Water Purification & Conditioning

Water purification and conditioning is essential for making water fit for use. Water purification is a process that removes impurities, like biological contaminants, from the water. Biological contaminants include: parasites, bacteria, viruses and algae. Certain harmful chemicals and suspended particles are also filtered to make the water pure. At times, the water may be "hard." This water must be properly conditioned to make it "soft," so that it can be put to a specific use.

Water Purification

• Water has to be purified for municipal use to make it fit for drinking. Boiling of water has been one of the oldest methods of enhancing the purity of water. Today, there are several water purification devices like ultraviolet purifiers and electric purifiers. Ultravoilet purifiers use solar energy to combat bacteria while electric purifiers work on electricity to accomplish the same result.

Methods of Water Purification

• The extent of impurity cannot be ascertained by visual examination. Water has to be chemically analyzed to determine the exact amount of impurity present. There are several methods to purify the water. The hhysical method involves filtration and sedimentation. This is the most common method practiced to make the water pure. In the biological method, water is purified by using processes such as activated sludge and slow sand filters. Chemical methods include chlorination and flocculation. Sometimes the water is also purified by making use of electromagnetic radiation.

Water Conditioning

• Water conditioning is mostly done for industrial use. Water has dissolved ions of magnesium, calcium, ferrous iron, and manganese in it, which makes it hard. Hard water is not suitable for industrial or pharmaceutical applications--it has to be conditioned to make it soft. Sodium carbonate is the most popular water conditioner which effectively reduces the concentration of these dissolved ions.

Drawbacks of Hard Water

• Water conditioning is important as hard water has some drawbacks. First, hard water does not allow proper cleaning as it doesn’t form a lather; this is due to the reaction between the detergents and the metal ions. Secondly, galvanic corrosion is caused by the electrolytes and ions present in hard water. Lastly, calcite and aragonite, which are the precipitates of calcium and magnesium, are formed around water pipes and boilers. This restricts the flow of water and reduces the efficiency of the boiler.

Importance of Water Purification and Conditioning

• Water purification and conditioning have become imperative as impurities in water may lead to various waterborne diseases like amoebiasis, diarrhea, hepatitis A and typhoid. The World Health Organization issued a report in 2007 stating that around 1.1 billion people were deprived of safe drinking water due to industrial and natural contamination of water. The report also mentioned that around 1.8 million causalities have been caused as a result of diarrhea. Therefore, it has become mandatory to take steps to improve the quality of water for both human consumption and industrial use.