The water you drink at home may look clean but can still contain germs that cause diseases such as typhoid fever.
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi, a type of bacteria that can spread through contaminated food and water.
This makes it important to treat drinking water properly, especially when you are not sure about its source. Simply collecting water and storing it at home does not necessarily make it safe to drink. Water can become contaminated at its source, during transportation or while being stored.
The good news is that households can take simple steps to make drinking water safer. Boiling, appropriate filtration, disinfection and safe storage can help reduce exposure to harmful germs.
In this article, Tribune Online highlights practical ways to purify household drinking water and prevent contamination after treatment.
Boil water properly
Boiling is one of the simplest ways to kill germs in drinking water. If you are unsure whether your water is safe, bring it to a rolling boil and keep it boiling for at least one minute. A rolling boil means the water is bubbling strongly and continuously.
For most households, one minute of vigorous boiling is enough. At very high altitudes, water should be boiled for three minutes. After boiling, allow the water to cool before drinking or storing it. Boiling is useful because it does not require special equipment beyond a suitable cooking vessel and a reliable heat source.
Filter cloudy water before boiling
Boiling can kill many germs, but it does not remove dirt, sand and other particles from water. If your water is cloudy, allow it to stand until the particles settle. Carefully pour the clearer water into another clean container without disturbing the sediment at the bottom.
You can also pass the water through a clean cloth or a suitable household water filter.
After filtering, boil the water properly before drinking it. It is important to remember that a simple cloth filter is not a replacement for disinfection. It may remove visible particles but may not remove harmful bacteria such as Salmonella Typhi.
Use a clean container
Purifying water and then putting it into a dirty container can contaminate it again. Before storing treated water, wash the container properly with soap and clean water. Rinse it thoroughly before filling it.
The container should be made from a material that is safe for drinking water.Never use a container that previously held fuel, pesticides, chemicals or other harmful substances. Residues from these substances can contaminate drinking water.
Keep purified water covered
Once water has been treated, protect it from further contamination. Keep it in a clean container with a tight-fitting lid. Leaving treated water uncovered can allow dust, insects and other contaminants to enter it.
A container with a narrow opening or tap can be useful because it reduces the need to dip cups or hands into the stored water. The aim is to simply keep the water protected from the time it is treated until the time it is used.
Avoid contaminating treated water
Even properly boiled or disinfected water can become unsafe if it is handled carelessly.
Do not put your hands directly into stored drinking water. Avoid dipping used cups, spoons or other dirty utensils into it. Instead, use a clean cup or a tap when taking water from the container.
This is particularly important in households where several people use the same water supply. One contaminated hand or utensil can introduce germs into water that was previously treated.
Clean water containers regularly
Water storage containers need regular cleaning. Even when a container looks clean from the outside, dirt and microorganisms can build up inside it over time. Wash the container regularly with soap and clean water, then rinse it properly before refilling it.
If the container has a tap, clean the tap and the area around it as well. These parts are frequently touched and can become contaminated. Regular cleaning helps maintain the quality of treated water during storage.
Maintain your household water tank
If your home uses an overhead or underground water tank, the tank itself needs attention.
Keep the tank covered and make sure its openings are protected from insects, dirt and other contaminants.
Inspect it regularly and clean it when necessary. Damaged covers and openings should also be repaired. There is little value in treating drinking water carefully if the water becomes contaminated again inside a poorly maintained storage tank.
Use approved water disinfectants
Boiling may not always be practical, especially when a household needs to treat a large quantity of water. In such cases, approved water-treatment products can be used. Chlorine -based products, for example, can kill many harmful microorganisms when used correctly.
However, the amount required depends on the product and the quantity of water being treated.
Do not estimate the dose yourself.
Follow the instructions on the product carefully and use only products intended for drinking-water treatment. If the product requires a specific waiting period before the water can be consumed, follow that instruction as well.
Do not rely on boiling for chemical contamination
Boiling is effective against many germs, but it does not make every type of contaminated water safe. If water has been contaminated with fuel, pesticides or other toxic chemicals, boiling it is not a solution.
In such a situation, use a different reliable source of drinking water. This is because the problem is no longer simply germs that can be killed by heat. Some harmful chemicals can remain in water even after prolonged boiling
