Because of environmental pollution, purification of Drinking Water has became our basic necessity. Drinking polluted water is not safe and hence can bring lots of ill effects. Well to many of us, purification of Drinking Water doesn’t seem a big deal, as lots of purifiers are available in market. But to be very clear, purification is not just cleaning the water, its more than that. It’s basically removing anything harmful while keeping everything that is essential (basically calcium, magnesium and minerals) as per standards typically set by governments or by international standards. There are many methods available for purifying the water. Such as:

Boiling

It is the safest and cheapest method of purifying the water. We cannot see the bacteria’s present in water, but they can affect a lot. For this simply boil the water for at least 3 to 5 minutes. The water should be covered and left till it gets cool before drinking. And then filter this water through clean cotton cloth. Your water is ready to drink.

Filtration

Filtration is better, when it is compared with RO (reverse osmosis) systems. This method uses chemical and physical processes to purify water and makes it safe for human consumption. The other factor that makes filtration less costly is that, it does not require lots of energy in distillation. It is an economic method of purify the water because little water is lost during purification.

Distillation

It is a method that utilizes heat to collect pure water in the form of vapor. Water is subjected to a heat source and then left until it vaporizes. When this vaporization gets cool, it converts into liquid water that is clean and safe for drinking. This process is effective in removing bacteria, germs, salts, heavy metals like arsenic and lead. But, it is a slow and costly process. Although, it is pure but continuous usage of this water can be harmful for us, because it removes almost every necessary nutrient for our body including calcium, magnesium and minerals. This type of water starts to take minerals from body if consumed for long run and thus can be very harmful. Though you can use this water for short period of time as it is very light to digest.

Chlorination

It is a powerful Chemical that has been used since ages to treat water for home consumption. It is an effective method for purify the water. It kills germs, bacteria, parasites and other disease causing organisms that found in ground water or tap water. For this, tablets can also be used, but make sure to use these tablets in hot water as they dissolve into water at 21 degree Celsius or higher. It is very cheap and effective method for purifying the Water.

Water Purifier

Because of polluted and dirty water, the technological innovations have given us different kinds of machines that make water pure and drinkable. At present time, a water purifiers are very common. These give you pure water. Many purifiers are available in the market who promises to provide the 100% pure water without compromising essential minerals (brands claims this). The technologies used in water purifiers are:

• RO (reverse osmosis)
• UF (ultra filtration) purification
• UV (ultra violet) purification

This system helps to convert hard water to sweet and soft water using RO membrane. It removes lead, mercury, arsenic and other toxins. But it also removes natural minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium and sodium which are essential for human body and can cause mineral deficiency. Wastage of water is also very high in RO. It is expensive and consumes much more electricity. Maintenance cost of RO is also very high.

Making our own purifier

You can also make your own water purifier at home. It is very cheap and highly effective and promises to give you the best. For this, you will need a 2 litre bottle, cotton balls, coffee filters, gravel, pebbles, rocks and charcoal.

• Firstly clean the bottle and cut off the bottom 2 inches.
• Now put this bottle upright on any jar or container,
• stuff cotton into the bottle all the way to the cap. (This helps block out escaping chunks of charcoal)
• Then, stuff a coffee filter all the way to the bottom. (optional)
• Add a generous layer of charcoal. (Don’t use grill charcoal). Apply it on 2 to 3 inches layer.
• Add another coffee filter and then add a generous layer of pebbles.
• Add a layer of healthy green grass on it. (optional) It has chlorophyll bacteriostatic which is good for upset stomach.
• Then add a layer of large rocks.

And your own home made filter is ready.

Other Option – Ceramic Candle Water Filters

One more thing I would like to add here that ceramic candle water filters are very good option for safe Drinking Water. These are simple devices made out of clay and used to filter Drinking Water in order to remove turbidity, suspended materials and pathogens. It has two containers. Water is poured into the upper container and flows through the candles and collects the water into the lower container. The filters are very easy to assemble and no energy is required. Simply, scrub the candles with a brush. It is one of the oldest Drinking Water treatments.

Water is a basic need for our life. A person should drink 8 glasses of water per day. It flushes out the toxins and improves circulation and blood flow, helping your skin glow. It boosts your metabolism. Keeps you stress free. Your body has about 60% water. It helps in digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients and maintenance of body temperature. So, drink clean, quality and safe water. Keep healthy