As we know how important water is for human and any other life to exist. Without water, nothing lives. While our world has so much water but very less of it is fit for drinking and different human needs. Due to rising pollution and population, we have seen a reduction in this priceless resource over the decades. With awareness and technology, we are trying to conserve water resources and use the available resources to its best by using modern technology. Humans had started water purification systems quite early in history. In the initial times, water was passed through charcoal, which can absorb dirt and other unwanted elements from water. Boiling the water was another such simple way of treating and purifying the water to make it fit for drinking.
Filtration Technologies
In modern days we have new purification technologies and water treatment methodologies to purify water. Household water purifiers or commercial water treatment plants are product forms of these technologies. Though at the core, they use the same techniques. The objective is to reduce the hardness of the water and eliminate all the harmful or unwanted chemicals or toxins plus poisonous pathogens. And while doing this, try to keep the essential ingredients in the water untouched.
The most primitive methods were to add coagulating agents into the water to get rid of suspended particles. This process is called flocculation, where smaller suspended particles come together to form a larger particle. In the next steps, these bigger particles start to get settled down at the bottom. This is called sedimentation. The more advanced steps begin after it through the process of filtration.
The Various Filtration Ways Are
- The most preliminary technique is using membrane filters where we filter the much smaller particles up to size by 0.2 microns. Industries mostly use them for disposing of polluted water into rivers or by sewages and basic household filters for drinking water purposes.
- We need other filtration techniques like the ion exchange method to remove dissolved substances from a water source. These are bit costly methods than above but are far more superior as well.
- For softening of water, we have some water softener techniques like precipitative softening or using EDTA.
- The next step in the process is disinfection. This step is essential to kill microbial living organisms that are pathogenic and cause diseases. They can be viruses, bacteria. Most commonly used are Chlorination, which is though a poisonous gas but is used with sodium hypochlorite to reduce the risk of exposure.
Other than these steps and techniques, some other more widely used methods are also like Reverse Osmosis or RO, where water is pressed hard against a semipermeable membrane causing the pure water to come through the other side. Most large- and small-scale water purification systems use this method. Other less widely used techniques are Desalination, Distillation, Chemical Oxidation, and Carbon absorption.
Why Should We Wisely Choose Our Water Purifier?
Lets now jump to the fact of how we can choose the right type of water purification system for us. Based on the local supply of water or groundwater quality and budget, we can decide which kind of system best suits us. Once that is achieved, we need to do some market research to know which brands are performing well and what their product line which match our need. Once this is done, we need to verify the after-sales services of these brands because water purifiers are a high maintenance system. Water purifier needs regular service and time to time replacements of filters and parts. Once we are assured on all these points, we can buy the product and get it installed. Also, down the line, we should purchase their yearly service plans to be assured of getting the same quality of drinking water again and again.
Conclusion
After learning all this, it is clear that before choosing to buy a water purification system for our household or industrial use. We should be aware of the technique it uses and what is the efficacy of the method. How good the product is and how good the brand serves its customer for after-sales service. As a buyer, one should not compromise on these facts as it directly affects the health of the buyer and his or her family and customers.
