Water scientists often conduct field research.
Water sanitation is the process of cleaning water to make it safe for drinking, bathing, cooking, and other uses. Clean water is important to people in all countries because harmful substances in water can cause illness and even death. For example, untreated water can contain viruses, bacteria, and other dangerous substances that pose health risks to those who drink it.
It is important to filter groundwater before drinking it.
While people in developed countries may take access to clean water for granted, there are many people who do not have clean water. In fact, there are more than a billion people around the world who do not have access to safe drinking water every day. Additionally, millions of people each year face fatal diseases that can be associated with unsafe drinking water and other sanitation problems.
Sanitation ensures that water is safe for drinking, cooking, bathing, and other uses.
In developed countries, people generally do not care about water sanitation. Municipal treatment plants are responsible for disinfecting the water before it flows through municipal pipes and enters homes and businesses. However, those who live in areas without water treatment facilities and those who drink well water can still have water sanitation problems on their hands.
Very small amounts of bleach can be used to disinfect the water.
Common water treatment methods include flocculation, filtration, adsorption, ion exchange, and disinfection. Flocculation involves the use of a substance to combine smaller particles into larger particles and then separate the larger particles from the water; Filtration involves filtering particles such as microorganisms, clay, organic matter, and certain metals from the water. Adsorption requires the use of activated carbon to absorb and remove organic contaminants, unwanted colors and flavors. Ion exchange is done by exchanging positively and negatively charged versions of molecules called ions and then removing the unwanted ions; it can remove certain inorganic contaminants and can be used to remove arsenic, nitrogen and uranium from water. Disinfection is another process used to treat water, which involves killing microbes using chlorine, chloramine, ultraviolet radiation, and ozone or other disinfectants.
Boiling water can kill many dangerous pathogens, but it does not remove certain toxins.
Those with well water can employ water filters to clean contaminants from their water when needed. However, the water in some wells can become so contaminated that new wells need to be dug. Testing can help determine if well water is safe to drink.
In the absence of chemicals and filters for water sanitation, there are some methods of cleaning water that can make it safer to use. However, using these methods may not make your water completely safe. A popular method of water sanitation is to boil it; It consists of heating water to a boil and then letting it boil for several minutes. Another option is to add 1/8 teaspoon (0.616 milliliters) of bleach to 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of water and let sit for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy rather than clear, it is best to use 1/4 teaspoon (1.23 milliliters) for each gallon (3.78 liters) of water.