How do we keep our water clean?
It’s through a hybrid of state-of-the-art technology, routine updates and sheer perseverance are we able to enjoy the benefits of clean water. Water is highly susceptible to spreading bacteria and any number of diseases, some minor and some deadly. Because of our reliance on it for everything from drinking to washing, it simply isn’t an option to neglect water purity. There are millions of people today who are unable to routinely access clean drinking water. Even the environment is starting to bend under the weight of harmful disposable habits.
With well water test kits and improved analysis protocol, we can ensure dirty water is a thing of the past.
Did you know nearly two billion people live with poor sanitation conditions? This lack of adequate drinking and washing water is a worldwide epidemic and one that causes nearly 3% of all deaths across the globe. It’s also estimated dirty water is somewhat to blame for 4% of DALYs (or ‘disability adjusted live years’), a term used to denote a reduced quality of life and shortened lifespan caused by the environment. From reduced mobility brought on by disease to an early death from a lack of water, it’s up to us to breach this gap with well water test kits and create a healthier world for all.
Dirty water is caused primarily by human neglect. Every single day over two million tons of sewage and agricultural waste are discharged into the world’s primary water systems, spreading throughout numerous populations and putting humans and animals at risk. A natural environment can see up to 50% of rainfall absorbed into the ground, with another 40% evaporated and the rest ‘run off’. This latter term is used to describe water that doesn’t have any substance to sink into and instead moves according to gravity and outside direction, particularly common in suburban and urban environments.
Water can be gradually cleared of excess contaminants and debris over time. This can be done in a variety of ways. Analysis of water quality parameters is a constantly shifting definition as we learn more about nature and what we’re up against. Well water test kits are used to figure out the state of well water and determine whether or not it’s suitable for use. Water quality testing kits in general can be adjusted to better match the needs of the location, such as water near a manufacturing plant or a sewer system in a neighborhood.
Bacteria, mold and debris can find its way into public water systems. ‘Hard water’, for example, is a term used to describe water with an excess of minerals. This frequently manifests as white or gray scum on the bottom of bathtubs or coating faucet heads. Some homeowners will go out of their way to buy filters to reduce the amount of ‘hardness’ in their water, that of which can also taste sweet to the tongue when drinking from the tap. Without well water test kits and water conductivity units we would be in an even worse state today.
Temperature is able to significant effect the conductivity of water. Ultrapure water, interestingly enough, is not a good electrical conductor as evidenced by its recorded resistivity. Conductivity and resistivity are inverses of each other, with the latter used for high purity water and the former used for general water monitoring. Being able to explore the dynamic nature of water in a broad variety of ways means we’re ever in a good spot to locate problems before they can spread throughout the population. It’s estimated up to 45% of analyzed streams (as well as 65% of lakes and 30% of bays) are not clean enough to support fishing and swimming.
Poor water quality affects all life. Water quality indicators will take us one step closer to reversing this harmful pattern.
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