5 water quality parameters you should know to ensure your health

In our daily life, the uses of water are multiple. This ranges from flushing toilets to various washes, including food. This represents a cost and some municipalities offer a social tariff on water.

Water is a precious commodity that should not be wasted and we are particularly aware of this when drought threatens during our increasingly hot summers.

When you turn on the water somewhere and you are thirsty, it is very common to wonder what would happen if you drink it. There are certain water quality parameters that can help you know how safe or reliable the source is.

Although it might seem that at first glance it is easy to know how good the water you are going to drink is, every year, thousands of people around the world contract diseases related to poor water quality and this can happen directly in your home.

While the best way to know exactly what's in your water is to have it tested by a professional, the truth is that there are some ways to detect contaminants using all of your senses.

In this article AquaDrink discussed 5 parameters of water quality that you should know before pouring yourself a glass of water so that you do not compromise your health.

Pour yourself the water in a clear glass

To do the following tests, it is best to serve the water in a glass that allows you to see through it. The clear water is considered ideally safe to drink. Turbidity of water tells how much the water is contaminated, while it’s not necessary that cloudy water is harmful for you but it suggests containing pathogens or harmful chemicals in it.

Feel its texture

Wash your hands with the water and check that you don't have a slimy or chalky feeling. You can also check how the bottom of your glass looks after pouring the water since sometimes the same sensation can be felt here.

Check the faucet and the water outlets

Hard water is often characterized by a buildup of substances like calcium or magnesium, which can leave deposits in the sink, faucet, or glass. It may also feel different when you wash your hair or take a bath, as the shampoo lathers less or your skin may feel stiff when you're done.

Hard water is not a sure sign that the water source is contaminated, since in most cases, it is caused by an excess of calcium or magnesium, which should not represent any harm to health.

Look at the color

The parameter of water quality that is unbreakable is that it must always be colorless, so if you notice that it has any color, it would be better to check it thoroughly. Yellow, orange or brown colors are never a good sign.

Yellow water could indicate the presence of chromium-6, the cancer-causing chemical that resulted in a lawsuit filed by clean water advocate Erin Brockovich, whose film was made famous. It could also be a sign of a buildup of iron, manganese, copper, or lead.

When the water looks orange or brown it can also contain excess iron, manganese or lead, or indicate the presence of rust, which can breed bacteria.

On the other hand, when the water is stained green or blue, it could contain high levels of copper or the presence of some algae or microorganism, and it can also mean that the pipes are corroded or have a crack, so it would be advisable to check them with a specialist. Although copper is not bad for your health in small doses, high levels of exposure can cause problems such as anemia or liver and kidney damage.

Pour yourself the water and smell it

The nose is an excellent guide to locating quality parameters in the water, but since when we drink water we stop breathing, its smell can often go unnoticed. For this reason, it is always recommended that before you drink the water, you bring your nose closer and sniff it a little to notice the presence of any smell.

Remember that the main characteristics of water is that it is colorless, tasteless and odorless, so any opposite can mean the presence of a contaminant.

If the water smells like chlorine, be careful with its excess. Chlorine is regularly added to the water supply to kill germs and pathogens, however, if mixed with other organic products or in high concentrations, it can cause skin irritation and the risk of cancer may also increase.

On the other hand, the smell of rotten eggs means that the water could contain hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas that can occur naturally in groundwater. When this gas is exposed to certain bacteria, it turns into sulfate, which can cause dehydration or diarrhea.

Water that smells like fish may also contain cadmium, a chemical found in lead and copper ores, which often leaches into pipes through industrial waste. Intake of cadmium in increased amounts through drinking water is dangerous and can cause severe damage to kidney, liver and bones. While a metallic taste could indicate the presence of excess iron or copper.

Rusty pipes can release metals such as iron, manganese, zinc, copper, and lead into local water supplies, giving the liquid a metallic or salty taste.

These 5 parameters of water quality will help you know if what you are drinking is clean and will not have repercussions on the health of your family. One way to be more confident in what you drink is by installing a water purifying filter.

These eliminate 99.99% of bacteria and viruses, as well as remove odors and flavors from the water.