There are some things that unite all humans. Our need for clean and safe water is one of them. We rely on water for drinking, cleaning, preparing our food, and for industrial and manufacturing purposes. Oh and that little detail where we would all die if we didn’t have access to clean water.
Whether you use water from a well in your home or on a much bigger scale for industrial and manufacturing purposes, it is the responsibility of all of us to pay attention to water quality analysis and ensure the water we use is suitable for human consumption. Without analysis of water quality, situations like the fiasco the poor people of Flint, Michigan are dealing with occur. We put together a few commonly asked questions about water quality analysis methods:
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Water Quality
- What happens when our drinking water is contaminated?
It probably goes without saying that contaminated water can have a very negative impact on our health. However, the exact way that contaminated water impacts us depends on how it is contaminated. For example, if the pipes that bring water to your home or business are made of lead and it contaminates the water, the presence of lead in your water can cause your organs to deteriorate. On this subject, the Roman civilization had water systems that were extremely advanced for their times. The only problem is that the aqueducts that brought the water in were made of lead, and that lead contaminated the water supply. It is thought that lead-poisoned water caused some of the final emperors of Rome to go mad.
There are many other ways that water can be contaminated beyond just mineral deposits like lead though. In fact, there are thousands of strains of bacteria on our planet, and many of these microorganisms thrive in water sources (but your body doesn’t thrive after ingesting them). The ways that contaminated water impacts your health depends on the type of bacteria that the water contains. - How can you protect yourself and your family from contaminated water?
The detrimental impact that contaminated water can have on your health makes it very important to have it tested. You can get fresh water test kits or well water test kits at your local hardware store. These at-home kits don’t give you the extensive information that you’d get in a professional lab, but they’ll give you a general idea of the quality of your water. If the DIY kit reveals anything concerning, you know that you should bring a professional in to analyze the quality of your water.
Keep in mind that the quality of your water can change over time. For this reason, it’s a good idea to have your water tested on an annual basis, or if anything changes with the process in which your water is brought to your home, such as new construction, new plumbing, or changes in your system. - How can I prevent contaminated water?
Two of the most common sources of contaminated water are from the pipes that bring water to your home, and the fixture that delivers it to you (such as the faucet). The quality of the pipes can lead to leaks that cause contaminates to seep in through the soil, corrosion to build up on their own, or minerals can flake off from the pipes and into your water. Making sure your pipes are properly maintained is a valuable way to ensure the water is good quality.
The second common source of water contamination is the faucet itself. Because the faucet is a warm and wet area, it often has all the characteristics needed for bacteria to flourish. Scrubbing your faucet area with a disinfectant on a daily basis is a good way to prevent contamination.
The final way to prevent contamination is with professional equipment such as a water conductivity controller. - What is a water conductivity controller and how does it prevent contamination?
A water conductivity controller measures the amount of dissolved solids in the water. This is a valuable metric as dissolved solids is a big indication of contamination. Depending on your source of water and the safety of it, it might be valuable to use a professional water analysis tool such as a water conductivity controller so that the water is tested constantly in real time.
