Clean and pure drinking water is a basic necessity that everybody needs. With the rising levels of pollutants and contaminants in water, this natural resource is gradually depleting. Though 70 percent of the Earth is made up of water, accessibility to clean drinking water is decreasing. Unsafe and contaminated drinking water leads to the poor health of the people consuming it. There are many ways in which you can check if the water you are drinking is safe for consumption or not. We have compiled a list of ways in which you can test the safety of your drinking water. 

Professional Lab Testing

If you get your water from a utility company or a city treatment plant, you are safe. It is mandatory for suppliers to test their water at least once a year. Most of them do it more often to pinpoint any problems before they occur. In case you get your water from a private source, you need to have it professionally tested at least once a year. Your local health department can provide you with a list of labs where you can send your water samples for testing. When ordering a professional test, you will be asked the reason why you want your water tested. Based on the reason, you will be given a set of instructions that need to be diligently followed if you want accurate results. Many labs send a technician to your house for the sample so you don’t have to bother with the instructions. To guarantee accuracy, use a sterilized container obtained from the lab. 

Check for Impurities

A simple way to check your water for impurities is by filling a glass three-quarters full with water after letting it run for a minute. If the water is safe, it will be crystal clear and you will be able to see your hand through it. If the water is cloudy with some particles floating in it, it is obviously not safe to drink. The calcium, magnesium, and other minerals present in hard water can make it appear cloudy. This water is usually safe for drinking but can be treated with a water softener to prevent any plumbing damage. 

Even if the water is not cloudy, it might be discolored. Brown water means dirt and other sediments. Rusty pipes result in red and orange colors in the water. Lead, which is a very toxic metal, gives a black color to your water. If there are algae in your water, it will have a green discoloration. 

There are many health departments that provide water consultation. If you happen to live in Tucson or the nearby areas, you can benefit from a free water consultation. Availing this opportunity can help prevent many diseases caused by water contamination. 

The smell is another indication of water purity. If there are bacteria in the water, it can have a distinct rotten egg or sulfur smell. A nail polish or varnish smell means some chemical may have leaked into your water. 

Even if the water is not cloudy or discolored, you should taste it too. Any bitter taste indicates the presence of metal in water which calls for a more complete test. Clean water should be tasteless. 

Use a Strip Kit for Testing

Water purity testing kits with reactive strips are easily found. The paper strips will change color based on the contaminants present in water. A readily available testing kit will take care of hardness, water pH, and levels. There are separate strips for different tests. A glass should be three-quarters filled with water. The strip must then be dropped in the water. After allowing it to absorb the water, keep it on a paper towel. Once the strip is dry, check the color with the color chart that comes with the instruction booklet. You can compare these results with the results obtained from testing safe water. If the water quality is not up to the mark, you can consider a more accurate and thorough test. 

Use a TDS Meter

A TDS meter (total dissolved solids) can be used to detect the presence of any dissolved solids in water. A clean glass should be filled three-quarters with water. Switch on the meter and then insert half an inch of it into the glass. A TDS meter will measure water in ppm or parts per million. If you get a reading of anything above 900, your water is not safe for drinking. Even a low TDS reading can indicate the absence of minerals. 

Unsafe, unhygienic, and contaminated water is the cause of many diseases. If the purity of water is maintained, it is a major step towards good health. Just following these steps can help you maintain the health of you and your family. So be vigilant and get the water you drink regularly tested. It goes a long way towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle.