COMMON METHODS OF WATER PURIFICATION

 PURIFICATION OF WATER     

·       Water purification is the removal of contaminants from raw water to produce drinking water that is pure enough for human consumption.

·       Water purification also meets the needs of medical, pharmacological, chemical, and industrial applications for clean and potable water.

·       The purification procedure reduces the concentration of contaminants such as suspended particles, parasites, bacteria, algae, viruses and fungi.

·       Water purification takes place on scales from the Large (e.g., for an entire city) to the Small (e.g., for individual households).

COMMON METHODS OF WATER PURIFICATION

1) Boiling

·       Boiling water is the cheapest and safest method of water purification.

·       In Boiling, clean water should be brought to boil and left at rolling-boil for 1- 3 minutes.

·       For people living in high altitude areas (Mountain and Hilly regions), it is recommended to boil the water for longer than water boiled at lower altitudes. This is because water boils at lower temperatures in higher altitudes.

·       Boiled water should be covered and left to cool before drinking.

·       For water drawn from wells, leave it for compounds to settle before you filter out clean water for use.

2) Filtration

·       Filtration is one of the effective ways of purifying water.

·       Filtration method uses Chemical and Physical processes to purify water and make it safe for human consumption.

·       Filtration eliminates both large compounds and small, dangerous contaminants that cause diseases with a simple and quick filtration process.

·       Filtration does not deplete all the mineral salts, water that has been filtered is considered healthier compared to water purified using other methods.

·       Filtration is one of the effective water purification methods that utilize chemical absorption process that effectively removes unwanted compounds from water.

·       Compared to Reverse osmosis, Filtration is considered effective when it comes to selective elimination of much smaller molecular compounds such as Chlorine and Pesticides.

·       The other factor that makes filtration less costly is that it does not require a lot of energy needed in Distillation and Reverse osmosis.

·       Filtration is an economic method of water purification because little water is lost during purification.

3) Distillation

·       Distillation is a water purification method that utilizes heat to collect pure water in the form of Vapor.

·       Distillation method is effective in removing bacteria, germs, salts and other heavy metals such as lead, Mercury and Arsenic.

·       Distillation is ideal for people who have access to raw, untreated water.

·       Distillation method has both advantages and disadvantages.

·       A notable disadvantage is that

ü  It is a slow process of water purification.

ü  It requires a heat source for the purification to work.

ü  Although cheap sources of energy are being developed, distillation remains a costly process of purifying water.

ü  It is only ideal (effective and least costly) when purifying small quantities of water.

ü  It is not ideal for large scale, commercial or industrial purification.

4) Chlorination

·       Chlorine is a powerful chemical that has been in use for many years to treat water for home consumption.

·       Chlorine is an effective water purification method that kills germs, parasites and other disease-causing organisms found in ground or tap water.

·       Water can be purified using chlorine tablets or liquid chlorine.

·       Chlorine is cheap and effective. However, caution should be taken when using chlorine liquid or tablets to treat drinking water. For example, people suffering from Thyroid problems should talk to a medical practitioner before using this product.

·       When using chlorine tablets, it is important to apply them in heated water, as they dissolve well in water that is at 21 degree Celsius or higher.

·       Chlorine tablets kill all bacteria leaving your water clean and safe.

5) Ultraviolet Light

·       Use of UV light looks similar to a small flashlight.

·       UV light was switch it around in the water for a few minutes and the bacteria can be killed.

·       UV light is very easy to carry and so easy to use.

6) Iodine solution, Tablets or Crystals

·       Use of Iodine solution, Tablets or Crystals is an effective and more convenient method.

·       Iodine is also available in different forms that would suit within budget.

·       Iodine has the ability to kill viruses and bacteria.

·       Iodine are lightweight and easy to use.

·       Iodine takes about 30 minutes before you can drink the treated water.

·       Iodine is also not suitable for pregnant women.