Water Purification - Essay Example

Water Purification The body depends heavily on water consumption-clean/safe drinking water that is; that is why the doctor recommends that ideally, you drink 8 glasses per day. It is indeed a very precious commodity, but one that is often disturbed or contaminated by harmful microorganisms and other agents from time to time rendering it unsafe for drinking. Nonetheless, there are various water purification methods about, some more fast-paced than others, either single or as a combination, which can help to strip away the contamination caused from floods, streams or even lakes.

Boiling water as a means of purifying it is probably one of, if not the most popular and safest water purification processes. Use this simple method to bring water to a rolling boil for at least 5 minutes or longer according to some experts and let it cool before drinking. Along with the many impurities that boiling has removed it also removes the oxygen and this is responsible for its flat taste. A very small price to pay for clean drinking water, you can reinstate its taste by shaking it up or pour it back and forth between two containers to put back the oxygen. (Ellis) Purification using household unscented bleach is another solution, more likely if boiling is not possible.

Before executing this method, you may need to filter the water if necessary. This can be done using coffee filters, paper towels or any other clean piece of cloth. After which, place the water in a container and add 2 drops of regular household bleach per quart of water, 8 drops per gallon and the ½ teaspoon per 5 gallons of water. However, dosage may need to be doubled if the water is cloudy. (Emergency Water Purification Calculator) Following the selected dosage, mix thoroughly and leave for half an hour before drinking but an hour if the water is cold or cloudy.

Lastly, another recommended solution for water purification is filtration using commercial filters. Most of these commercial filters block contaminants using physical obstruction or chemical absorption or a combination of both. Filtration using these filters is regarded as the premier method of water purification removing more contaminants and proving more effective than other methods. In conclusion, these methods may provide a solution for unsafe water that may contain bacteria and viruses.

If water is suspected to be unsafe for other reasons such as chemicals, sewage, poisonous substances etc, it is not recommended for drinking, even if ‘purified’. Works Cited " Water Purification:: Washington State Dept. of Health." Home:: Washington State Dept. of Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2013. .Ellis, Cathy. "How To Purify Water & Water Purification Process." Outdoor Skills | Outdoor Survival Skills | NatureSkills.com. N.p., 16 Apr. 2009. Web. 3 Apr. 2013. ."Emergency Water Purification Calculator.

" CSGNetwork.com Free Information - Calculators, Converters, Apps and Source Code. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2013. ."Water Treatment Alternatives - Filtration." All About Water - Read, Learn, and Know about Water. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2013. .