (salts) and heavy metals. Man-made pollutants are those that are introduced into water sources by manufacturing plants, poor waste and disposal management, air pollution, and so on. Most often these pollutants are chemicals, fuels, sewage, or their by-products.
What can you do to ensure your water is safe for domestic use?
Boiling water, historically, has been the main way to disinfect water from microorganisms because it kills them all if done correctly. Recommendations are to boil water for at least three minutes to kill all viruses. Bacteria and protozoa are dead at the first bubbles. But there are drawbacks to boiling water. First off, boiling requires a lot of fuel and cooking equipment. Second, there is a long cool-down period. Third, some of the water evaporates before it is ready to drink. Fourth, depending on the source, the water may still have particulate substances in it calling for futher filteration before drinking. Lastly, boiling water does not eliminate pollutants, poor taste or foul odors. In fact, boiling can give water a stale taste.
If boiling water is not possible, chemical disinfection is another method for making water safer to drink. The two primary chemicals used for purifying water are iodine and chlorine. These two chemicals are lightweight, low-cost and relatively easy to use.Cryptosporidium (a parasite that can cause diarrhea) and other coccidian parasites (e.g., Cyclospora, Toxoplasma) might not be killed by this method. Cloudy water, for instance, should be strained through a clean cloth into a container to remove any sediment or floating matter, and then the water should be treated with iodine.
Ultraviolet(UV) disinfection is another method for making water safer to drink. This kind of disinfection uses a UV light source, which is enclosed in a transparent protective sleeve. It is mounted so that water can pass through a flow chamber, and UV rays are admitted and absorbed into the stream. When ultraviolet energy is absorbed by the reproductive mechanisms of bacteria and viruses, the genetic material (DNA/RNA) is rearranged and they can no longer reproduce. They are therefore considered dead and the risk of disease has been eliminated. UV is known to be highly effective against bacteria, viruses, algae, molds and yeasts, and disease causing oocysts like cryptosporidium and giardia.
Another method to make water safe for drinking by using solar stills. Solar stills operate upon the "greenhouse effect." A clear, clean plastic barrier (a plastic bag, ground cloth, or a plastic grocery sack) is placed over a “source,” such as the ground, tree branches or other organic materials. The sun’s (solar) energy passes through the barrier and heats the source material. Moisture from the source vaporizes, rises and then condenses on the underside of the plastic barrier. The moisture is then collected as drinkable water. Solar stills are capable of distilling almost any tainted water, even seawater. This process removes impurities such as salts and heavy metals as well as eliminates microbiological organisms. The end result is water cleaner than the purest rainwater. A solar still, however, is good when you have exhausted other methods.
The last method am going to write about is filtration. Water filtration simply means to strain out the impurities from a water source. Filtration has evolved from the simple Hippocratic sleeve of ancient Greece, made from cloth, to the complicated solid block carbon and multimedia water filters currently on the market today. Water filtration is now the premier method of water purification, removing more water contaminants, more efficiently, than any other technique. The filtration process involves some type of filter media, over which water flows. This filter media blocks passage of contaminants through physical obstruction, chemical adsorption, or a combination of both processes.
Modern filtration technology allows water filters to remove more and more contaminants through the chemical process of adsorption. In the adsorption process, contaminants are encouraged to break their bond with water molecules and chemically adhere to the filter media. Generally, water goes through several stages of filtration to ensure that each filter media will remove the ultimate number of contaminants. Once the water has passed through the required stages of filtration, it emerges as pure drinking water, free from contamination.
It is now in your hands to decide which method to use to ensure that the water you consume is safe, not just for you but for your family as a whole. I personally recommend the filtration method to be your go to choice, but I urge you to do more research before making your final decision, for how can you be certain that your method of choice is as safe as the claims companies make them out to be? Would you simply make the choice based on popularity or trend, on affordability, or are you someone who makes a choice based on independent, recognised standards of quality?
If the latter is the method you practice, then you will be delighted to know that QNet’s HomePure water filter has been independently certified by the industry-leading National Sanitation Foundation (NSF International). NSF International, founded in 1944, is an international accreditation agency that puts products under extensive testing and material analysis to ensure consumers get the most out of their food, water and consumer goods. As a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation, NSF is the leading global provider of public health and safety risk management solutions.
HomePure is QNet’s high-quality water filter that incorporates a mechanical seven-filter media Ultrafiltration (UF) system, meaning seven filter stages are combined into one single filter cartridge. HomePure has received the NSF Mark on its 7-stage filtration system, meaning it has been tested to verify that it has met certain standards for health and aesthetics. With the NSF certification label, HomePure receives the following additional layers of assurance for its consumers:
- Taste/odor, chlorine, turbidity and VOC reduction claims are true, ensuring you are buying the right water treatment system.
- No harmful chemicals will be added to the filtered water.
- The system unit is structurally sound according to specifications.
- The filtration system is as advertised; no misleading literature and labeling.
- No change in the materials and manufacturing processes as described by the manufacturer.
Water is such an important component to our physiology and it only makes sense that the quality of water should be just as important as the quantity. Drinking water should always be clean and free of contaminants to ensure proper health and wellness. I hope this post has enlightened you to why you should take the issue of your water safety seriously. For just US$ 730, you can own the QNET HomePure water filter and finally put your mind at ease knowing that the water you consume is safe. or Head on over to the QNET offical website and make your retail purchase today.
