Why is it necessary to purify the water? Explain the different methods for purifying water.
Sources of water like rivers and lakes contain many chemicals, pathogens, and other pollutants. Therefore, it is necessary that the water supplied to homes is purified before being made available for human use. The water supply network of the municipal authorities follows the following methods for the purification of water.
Water purification at Municipality:
(a) Sedimentation
(b) Filtration
(c) Disinfection
The water supplied to homes can now be used for domestic purposes but may still not be fit for drinking. Water that is safe for human consumption is called potable water. Potable water is free from pollutants, impurities, and pathogens. It is clean, clear, transparent, odorless, and pleasant in taste with the desired quantity of oxygen and salts dissolved. Since there is no simple way to determine the purity of water further before drinking. Some methods used for domestic and industrial purification of water are:
(a) Boiling
(b) Distillation