Drinking water should always be safe for human consumption. A large percentage of the world population drink water that is not safe leading to widespread diseases and death. Minimising the related diseases is one of the most important public health goals in many countries. Drinking water testing is just one of the ways to achieve this goal.
Regular sampling should be done to ensure that purity is maintained and safety is guaranteed. As much as this is the responsibility of the public health department, you should not take any chances. Instead you should take the initiative to collect samples and ensure that indeed they are of good quality. Depending on the location of the source, various substances may be detected. These include radon, sulphate, iron, manganese, pesticides and so forth. The most common quality challenge is bacteria, which has to be tested at least once a year.
There are situations that may require testing to be done more frequently within a year. If there are changes in colour, smell, taste and clarity one should suspect high levels of contaminants such as iron, sulphate and manganese. At the same time, whenever unexplained illnesses are noted among people who drink from the same source. Home testing should be done if a member of the household is pregnant.
Specific conditions call for specific tests to be carried out. For example, there should be tests for the presence of coliform bacteria when users develop recurrent gastrointestinal illness. Failure of soaps to lather easily during washing may require a test for hardness. Rapid wear of pipping equipment is a sign that samples need to be tested for PH, alkalinity, corrosion and hardness.
The most vulnerable group of persons with regard to diseases are children less than five years and particularly the infants. Overexposure to nitrates to these group leads to nitrate poisoning. It subsequently results in a condition known as the blue baby syndrome in which the levels of oxygen are too low to meet the metabolic requirements. When identified, this condition should be treated as a medical emergency.
Either a simple flush in the morning or after the tap has run for a while can be used as a sample. Sampling from different points may be needed in case contamination is suspected to be in the plumbing system. This can be before and after water enters a storage container or at the inlet and outlet of a filter. Testing for corrosion in the plumbing system warrants collection of the sample after twelve hours of settling.
Installing filters in the home can help get rid of some troublesome contaminants such as lead. This should be done after the samples have been tested to know exactly what impurities are to be removed. There are particular types of filters: distillation systems and reverse osmosis systems filter out fluoride. In such cases, measures have to be taken to ensure fluoride is obtained by other means to avoid tooth decay. Also, change the filters often to prevent accumulation of contaminants.
Even after the safety threshold has been reached, it is important to ensure that there is proper storage. This will help reduce the chances of contamination and diseases later on. While in storage, drinking water testing should be done regularly to make sure that the status has not changed.
Regular sampling should be done to ensure that purity is maintained and safety is guaranteed. As much as this is the responsibility of the public health department, you should not take any chances. Instead you should take the initiative to collect samples and ensure that indeed they are of good quality. Depending on the location of the source, various substances may be detected. These include radon, sulphate, iron, manganese, pesticides and so forth. The most common quality challenge is bacteria, which has to be tested at least once a year.
There are situations that may require testing to be done more frequently within a year. If there are changes in colour, smell, taste and clarity one should suspect high levels of contaminants such as iron, sulphate and manganese. At the same time, whenever unexplained illnesses are noted among people who drink from the same source. Home testing should be done if a member of the household is pregnant.
Specific conditions call for specific tests to be carried out. For example, there should be tests for the presence of coliform bacteria when users develop recurrent gastrointestinal illness. Failure of soaps to lather easily during washing may require a test for hardness. Rapid wear of pipping equipment is a sign that samples need to be tested for PH, alkalinity, corrosion and hardness.
The most vulnerable group of persons with regard to diseases are children less than five years and particularly the infants. Overexposure to nitrates to these group leads to nitrate poisoning. It subsequently results in a condition known as the blue baby syndrome in which the levels of oxygen are too low to meet the metabolic requirements. When identified, this condition should be treated as a medical emergency.
Either a simple flush in the morning or after the tap has run for a while can be used as a sample. Sampling from different points may be needed in case contamination is suspected to be in the plumbing system. This can be before and after water enters a storage container or at the inlet and outlet of a filter. Testing for corrosion in the plumbing system warrants collection of the sample after twelve hours of settling.
Installing filters in the home can help get rid of some troublesome contaminants such as lead. This should be done after the samples have been tested to know exactly what impurities are to be removed. There are particular types of filters: distillation systems and reverse osmosis systems filter out fluoride. In such cases, measures have to be taken to ensure fluoride is obtained by other means to avoid tooth decay. Also, change the filters often to prevent accumulation of contaminants.
Even after the safety threshold has been reached, it is important to ensure that there is proper storage. This will help reduce the chances of contamination and diseases later on. While in storage, drinking water testing should be done regularly to make sure that the status has not changed.
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