Water Quality - Get Started
Poor water management in India has resulted in the depletion of water reserves as well as a marked deterioration in the quality of water available to us. Poor water quality can have adverse impacts on human health and it is thus important to develop a sense of perspective on the issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I know if my water is contaminated?
The water that comes to your house come primarily from groundwater sources. Groundwater is vulnerable to contamination from various minerals and chemicals deposits in the earth, salt water pollution, sewage discharge, agricultural and industrial pollution. Testing your water will enable you to take timely steps to make your water safe for consumption. There are many water testing kits and labs for testing your water. To know more about the water testing labs in your area,visit our blog post
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What if my drinking water contains E.coli?
E. coli is a coliform bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. E. coli is short for Escherichia coli. The important point about E.coli is that although it rarely causes disease in humans, the presence of E.coli is a strong indicator of recent contamination with sewage or animal waste. Since such contamination will also contain other harmful pathogens, the presence of E.coli is a sign that the water is dangerous to drink.
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A water salesman came to my house and scared me talking about the high TDS. What is all this about and should I be concerned?
Water dissolves the minerals present in the strata of soil it filers through in the case of ground water and, in the case of surface water, the minerals present in the soil over which it flows (rivers/streams) or over which it stands (lakes, ponds, reservoirs).The dissolved minerals in water are commonly referred to as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). The TDS content of any water is expressed in milligrams /litre (mg/l) or in parts per million (ppm). These units are equivalent. The minerals are basically compounds (salts) of Calcium(Ca), Magnesium(Mg) and Sodium(Na) What is commonly called as ‘hardness in water’ is due to the compounds/salts of Ca and Mg such as Calcium or Magnesium Chloride, Calcium or Magnesium Sulphate ( CaSo4, MgCl, etc).Some types of dissolved solids are specifically dangerous even in low quantities.This includes arsenic, fluorides and nitrates.
There are fixed standards for TDS as specified for various purposes. High levels of TDS cause an unpalatable flavour to water and may potentially contain dangerous levels of elements such as fluorine and aresenic that may further lead to clinical problems. Thus you should ensure that the water you drink has TDS levels well within the permissible limits. For more information on Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) visit this page. -
What does one mean by the term water quality?
Water quality is determined by the presence and quantity of contaminants, by physical/ chemical factors such as pH and conductivity and by the amounts of salts present. The amount of nutrients present in water also determine its quality. Humans largely influence water quality as they discharge their wastes into water bodies, in the process releasing vast quantities of contaminants and nutrients into it thus influencing its quality.
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How is water quality assessed?
To determine water quality, certified agencies take samples; small amounts of water in a medium which can be tested in a laboratory. The water is tested for various parameters like BOD, DO, nitrates, fluoride and bacterial contamination. You can learn more about all of these by exploring further in this section of India Water Portal. The results obtained from the test are compared against accepted standards and the levels of contamination is used to judge the water quality.
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