Contaminated Water Risks Your Health: 5 Best Home Water Purification Methods for Safe Drinking

Water

purification is the need of the hour after ten people died in Indore and over 200 were hospitalised after consuming contaminated water. According to news reports, many cases of severe diarrhoea have been reported in Bhagirathpura after residents consumed tap water. Most victims are suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and nausea, along with fever and weakness. Contamination of water is a global health concern that affects millions across the world. According to experts, ingestion of unsafe water leads to diseases like bacterial gastroenteritis, cholera, typhoid, and dysentery, which are significant contributors to illness and death in vulnerable populations.

Water purifying methods you can try at home

To purify water and mitigate the risks associated with it, you can try a few ways to do it naturally.

Boiling

Boiling water helps purify it by killing bacteria, viruses, and parasites – making it safe from pathogens. However, it may not be able to remove chemical contaminants like lead or arsenic. You can bring water to a rolling boil for at least one to three minutes for effective results. Allow it to cool before using.

Water purifiers

Water purifiers are loaded with technologies like reverse osmosis for high total dissolved solids and tough contaminants like metals, salts, and bacteria, and ultraviolet for low TDS water needing disinfection. It can help remove suspended particles and bacteria, delivering safe, clean drinking water by filtering out impurities and killing pathogens for healthier homes. The common types of water purifiers include:

• RO, which forces water through a semi-permeable membrane, removing dissolved salts, chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses.
• Ultraviolet, which uses UV light to deactivate bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms without removing minerals
• Ultrafiltration uses a physical membrane to filter out bacteria, cysts, and suspended solids, often paired with UV or RO for better filtration.
• Gravity-based systems use physical filtration, like charcoal and sediment, for basic purification.

Activated charcoal

Activated charcoal absorbs by trapping chemicals, organic compounds, chlorine, and bad tastes and odours on its vast porous surface, significantly improving water quality, though it doesn't remove minerals, sodium, or microbes like bacteria and viruses, requiring additional filtration for truly safe drinking water from contaminated sources. You can use activated charcoal on pitcher fillers and industrial systems to enhance taste and remove contaminants. However, it needs to be regularly replaced, as it can become saturated.

Solar water disinfection

Solar water disinfection is an inexpensive and simple way to purify water and does not need any special equipment. This method purifies water by using sunlight's UV-A radiation and heat to kill disease-causing microorganisms – bacteria, viruses, and protozoa – in clear plastic bottles. Solar water disinfection is a simple, low-cost method that requires filling bottles and exposing them to full sun for at least six hours, even though it is less effective for cloudy water or chemical contaminants.

Chemicals

Chemicals like chlorine and iodine are primary disinfectants for killing germs like bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. in water to ensure safe drinking water by preventing waterborne diseases. These chemicals work by oxidising or directly interfering with the cellular processes of microorganisms, effectively killing them and preventing them from causing illness.