How does water get purified? [ Infographic ]
Optimal water intake is vital for your health. All the cells in your body need water to function properly, which is why you need to hydrate continuously throughout the day. You probably know how important it is to drink enough water, but it’s possible that you’re confused about the best type of water to drink. You should always drink water that’s been purified since it’s not only better for you but it tastes better too. If you’re wondering “How does water get purified?”, read on.
What is purified water?
Before we answer the question “How does water get purified?”, let’s consider what purified water actually is. Purified water is water that’s been filtered or processed in order to remove any impurities like chemicals and other contaminants. Through purification, impurities such as bacteria, algae, parasites, fungi, metals such as copper and lead, gases, and chemical pollutants can be eliminated. Purified water is normally produced using tap water or groundwater.
How is water purified?
The water purification process involves a number of steps, including:
Coagulation
This is usually the first step in purifying water. During coagulation, positively charged chemicals (commonly aluminium, iron or certain types of salts) are added to the water. This positive charge neutralises the negatively charged particles in the dirt and other impurities. These particles bind to the chemicals, forming larger particles called flocs.
Flocculation
Flocculation follows coagulation. This process involves mixing the water so that larger and heavier particles called flocs are formed. Normally, additional chemicals are added at this stage to help the flocs form.
Sedimentation
Sedimentation involves separating out the solids from the water. Due to their larger size and heavier weight, the flocs settle to the bottom of the water, separated from the clean water.
Filtration
Once the flocs have moved to the bottom of the water, the water on top is then filtered to separate any other solids from the water. During the filtration process, the clear water passes through the filters that have various pore sizes and are made from different materials (for example, sand, charcoal and gravel). These filters work to remove contaminants such as dust, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemicals. Activated carbon filters can remove bad odours from the water.
Sometimes, water treatment plants use a process known as ultrafiltration as well as, or instead of the traditional filtration process. During ultrafiltration, water flows through a filter membrane which has very small pores. This filter only allows water and other very small molecules like salts through.
Disinfection
Disinfection is the final step in the water purification process. After the water is filtered, chemical disinfectants like chlorine or chloramine may be added. This helps to kill any parasites, viruses or bacteria that might remain in the water. Water treatment plants make sure that there are low levels of these chemicals present in the water before it travels to people’s homes and businesses. This keeps it as safe as possible for people to drink.
As well as or instead of adding chlorine or chloramine, a water treatment plant may also disinfect water using UV light or ozone work. Both of these work well to disinfect water whilst it’s in the treatment plant, however, but they don’t continue killing the germs as the water travels through the pipes towards people’s taps.
Health benefits of purified water
Drinking purified water is a good idea since the contaminants found in impurified water could negatively impact health. For example, heavy metals such as copper and lead are toxic, potentially causing issues such as stomach distress and could even lead to brain damage when consumed over time. These heavy metals can find their way into drinking water, even in those countries where public water sources are tightly regulated. Purifying water removes these metals as well as chemicals and other contaminants.
The water purification also removes any unpleasant tastes which could result from chemical treatments, dirt or metal plumbing. The end result is fresh, pure-tasting water that is great for your health.
Plumbed in water coolers in Sheffield
Now you know the answer to “How does water get purified?”, you may be looking to buy a water cooler to provide you with fresh, filtered water on demand. For water coolers in Sheffield or the surrounding areas, look no further than Fresh Opportunities. We supply and install a wide range of water coolers for businesses across South Yorkshire.
Furthermore, we offer both floor-standing and desktop models, allowing us to meet various needs and budgets. We supply water coolers to many different types of commercial settings, including factories, offices, schools, hospitals and leisure centres. This allows you to keep your staff and customers hydrated with clean, fresh, purified water.
Our water coolers are very competitively priced, and what’s more is that we offer a free two-week trial to all our customers. This allows you to test out a water cooler and find out first-hand if it’s right for you and your business. We also offer a maintenance service, with our team of engineers on hand to inspect and repair your water cooler as required. This ensured that it will stay functioning optimally at all times.
Contact us
To find out more about our range of water coolers in Sheffield, get in touch today. Call us on 0800 086 2479 to discuss your requirements with one of our team. Alternatively, you can message us via the website and we will get back to you as quickly as we can. We have an expert knowledge of the water coolers in our range, allowing us to answer any questions or queries you may have. We recommend trying a free two-week trial so that you can try out one of our coolers first-hand.