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By Judy Sullivan


Drinking water should always be safe for human consumption. A large percentage of the world population drink water that is not safe leading to widespread diseases and death. Minimising the related diseases is one of the most important public health goals in many countries. Drinking water testing is just one of the ways to achieve this goal.

It is important to ensure that tests are done regularly on various samples before the water is declared fit for use. When carrying out tests, various impurities, both visible and invisible, are likely to be found in the samples. Commonly encountered impurities include lead, manganese, iron, sulphate and radon. Microorganisms are the contaminants that are most likely to cause disease. Unfortunately, they are usually invisible to the naked eye and are often overlooked. Testing for the organisms should be done at least once a year.

Certain circumstances may require testing more than once a year. For instance, alteration in odour, taste or color may require regular testing of sulphate, manganese and iron concentration levels. Mysterious diseases arising in the family or neighbours may also be linked to source contaminatio. If one is pregnant, it is necessary to test samples before the baby is born, after birth and during the first six months of life.

There are a number of other observations that can be used to decide whether there is a need to take samples. For instance, if there is an increase in the occurrence of unwanted environmental events such as increased incidence of diarrheal diseases, destruction of sewage drainage systems within the vicinity, increased levels of wear and tear and increased hardness among others. If soap starts to lose its ability to lather easily, testing should also be considered.

Babies are highly susceptible to nitrate poisoning. Exposure to high concentrations of nitrates may result in blue baby syndrome (methemoglobinemia) where oxygen levels in the body are insufficient to meet the body demands. Immediate medical attention is crucial for the survival of affected babies.

Various types of samples are required. The first sample is what will come out the tap in the morning once it is turned on. The second is taken after the stream has run for some time. If there are several points of contamination within a piping system, then different points should be sampled. The best sites to sample are the inlet and outlet of a filtering device that is place on points before and after a storage tank. In the event of corrosion, the stream from the tap should first be allowed to run for at least twelve hours.

Once the samples have been adequately tested and the contaminants identified, one of the steps that can be undertaken is the installation of filter systems to remove impurities. The main downside is that important components such as fluoride may be filtered out. Fluoride is an element that helps strengthen tooth enamel and prevents decay.

Water is essential for the survival of humans and other living organisms. It makes up over 70% of the human body weight. Sampling is the most important part of drinking water testing. Therefore, instructions should be carefully followed to obtain accurate results.




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