How Clean is Your Tap Water? Abigail Laskowski

Transcription

1 How Clean is Your Tap Water? Abigail Laskowski September 29, 2017

2 Have you ever wondered if the water from your tap is clean? The real question is: what method of water filtration is the most effective at purifying water? In order to ensure that we are drinking clean water, it is important to understand how filtration works and what it should be doing for us. This essay will discuss how the Earth naturally purifies its own water, the federal standards set to regulate how safe our water has to be, and several common methods for artificially purifying water. The Earth has its own, very effective, methods of cleaning up its water supply. Three percent of the Earth s water is fresh, and the human body requires two quarts of it per day ( Water Supplies 53). That is a lot of water, and the Earth has been holding its own until recent years. For millions of years, bacteria in water have been breaking down organic waste matter in the water supply. Naturally occurring alkaline neutralizes acid rain, and sunlight breaks down certain chemical pollutants found in water ( Water Supplies 50). Today we use bodies of water as massive dumps for our organic and nonbiodegradable wastes. Rain also percolates through landfills and agricultural chemicals, which forms a polluted runoff that contaminates ground water. The EPA and the CDC have both set standards, made recommendations, and issued warnings over harmful chemicals and pathogens in water. The EPA mandates that all public water distribution and filtration centers eliminate % of bacteria, 99.99% of viruses, and 99.9% of protozoa

3 (Oldham, Crawford, and Nichols 47). The CDC recommends that all private wells be tested for Nitrates, PH levels, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), E. coli, and coli form bacteria. All of these elements have been linked to disease or illness. A coli form test that comes back with a high level of a specific breed can indicate a presence of E. coli and other dangerous bacteria, which can lead to serious stomach illness (Well Testing). Nitrates are extremely important to plant growth, but have a direct link to cancer and a reduction of hemoglobin in the blood. A low level of PH causes a bad taste and a corroding of pipes, leading to lead poisoning (lead is a major VOC). Most lead poisoning in children comes from deterioration of pipes and there is no safe level of exposure ( Drinking Water ). With the amount of water pollution that we have seen in recent years, many people on a private water system are using means of purifying water besides what nature has to offer. Many people have heard of boiling water to kill bacteria, and it is very effective for removing all harmful pathogens. Both of the agencies mentioned above recommended bringing water to a rapid boil for three minutes and letting it cool to remove all harmful pathogens, but this method has no effect on VOCs, nitrates, or PH (Oldham, Crawford, and Nichols 48). Chlorine has also been widely accepted since the 1890s for its low cost and ability to kill almost all pathogens in the water. The drawbacks of

4 chlorine are that it is considered a poison and scientists are unsure of its affects to the body over a long period of time. Chlorine can also react with certain wastes to create formaldehyde, among other poisonous chemicals ( How to Choose ). Charcoal filters or carbon filters are also an effective means of purifying drinking water. They remove certain pathogens, large particles, and many VOCs but are ineffective against viruses because of their size. Two relatively new methods have surfaced in recent years; these are halogenations or iodine drops and ultraviolet light. Halogenations kill almost all pathogens, but there are a few dangerous ones that are not affected, although halogenations do not affect the levels of VOCs, nitrates, or PH levels (Oldham, Crawford, and Nichols 48). Ultraviolet light has almost exactly the same effect, save a better kill rate of pathogens but is very expensive ( How to Choose ). This essay effectively displays how the Earth purifies its water naturally, how federal organizations have set strict regulations to ensure our safety, as well as how we use separate artificial water purification systems today. Everyday hundreds of people get sick because of poor water quality. This project (What method of water filtration is the most effective at purifying water?) is extremely important in showing the dangers lurking in our faucets and simple things that can be done to avoid them.

5 Works Cited "Drinking Water Testing Water Tests Water Contamination." Drinking Water Testing Environmental Testing Lab Wilkes University. Web. 13 Oct < "How to Choose a Water Filter." The Pure Water Network. Searchfusion.com. Web. 13 Oct < Oldham, David, Paul Crawford, and William Nichols. "What is the best portable method of purifying water to prevent infectious disease?" The Journal of Family Practice Jan. 2008: Print. United States of America. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Well Testing. Print. "Water Supplies." Volume Library ed. Vol. 1. Nashville, Print.

6

7