A person needs to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day. At the same time, it must be clean, not include foreign impurities. How to test water at home? Popular methods are presented in the article.
Norms
Regular water quality testing is required as it directly affects people's he alth. According to SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01, the following indicators are established:
- Hydrogen activity - 6-9 units. pH.
- Mineralization – 1000 mg/l.
- Hardness - no more than 7.0 meq/l.
- Nitrates - no more than 45 mg/dm3, iron - up to 0.30, manganese - up to 0.10, surfactants - no more than 0.50.
- Phenolic index – 0.25 mg/l.
These are just some of the standards to consider when testing water quality. Their total number is up to 1000 standards. It is on them that specialists in laboratories are guided.
Danger of tap water
Tap refers to water that comes fromcrane. It is delivered to housing through water pipes. Water supply has been actively developing in large cities of Russia since the end of the 19th century. Typically, the liquid comes from river water intakes. Then it is subjected to several stages of purification: mechanical filtration and sand. Next, disinfection is performed.
Only after that the water is let through the pipes. It collects the dirt that accumulates in the pipeline. Russian pipes have long needed a major overhaul, they need to be changed. Insufficiently purified water negatively affects human he alth. Because of it, there are such he alth problems:
- The risk of cancer increases.
- There is a negative effect on the work of the heart and blood vessels.
- Urolithiasis may appear.
- Itching, peeling, allergies appear.
How to determine the quality of the liquid flowing from the tap? Laboratory research is considered a reliable method. This requires sampling. But there are also home methods, which will be discussed later.
Organoleptic method
With the help of organoleptic indicators it is possible to determine whether water is suitable for drinking. It will be possible to conduct an analysis using the senses - sight and smell:
- The liquid must be collected in a transparent glass and look at its color. The standard is a colorless liquid. If it has a color (bluish, greenish, yellow-brown tint), then this means the presence of a chemical component. Sediment should be absent. Shouldlook at turbidity. The water from the well and spring is cloudy because it contains s alts and iron. But the tap liquid must be clear.
- Water should not smell. If it has a hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, ammonia smell, then it cannot be used for drinking. Swampy, putrid, grassy odors are not allowed.
- If the first stages of the organoleptic analysis of water at home did not show deviations from the norm, you can proceed to further research. The water must be tasted. It shouldn't have any aftertaste. If it is, then it contains organic or inorganic components. S altiness comes from dissolved s alts, iron gives the liquid a metallic taste, and acid gives sourness. Pure water tastes refreshing.
These are all organoleptic indicators by which the analysis can be performed independently. So you can check the liquid from any source.
Using a mirror
Home water testing can be done in another efficient way. A clean mirror or glass is required. A drop of water is applied to it. Surface must dry.
Then you need to evaluate the result. If the mirror is perfectly clean, then the water was free of impurities and s alts. If there are stains and traces, then the water is not suitable for drinking.
Boiling
You can test water at home by boiling it. It is necessary to take a clean pan, pour water into it, put it on the stove and boil. Let beliquid will boil for 10-15 minutes. Then it must be drained and inspect the walls of the container. If there is a light yellow precipitate, then this is evidence of the presence of calcium s alts. When the water contains a lot of iron oxide, the precipitate turns dark gray.
You can test tap water for hardness. It is necessary to wash your hands or boil the kettle: if the soap does not foam well under the stream, and a lot of scale instantly appears in the kettle, then the water is hard. You can also boil a kettle and brew strong black tea. Then raw water is added to the drink. If it turns peach, then the liquid is clear, and if it becomes cloudy, then the water quality is low.
Long storage
At home, water analysis is carried out using another simple method. It is necessary to collect a clear liquid in the bottle, close the lid and hide for several days in a dark place. Then you can evaluate the result. There should be no sediment or plaque on the walls in the container. It is important that there is no film on the surface. If at least one symptom occurs, then the water quality is poor.
Use of potassium permanganate
Perform a water analysis at home using potassium permanganate. You will need a liquid from the tap (100 ml), in which a little potassium permanganate is diluted. It is necessary to pour some water into another glass, the quality of which you want to check. Next, you need to mix the liquids, observing the reaction. If the water turns yellow instead of pink, then you should not drink it.
Shellfish
If there are Unionidae molluscs in the aquarium at home, then with them it will be possible to test the quality of drinking water. If they close the sink when they are in such a liquid, then there are foreign impurities in it.
All home methods provide an approximate result. You can get accurate data in a special laboratory. They will conduct the required tests and provide information on them.
Test kits
To carry out express analysis, there are kits and devices for determining water quality. Usually they are compact and can be easily placed in a backpack. In ph-testers for water, there are litmus papers that are impregnated with special compounds. When placed in water, they react with a certain type of chemical element, causing the piece of paper to change color. On this basis, it will be possible to determine the presence and quantity of certain components.
There are kits with vials of chemicals. To get results, you need to draw water into the container, add a reagent and observe the reaction, which manifests itself in a change in the color of the water, consistency. After such a procedure, you cannot drink this water.
The following sets are used for analysis:
- "Natural Waters". Detects and determines the amount of s alts, the presence of chlorine and acidity.
- "Spring". The kit allows you to check the presence of nitrites and nitrates. It also detects the level of iron and the amount of manganese.
- "Well". Used to quantifyiron and aluminum impurities. Sets the presence of certain types of nitrates.
- "Well". This kit is universal, as it allows you to install all the above elements and fluorides in groundwater.
All kits are used for self-determination of water quality. They contain instructions on how to use them.
It is important that the liquid complies with SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01. They are the ones who control water quality. Regulatory authorities should regularly take samples and perform checks. But you can also contact special services yourself for additional research.
Where the water is tested
Now there are many institutions that do this work. The investigated liquid must comply with the standards of GOST. For examination, you can send not only drinking water, but also waste, technical, mineral, purified. Each species has its own standards.
Verification is possible in the following institutions:
- Vodokanal Laboratories.
- Laboratories of sanitary and epidemiological stations.
- Independent private laboratories.
- Rospotrebnadzor.
It is required to check the availability of accreditation and license from the organization, otherwise there is no guarantee of quality work. If problems arise, such a water test will not be legally valid. You also need to check the modernity of laboratory equipment.
After the verification procedure, a protocol or act is provided, which indicates allfound indicators. The document includes data on the composition of the liquid, concentration of components, suitability conclusions and tips. If the results are not satisfactory, you can visit another laboratory.
In order for the test to be of high quality, you need to take the sample correctly. If detection of harmful components is required, it is advisable to call a laboratory employee. If you do it yourself, then you need to follow simple rules:
- The sample container for bacterial analysis must be taken in the laboratory. If this is done on your own, then you need to take a bottle of plain water. It is important that it be glass, clean.
- The liquid should drain for 5-10 minutes, and then you can collect it.
- The bottle and cork should be washed several times with the same water that is taken for analysis.
- The liquid must be poured carefully along the wall of the container. This is required so that oxygen bubbles do not appear in the water, which lead to oxidation. This fact affects the test results.
- The bottle must be filled completely. It is important that there is less air in it.
- It's best to send the sample to the lab right away. If the liquid stays in the bottle for a long time, then its composition changes, as different chemical reactions are observed. When this is not possible, the container should be put in the refrigerator.
A sample requires at least 1.5 liters, but it will be possible to find out this information in the laboratory. Each check may require a certain amount. Some experts recommend taking a water sample only in a glass orplastic bottle. If you follow these rules, then the test will give an accurate result.
Water analysis must be done in a laboratory. But you can find out its quality at home. All the methods mentioned in the article are effective and safe.
