The fact that most parts of Africa and even Asia (though the situation in Asia has considerably gotten better in the last few years) do not have access to safe drinking water is a no-brainer. It is commonplace knowledge, and it certainly won’t surprise anyone to hear that the poor inhabitants of these regions sometimes don’t even have access to water at all, much less to sanitary drinking facilities. However, has the thought of unsafe water sources being found in developed regions like the US or Europe, ever crossed your mind? Probably not, but the fact is, there may be a chance that what you’ve been drinking might not really be ‘sanitary’.
New studies have shown quite the disheartening results – toxic qualities of water have been found in even regions of the US like Michigan. With the rampant contamination of groundwater sources by solid waste disposal methods or the pollution of water sources by incorrect sewerage systems and sewer treatment (sadly, despite heavy regulations) the concept of ‘safe water’ is certainly becoming rare.
There are also cases that your water is of good quality – only it doesn’t really look like it. This is a much more commonplace occurrence. You’ve probably felt like the local water supply tasted or smelled weird. The reason can be directly attributed to the water treatment methods followed. In this case, there is certainly no harm in the water you’re drinking, but maybe you still feel weird about drinking it.
Either way, the answer is one: buy water filtration system. Water filters make sure that the water you’ll drink is free of all unwanted impurities (keep in mind that pure water, or one which even lacks minerals, is not what is recommended; safe drinking water has also a minimum limit for contaminants – for example, you’ll need calcium, magnesium and similar minerals in your drinking water).
Traditional methods of filtering water like the old-fashioned handkerchief filter or boiling of water cannot actually purify water, and in the case of boiling, the water can also gain a weird taste or smell. If you buy water filtration system, you can also take care of foul odours or tastes, so buying one is a good choice even if you’re positive about your local water supply.
Most filtration systems now come as small purifiers that you can even place on the counter of your kitchen, and they can even be ordered online. Smart water purifiers have also been developed to go hand in hand with the advancement of smart technologies and smart phones. Therefore, with contamination of water sources being never an ‘impossible probability’ it is best to have a filtration system installed in your home, regardless of how safe your water supply is at present.