Sunday, January 19, 2014

How Drinking Water Testing Is Done

By Judy Sullivan


Drinking water is defined as water that does not pose health concerns to users. A huge percentage of people drink contaminated water resulting in many illnesses some of which are rapidly fatal. These diseases can be rapidly spread especially among communities that live close together. Eradicating related diseases is one of the major public health goals in the developing world. Drinking water testing is one of the many ways towards attaining this aim.

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.

The occurrence of unwanted events such as sewage drainage destruction or blockage should raise the suspicion of contamination. One should also get concerned when there is a certain outbreak of diarrhea diseases. When water equipment gets worn out at a faster rate than usual, chances are high that this is linked to corrosion, hardness and pH changes. Inability of soaps to lather easily should also be considered.

Infants are vulnerable to nitrate and overexposure to the same can lead to nitrate poisoning. This results in a blood disorder termed blue baby syndrome which is characterised by very low levels of oxygen which cannot meet the requirements. It should be treated as a medical emergency in the event of exposure and symptom presentation.

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.

Once the samples have been adequately tested and the contaminants identified, one of the steps that can be undertaken is the installation of filter systems to remove impurities. The main downside is that important components such as fluoride may be filtered out. Fluoride is an element that helps strengthen tooth enamel and prevents decay.

Water is essential for the survival of humans and other living organisms. It makes up over 70% of the human body weight. Sampling is the most important part of drinking water testing. Therefore, instructions should be carefully followed to obtain accurate results.




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