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How Drinking Water Testing Is Done

By Judy Sullivan


Have you ever questioned the source of the water that you use for drinking? If you have not, it is a high time that you did. A great majority of people all over the world suffer from numerous diseases that arise from use of untreated water. This is a major problem for communities that live in hardship areas particularly in the developing world. Drinking water testing is one of the major strategies used by public health departments in disease prevention.

Testing needs to be done often to make sure that what you are drinking is safe. A variety of contaminants may be found in samples based on the environment. Examples include iron, manganese, lead, radon and sulphate. Perhaps the most troublesome problem is the presence of bacterial organisms. Organisms are difficult to visualise and the samples taken may actually appear to be of good quality just by looking. Microorganisms should be tested in stored sources 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.

There are a number of other observations that can be used to decide whether there is a need to take samples. For instance, if there is an increase in the occurrence of unwanted environmental events such as increased incidence of diarrheal diseases, destruction of sewage drainage systems within the vicinity, increased levels of wear and tear and increased hardness among others. If soap starts to lose its ability to lather easily, testing 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.

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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