Globally, billions of people still get drinking water from unsafe sources. It’s the major health burden in the Philippines and in most developing countries in the world. Drinking unsafe water is very crucial to one’s health and well-being because it impairs health through illnesses such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, polio, other illnesses, and even death caused by diseases. Hence, it is important to practice Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

However, you can help improve and protect the quality of your drinking water through the simple steps of water treatment to assure its germ-free quality together with safe water storage in your homes to avoid falling ill. The most method that can be used at home are as follows:

• Boiling – cheapest and safest method of water purification. In this method, clean water should be brought to boil and left at rolling-boil for at least 2 minutes or longer at 100% which will kill most disease-causing germs including cholera. For water drawn from wells, leave it for compounds to settle before you filter out clean water for use.

• Chlorination – the application of chlorine, a powerful chemical that has been used widely to disinfect drinking water for home consumption. A cheap and effective 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. Other sources of chlorine can be sodium hypochlorite (such as household bleach) or calcium with available chlorine hypochlorite (chlorine granules). When using chlorine tablets, it is important to apply them in heated water, as they dissolve well in water that is at 21 degrees Celsius or higher. To treat using chlorine powder, prepare a stock solution by dissolving 1 level of powder. Chlorine compounds (65% to 75% available chlorine) to 1 liter of water. Add 2 teaspoons of stock solution to 5 gallons (20 liters) of water. Mix thoroughly and let it stand for at least 30 minutes before using.

Other methods include:

• Filtration – one of the effective water purification methods that utilize chemical absorption process that effectively removes unwanted compounds from water. This method uses chemical and physical processes to purify water and make it safe for human consumption. It eliminates both large compounds and small, dangerous contaminants that cause diseases with a simple and quick filtration process. Since filtration does not deplete all the mineral salts, water that has been filtered is considered healthier compared to water purified using other methods.

• Distillation – a water purification method that utilizes heat to collect pure water in the form of vapor. This method is effective by the scientific fact that water has a lower boiling point than other contaminants and disease-causing elements found in water. Water is subjected to a heat source until it attains its boiling point. It is then left at the boiling point until it vaporizes. This vapor is directed into a condenser to cool. Upon cooling, the vapor is reversed into liquid water that’s clean and safe for drinking. Other substances that have a higher boiling point are left as sediments in the container. This method is effective in removing bacteria, germs, salts, and other heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic. This is also ideal for people who have access to raw, untreated water.

Now that the water is safe to drink, it also should be handled and stored properly to keep it safe. If it’s not stored safely, the treated water quality could become worse than the source water and may cause people to get ill. Safe storage means keeping treated water away from sources of contamination and using a clean and well-covered container. The container should prevent hands, cups, and dippers from touching the water, so that the water does not get re-contaminated. Remember: To always use clean water containers provided with a clean cover, wash containers after every use, clean and disinfect storage tanks at least every quarter and avoid hand contact with water during transport.

Water is a fundamental human need. It is essential for survival as it is needed for hydration and for food production thus lack of clean and safe drinking water does not only breed diseases, but it can also rob people’s basic human dignity and life. Clean and safe drinking water should be readily available for all walks of life.

AA VI Angelyn P. Intal, RND

References:

• World Health Organization. Drinking Water. website: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water
• Department of health. Water Sanitation. website: https://doh.gov.ph/Health-Advisory/Water-Sanitation
• Kinetico water systems. 4 Methods to Purify your Water. website: https://www.schultzsoftwater.com/blog/4-methods-to-purify-your-water