The quality of water is very important for determining the best water purifiers for your home or offices. A number of factors affect the quality of both surface water and groundwater. Water, in its passage from the source to the faucet, undergoes many physical and chemical changes, which are the result of both natural factors and human activities.
Let us see some of the factors that affect the quality of drinking water.
Sediments and Natural Organic Matter
Sediment is produced from erosion of stream banks and land surfaces. Though it is a natural phenomenon, human activities such as logging, farming and construction activities also affect the erosion process. The suspended sediments affect the water quality. It also acts as the host for heavy metals and toxic chemicals as they can attach to the sediments.
Urban Runoff
The urban runoff of water collects the debris littered on the streets and deposits into the water body, thus worsening its quality. The nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, animal and human waste, road salts etc. mix with water in the water body due to this runoff.
Bacteria
Bacteria, virus and other microbes find their way to surface water and groundwater through runoff from animal feedlots or pastures, sewer overflows and leaking septic tanks. Consuming the polluted water without proper purification can pose a serious health threat to humans if the water is consumed without treating it using good quality water purifiers. The best water purifiers ensure that all the microbes, bacteria and viruses are eliminated before the water is made available for consumption.
Toxic Substances
Due to the rapid industrialisation and improper disposal of industrial waste, the toxic chemicals gain entry to water bodies, thus contaminating them. These chemicals can be toxic causing genetic disorders, acute sickness and even killing people. If some chemicals are present even in low concentrations, it can be hazardous to humans. Thus, you require the best water purifiers that can remove these toxins from water and make it safe for consumption.
Insecticides and Pesticides
To increase the yield, farmers are extensively making use of insecticides and pesticides. These either get leached into the groundwater or reach the surface water by farm runoff. In both these cases, they contaminate the water and make it harmful for health if such contaminated water is consumed without filtration.
Some factors that affect the quality of drinking water are natural environmental processes and nothing can be done about it. The natural processes are not that harmful. It’s the human activities that deplete the water quality to a maximum extent. Humans litter and spread garbage everywhere, which transforms even a natural factor like runoff into a serious manmade problem. Access to safe and clean water is essential for good health. Hence, we should be mindful of our behaviour as it is adversely affecting the water quality.
