How Drinking Water Testing Is Done

By Judy Sullivan


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.

It is important to ensure that tests are done regularly on various samples before the water is declared fit for use. When carrying out tests, various impurities, both visible and invisible, are likely to be found in the samples. Commonly encountered impurities include lead, manganese, iron, sulphate and radon. Microorganisms are the contaminants that are most likely to cause disease. Unfortunately, they are usually invisible to the naked eye and are often overlooked. Testing for the organisms should be done at least once a year.

Certain circumstances may require testing more than once a year. For instance, alteration in odour, taste or color may require regular testing of sulphate, manganese and iron concentration levels. Mysterious diseases arising in the family or neighbours may also be linked to source contaminatio. If one is pregnant, it is necessary to test samples before the baby is born, after birth and during the first six months of life.

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.

Babies are highly susceptible to nitrate poisoning. Exposure to high concentrations of nitrates may result in blue baby syndrome (methemoglobinemia) where oxygen levels in the body are insufficient to meet the body demands. Immediate medical attention is crucial for the survival of affected babies.

Various types of samples are required. The first sample is what will come out the tap in the morning once it is turned on. The second is taken after the stream has run for some time. If there are several points of contamination within a piping system, then different points should be sampled. The best sites to sample are the inlet and outlet of a filtering device that is place on points before and after a storage tank. In the event of corrosion, the stream from the tap should first be allowed to run for at least twelve hours.

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.

Drinking water testing should become a routine if some of the most fatal diseases affecting the world today are to be prevented. Apart from testing, there is a need to have proper storage mechanisms to prevent contamination. If the water is being stored for a long time, regular sampling for tests should be done.




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