Here are some facts you can use to teach your children about water technology treatments. In the US, the water distributed by the supply network is controlled. In general, the goal of water treatment is mainly to fight limestone, tartar, taste, odors and bacteria present in the water distribution. Although these criteria almost always make it suitable for human consumption, it is possible to also treat tap water at home to improve its quality.
Before being sent to storage tanks, water is disinfected. Although it is disinfected, water that is too laden with limestone leaves deposits on the walls of the receptacles, and it is this mineral deposit which causes an odor and gives the water a bad taste. Most of the minerals, bacteria and products present in the water affect not only the sanitary quality of the water but also its organoleptic properties.
Devices can provide perennial solutions, but the most effective (osmosis, ozonizer, etc.) require a preliminary analysis, installation and adjustments by a professional, then maintenance and renewal of consumables. To combat the problems of tap water quality, there are many devices on the market, some of which can treat all the water distribution of a company, a hotel, a restaurant and, of course, a house. Also, view this link for more data.
After disinfection, which can be defective, contamination remains possible. It may occur either upstream or downstream of the distribution meter through damaged pipes, lack of heating of the hot water tank, etc. Among these bacteria, some cause only temporary disturbances while others like legionella can still be fatal.
The last element of the water consumption chain, the filter carafe can provide a light and inexpensive solution to a treatment of kitchen water and drink. There are also lighter, simpler and cheaper appliances on the market, which can be installed at a specific distribution point (kitchen faucet, washbasin, etc.) and require only minimal maintenance. Whatever the type of water supply and the drinking water supply system, water treatments are carried out in order to guarantee its microbiological and physico-chemical parameters of a potability criteria. Also, view this link for more data.
In spite of these checks and treatments, and sometimes because of some of these treatments, the water may have on distribution or later on acquire a taste, an odor or alterations in its quality. Although it is always considered drinkable, water that is too hard, too chlorinated or has impaired qualities can be unpleasant, for drinking, cooking, washing, laundry and routine maintenance in the home, hotels or restaurants.
A majority of the water distributed comes from pumping in groundwater and a minority comes from drawing in lakes and rivers. It is then treated before being stored in tanks or water towers which will then supply the distribution network. The hardness of water can be controlled by reducing it with a water softener or an osmosis, or by neutralizing the deposits of limestone with an anti-tartar or a filtration of fine or ultrafine water. Against bacteria, the water of the network can be disinfected by means of microfiltration, nanofiltration, and / or sterilization apparatuses.
Water is said to be “hard” when it is overloaded with calcium and magnesium, and “soft” when it lacks those minerals that are essential to health. Water that is too soft corrodes the metals in taps, pipes and appliances more easily, whose metal salts are then transported in water, such as copper, lead, steel and zinc. Moreover, any corrosion may be a source of leaks. Water that is too hard loads the pipes and appliances in limestone, it damages the skin and alters the taste of the drinks & food.
The nitrates and phosphates of drinking water are transformed by the organism with the creation of various compounds, such as methemoglobin that limits the fixation of oxygen or nitrosamines that damage genes and cause cancers, and other pollutants like metals and arsenic. These pollutants come from contaminated and polluted soils, agriculture and industry.
As for pharmaceutical pollutants, their presence and concentration in water supplies, which is the main route of contamination of drinking water, depend on dilution, natural attenuation and the degree of treatment of wastewater. If chlorination removes about half of these compounds, more advanced processes, such as ozonation, activated carbon filtration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, etc. make it possible to achieve much higher removal rates. For example, 99% of large pharmaceutical molecules are eliminated by reverse osmosis.