Potable water is a fundamental human right. All the cells in our body depend on water to function properly. But nowadays, much of the free water is contaminated, due to industrialization, urbanization and pollution. This leads to water borne diseases and health complications if consumed without treatment.

 

This is where water purifications methods are usurped. With the right water purification technology, you can remove bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and suspended solids so that the water you consume is safe and healthy.

 

There are a lot of water purification techniques, but four of them are used in most parts of the globe. In this blog, we will be going into these 4 methods with a greater degree of detail and skim through a few other ways briefly too and assist you with the best water purification at home.

 

Why Is Water Purification Important

 

Water is also referred to as the "universal solvent" due to its ability to dissolve virtually anything. This property not only make water essential for life but also render it a suitable carrier of so many contaminants. Water Easement heavy metals, pesticides, bacteria, and industrial waste to easily dissolve with water, hence making it unsafe for direct consumption.

 

Possible Risks of Untreated Water Consumption of untreated water may lead to:

 

Cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid

 

Heavy metal-induced hepatotoxicity and renal

 

Skin disorders and impaired immunity

 

Long-term diseases resulting from exposure to toxins for extended periods of time

 

For the safety against these health hazards, individuals need to treat the water they consume. The following are the four most popular methods of water purification elsewhere in the world.

 

Four Methods of Water Purification

 

Coagulation & Flocculation

 

This is typical in big city water-treatment plants. This is done by adding special chemicals (referred to as coagulants) to water. These substances subsequently neutralize the negative charges of dissolved particles, causing the particles to stick together into "flocs."

 

The flocs subsequently settle out, entrapping suspended impurities like dirt, organic material and even certain microbes. The end product flocs settle at the bottom or get filtered out and are left behind.

 

Suitable for: Large-scale water treatment plants and municipal water distribution systems.

 

Disinfection

 

Sanitation is also ranked as one of the major means of water treatment. This is the method of killing or disabling dangerous micro-organisms -- pathogens -- in water. Disinfection is done using one or more of the following techniques:

 

Chlorination: Adding chlorine or chemicals like chlorine to kill bacteria and viruses.

 

Ozonation: Treating the water with ozone gas, a strong oxidant.

 

UV treatment: Passing water through UV light, which destroys the DNA of microorganisms.

 

Of these, chlorination is widely practiced for public water supplies, and UV disinfection is standard for domestic water treatment systems.

 

 Best for: Municipal water treatment; domestic water purifiers.

 

Distillation

 

Distillation is an ancient but effective technique of water purification. It works on the principle of heating water to make it vapor, which condenses into liquid. Since impurities have higher boiling points than water, they are left behind when water evaporates.

 

It removes effectively:

 

Bacteria and viruses

 

Salts and metals (e.g., arsenic, mercury, lead)

 

High-boiling-point chemicals

 

But distillation is a time- and energy-consuming process, so it's not the most practical way to purify large volumes of water.

 

Perfect for: Cleansing small volumes or severely polluted water sources.

 

Filtration

 

Filtration is one of the simplest and quickest methods of water treatment. Water is pushed through a physical barrier (a filter) which traps suspended particles such as dust and other organisms in this process.

 

Some filtration techniques are:

 

Sand filter – Removes the larger particles.

 

Activated carbon filter – Removes chlorine, pesticides and improves the taste.

 

Reverse osmosis (RO) filter – Its semipermeable membrane removes dissolved salts, bacteria and viruses as small as 0.0001 microns.

 

Today's water purifiers use a multistage purification process which enables a thorough purification.

 

Suitable for: Domestic water purifiers and portable water purification systems.

Heat or BoilWater 

 

 The majority of bacteria and viruses perish at temperatures greater than 60 C (140 F).

 

Besides the four principal methods, there are other well-known water purification forms:

 

Boiling

 

One of the simplest and oldest means of purifying water at home. Boil water and boil it for 3 to 5 minutes, which destroys the majority of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. But, it doesn't remove chemical contaminants or heavy metals.

 

Chlorination

 

Freeze-Dried Mixed Berries If only so that you can feel like you're doing something, add a handful of these to soups, stews or stir-fries during the depths of winter; the berries will become explosions of summery flavor. 28.Garnish Well's Guarapo Juice This 15-minute-drink directly from the source of guarapo juice: the sugar cane itself (and the photo on the package), mixed in a small store in El Trapiche, Nicaragua, and consumed by local farmers as they prepare to work. RDA Daily Value: 150% Not only will the chlorine kill harmful microbes in the water, but also eliminate many of the chemicals that are responsible for taste and odor issues but might not be SAFE for fastidious individuals with thyroid issues.

 

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

 

RO is also the best home water purifications system. It employs pressure to push water through a semi-permeable membrane, which removes up to 99% of dissolved salts, heavy metals and other microbes. RO is also typically used for domestic water purifiers with UV or UF technology.

 

What Is The Best Home Water Purification System?

 

With so many varieties of water purifiers available, you may be left thinking which one is best to be used on a daily basis.

 

For residential use, the best option is having a multistage water purifier with a combination of technologies. A typical configuration is:

 

Pre-filter: Removes all coarse impurities like sand and dust.

 

Carbon filter: Removes chlorine, pesticides and odour.

 

RO membrane: Removes dissolved salts, heavy metals, chemicals and microbes.

 

UV light (optional): Precautions*, safety by killing bacteria and viruses add-on.

 

This duo is designed to make sure that there is nothing unwanted in your drinking water. It even enhances the flavor and scent of the water, which is both safe and good to drink.

 

Conclusion

 

Clean water isn't a luxury — it's a human right. During an era of rising pollution and industrialization, one can no longer rely on natural resources for drinking water. Fortunately, we have coagulation, disinfection, distillation and filtration which all offer us the viable means of converting this polluted water into safe-to-consume.

 

The rational best choice, home-use for water purification is a good, proven water purifier which integrates several technologies (such as RO + UV + Carbon filters). All so you can have the assurance that every and each mouthful of water you consume is nothing less than pure.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

Q1. What is the best water treatment for home use?

 

RO together with UV and carbon filters is what is most effective for Indian homes.

 

Q2. Can all the impurities be removed using boiling water?

 

Boiling will kill germs and parasites but does not eliminate chemical contaminants, heavy metals and salts.

 

Q3. Is chlorinated water safe to drink?

 

Yes, although excessive chlorine can taste unpleasant. It is safe within permissible limits.

 

Q4. What's the best water purifier for home?

 

Consider source of water (municipal, borewell or tank). For heavy metals and high TDS, use RO + UV purifiers. That would suffice for municipal water, perhaps a UV + carbon filters.

 

Q5. What's the difference between filtration and purification?

 

Filtration will only remove physical particles whereas purification will eliminate chemical and biological impurities making the water totally safe for consumption.