Is it dangerous to drink tap water? Is it possible to drink raw tap water? Elements that make up water

The path is several tens of kilometers from the wastewater treatment plant to our kitchen. These pipes are several decades old, they are covered with rust and deposits of various harmful compounds. Drinking water can contain dangerous chemicals, including boron, arsenic and lead, which can cause rashes and allergies. Arsenic is a carcinogen and can cause cancer if consumed in large quantities. Do not use tap water to prepare baby food. It is better to buy special baby water.

Tap water may contain painkillers. They enter water bodies from sewers and farm wastewater, and then into the water supply. This can cause serious health problems.

Tap water is one of the main causes of kidney stones. If you have had or still have problems with kidney stones, it is best to avoid drinking tap water.

What ? Look for a trusted water manufacturer or install a filter on your water tap and don’t forget to change it regularly. Although the filter cannot cope with all harmful substances, it will significantly improve the quality of the water. It is also not recommended to purchase low-quality water taps, because... they contain heavy metal ions that wash out and end up in the water.

In order for a person to always feel healthy and strong, he needs to drink at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day. But, as practice shows, water is not always useful. This is especially true for tap water.

Constantly drinking tap water can cause health problems. Perhaps the influence will not be felt immediately. But numerous studies have shown that tap water can slowly contaminate the human body with harmful substances.

Elements that make up water

Nitrates and chlorides can cause urolithiasis or cholelithiasis. In addition, they can lead to allergies or even stomach ulcers. If there is a lot of iron in the water, then this has a bad effect on reproductive function and has a negative effect on the liver and kidneys. Also, large amounts of iron increase the risk of heart attack.

Experts have proven that excessive amounts of chemical elements that enter the human body with water negatively affect its health.

Toxic substances are also considered the enemy of the human body. They make the immune system much weaker. In addition, they can cause toxicosis in pregnant women. Also, such substances can cause various mutations. The consequences of the negative impact of toxic water on the human body can be hepatitis and congenital anomalies in young children.

Pesticides, which are most often used in agriculture, can get into the water. They are used to control insects and weeds. Such substances, entering the human body with water, can increase the likelihood of cancer in the future.

Bottled water or tap water - which is better?

Tap water is not always healthy. Rather, on the contrary, you can be poisoned by it. But bottled water is not considered clean either. Tap water is tested much more often in laboratories, and is cleaned from time to time.

But as for the bottle bottle, it is checked very rarely. Moreover, if water is in a plastic bottle for a long time, then it loses all its beneficial properties. In addition, bottled water may contain elements that have a bad effect on the human body. The composition of such water may contain elements that are far from those indicated on the label.

Tap water also has its positive sides. For example, it contains many minerals and vitamins that the human body needs. The same iron in moderate doses strengthens bones. Therefore, each type of water has its own advantages and

Without a doubt, water is life. However, for many, tap water is seen as definitely not alive, but rather dead. Is it safe to drink tap water or can it lead to serious problems and what is the situation with tap water around the world?

What is the danger

Is the devil as terrible as he is painted? The primary danger lies in bacteria and viruses, which can be present in poorly treated water, or if there is stagnation in the pipes, they appear in stagnant water. Thus, “dirty” tap water can cause intestinal infections, diphtheria, and typhoid fever.

Another danger is the complete absence of microelements or, conversely, their too high content. In the first case, a deficiency may occur, for example, of iodine, which is bad for the thyroid gland, or calcium, which is detrimental to bones and teeth. An excess can cause no less serious consequences. Thus, a large amount of cadmium in water leads to problems with joints, mercury and lead lead to damage to the central nervous system, and iron not only damages electrical appliances and plumbing, but also has a bad effect on health.

Is there any benefit?

In most cities in the world, especially in Russia, Europe, and America, drinking water is taken from surface natural sources, that is, rivers or lakes. Naturally, it is very different in microelement composition from water from underground sources. Thus, it is low in calcium, fluorine, iodine and magnesium, and subsequent purification often removes even the small amount of minerals that were originally present. Therefore, deficiency of these microelements is a common problem for residents of megacities. Naturally, it is difficult to talk about the benefits of such water, at least in Russia.

However, the alternative - bottled water - often does not help cope with the shortage, since most products in stores are the same tap water, only additionally purified and artificially enriched with useful elements. When buying bottled water, read the label and buy artesian water, it does not need to be so highly purified and enriched.

How to determine the quality of tap water?

Many people think that they can determine the quality of water organoleptically. However, this is only possible in extreme cases. So, everyone understands that clean water should be transparent and colorless. If you see that something is cloudy or mixed with color (brown or yellow), you definitely shouldn’t drink such water. However, such water only occurs in places where it is practically not purified, or if there are a lot of foreign impurities in it. In Russia, even in the smallest cities, this can be encountered for a short time - after a shutdown, it can sometimes leak and can be quickly drained. In other cases, impurities and pathogens, of course, cannot be distinguished with the naked eye.

You won't taste it either. However, it is quite understandable when there are too many impurities in the water, for example, in old houses with worn-out communications. You can taste an excess of iron, petroleum products, chlorine and hydrogen sulfide. The taste of the liquid also often changes in the summer, when blooming water can smell like dampness (no matter how paradoxical it may sound) or a swamp. If for some reason you don’t like the taste of water, it’s better not to drink it, but to trust your body.

So, it is very difficult to sense impurities with your eyes, nose and mouth, what can you do to find out for sure whether the tap water is safe to drink? The easiest way is to submit a sample for analysis to a special laboratory.

Since this method is only good in the place of your permanent residence, how can you find out about the quality of water if you come on vacation or a business trip? First, check with tour operators in advance whether tap water is safe to drink in the country or city you are traveling to. If the trip is independent or business, then upon arrival, ask local residents, for example, hotel staff, about this.

There are also special information sites, for example the project Is the water safe to drink. On their website you can enter the name of the city and get information about the suitability of your tap water. They receive data from the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention and have a database of many cities around the world, including 28 Russian ones. More complete and up-to-date information on Russian cities can be found on the websites of Rospotrebnadzor and Vodokanal of the relevant settlements, especially in large cities and regional centers.

Existing treatment systems

The most common system used in Russia is cleaning with reagents, that is, chlorine. It kills all pathogenic bacteria and, in addition, prevents the development of new ones in the pipes themselves. Many people are afraid of chlorine out of habit, but its content in water is strictly regulated, constantly monitored and cannot harm humans. In addition, chlorine is a volatile compound, and therefore you can put water in a jug or kettle and let it sit for a while so that it evaporates. In some places, innovative reagents are also used, for example aluminum oxychloride. It has been successfully used in Novosibirsk since 1995.

In 2008, Russia began to use a new method of ultraviolet water purification. St. Petersburg became a pioneer in this. However, this method does not kill bacteria, which means it does not make the water completely safe. Therefore, this method is used only in conjunction with chlorination.

In Europe, for example in Finland, or in Canada, water is ozonated, that is, it is disinfected with ozone. This gas oxidizes the shell of the virus, preventing it from dividing and joining the cells of the human body. However, this method does not help against bacteria.

Water quality and safety in Russia

Russian ones are quite modern and technically equipped to supply water of quite decent quality and certainly safe for life to living quarters. At least we are assured of this. At the same time, large cities take water from nearby rivers, lakes and reservoirs and, for example, during a flood, fertilizers or sewage from fields can get into them. And in summer, the flowering period of water greatly affects its taste and smell. Therefore, its quality is not constant, but safety is always at the highest level, which means that pathogenic microorganisms cannot be acquired through water.

Also a big problem, mainly in small towns and old areas, is the deterioration of communications. Old pipelines, as well as stagnation of liquid in some areas, contribute to the appearance of various unpleasant impurities in the water.

Also, a lot depends on the natural characteristics of the reservoirs. In the Neva, for example, the water is soft, so a liquid flows from the St. Petersburg tap that contains practically no microelements useful to humans. And in Kalmykia, the water tastes salty due to the high salt content in local reservoirs and has a negative effect on the kidneys.

How are things going in the major cities of Central Russia?

Let's start with the capital - is it possible to drink tap water in Moscow? Experts answer that it is possible. Every 24 hours, Mosgorvodokanal carries out inspections and water intakes, and in all areas of the city, the liquid in the tap is bacteriologically safe, and the content of impurities is always within normal limits. However, Moscow water is too rich in iron, which causes, for example, rust on plumbing fixtures. Excess iron is not good for health, but it won’t do much harm either, so don’t doubt whether you can drink tap water in Moscow. Experts answer - it is possible if there are no alternatives.

In St. Petersburg, water is taken from the Neva and purified in two stages. First with reagents, namely and then with ultraviolet light. The first stage kills bacteria, and the second kills viruses, making the water in the northern capital completely safe. This means that local residents do not have to worry when wondering whether they can drink tap water in St. Petersburg. However, in many areas of the city it can be high in iron due to the fact that the water in the Neva is very soft and corrodes steel communications. Drinking it is not very dangerous, but it is better not to abuse it.

Despite the fact that the Vodokanal system strives to improve water quality, there are cities where it, on the contrary, is getting worse. For example, if previously local residents answered in the affirmative when asked whether they could drink tap water in Sochi, but now they try to buy it in bottles. It's all about changing the cleaning principle - chlorine was replaced by other reagents, which changed the taste of water and made it harder.

Regions

In the regions, the situation is that large cities can boast of good water, but small ones often experience problems. For example, the third largest city in Russia, Novosibirsk, is regularly included in the list of 10 domestic cities with the best water. Therefore, Novosibirsk residents can live in peace and have no doubt whether they can drink tap water in Novosibirsk.

But in Elista everything is very bad - the steppe region causes a shortage of water, its low quality and worn-out communications. Those who do not have large natural water intakes nearby are a little more fortunate, as, for example, in the Tula region - here the water in the tap is artesian.

Tap liquid in Europe

Traveling around Europe, you can relax, especially in large cities: the water is completely safe for humans, at least that’s what official sources say. However, if in the Central, Northern and Southern parts of Europe, things are good with water in almost all countries, then in Eastern Europe it is better not to drink it directly from the water supply, especially in Albania, Moldova, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovakia. Also, the liquid that is not the most suitable for humans flows from the taps of Bulgarians and Montenegrins.

Many tourists are puzzled by the question of whether it is possible to drink tap water in Cyprus. Local residents believe that it is possible, but in this region there are problems with fresh moisture, and water treatment plants have to desalinate sea water, which affects its quality. It’s quite possible to wash with it, but you shouldn’t drink it.

As for Western Europe, as already noted, the water there is drinkable, especially in large cities. So, don’t doubt whether you can drink tap water in Prague, Vienna or Berlin. It is no different from bottled. It is not too soft, but not hard either, does not leave a residue in the kettle or on the sink and is completely safe. When asked whether it is possible to drink tap water in Amsterdam, the world community answers that it is safe to do so. Here they approach cleaning with all responsibility. True, for example, French doctors, answering affirmatively to the question of whether it is possible to drink tap water in Paris, make a small reservation - for babies it is better to boil it.

The safest water in Northern Europe, here it can be poured and drunk in the sink of a public toilet, it is poured directly into a glass in a restaurant and given to babies. Doctors may even prescribe the patient to drink tap water more often, since it contains a good balance of salts and minerals that a person needs.

America

The USA, of course, has the most modern tap water purification systems, and its quality is at a decent level almost throughout the country. There are exceptions, especially small towns where there are many harmful contaminants, such as lead or copper.

But, for example, in San Francisco, thanks to unique natural sources, water is considered one of the cleanest and healthiest in the country. At the same time, Americans have a slightly different problem with drinking water - they spend huge amounts of money on buying bottled water, which is often not only no better than tap water, but is also more harmful due to plastic containers, which emit harmful substances and take a long time to decompose.

Where should you not drink tap water?

There are also countries in the world where you can’t even drink water, they don’t even recommend brushing your teeth with it or putting it in your mouth when taking a shower.

These include developing poor countries such as Afghanistan, India or Bangladesh, and most Southeast Asian countries - Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, as well as a significant part of Africa - Ethiopia, Chad, Ghana and others.

In these countries, drink only bottled water and take only a closed bottle in a restaurant, as the waiter can cheat and pour tap liquid into an empty container.

How to make tap water cleaner?

If you are not sure whether the tap water is safe to drink or you need to purify it, for example when traveling, then stock up on activated carbon. It disinfects perfectly. Another recognized germicidal agent is silver, place it in a container of water for a short time. But the best thing is boiling. It can be used both at home and in a hotel.

If you need to make your home water more drinkable, try a filter to purify it. Jug ones are quite suitable, but do not forget to regularly change the cartridge. Flow and reverse osmosis systems are more efficient and can give you the desired quality of clean and healthy drinking water.

From this article you will learn:

What are the main reasons why you should not drink tap water?
How to improve your tap water so you can drink it
What is a healthy alternative to tap water?

There are different opinions about the dangers and benefits of tap water. To find out the properties of such water for sure, it is necessary to study it in the laboratory. Despite the fact that the quality of tap water can vary significantly in different localities, there are a number of good reasons why the question “is tap water safe to drink?” the answer is clearly negative. Let's explore this topic in more detail.

Facts and figures about tap water

First, let's look at the statistics. They are disappointing. The volume of water consumed by a person over 50 years is 45 tons. Along with it, far from useful impurities enter the body. So, this amount of water contains 15-16 kilograms of chlorides. That's two buckets of bleach! Also, approximately 2 kilograms of nitrates enter the body. The dose of iron during this period is about 14-15 grams, this amount is equivalent to a medium-sized nail. A person receives 23-24 grams of aluminum (about a spoon) with water.

Specialists from the Association of Water Supply and Sanitation conducted research, the results of which revealed the deterioration of the water supply system by more than 50%. Since water pipes, as a rule, are laid very close to sewer pipes, there is a high probability that the result of severe corrosion and rotting of the walls may result in sewerage entering the water supply system. The risk of such water pollution is greatest in old houses, the degree of wear and tear of communications in which is very high.

Interesting fact: in some countries, tap water is very clean and safe to drink. Such countries include Switzerland, France, Norway, Italy, Sweden, and Iceland. Why is this not the case in our country?

What tap water purification systems exist in Russia?

In Russia, water is mainly purified using reagents, that is, chlorine. It has a detrimental effect on all pathogenic bacteria and prevents them from developing directly in the pipeline. Many people are wary of chlorinated water, but the chlorine content in it does not exceed acceptable standards. It is constantly monitored, so this water is not harmful. In addition, chlorine is volatile, and you can get rid of it by simply settling the water in a container. Innovative reagents are also used for cleaning, for example, aluminum oxychloride.

In 2008, our country began to purify water with ultraviolet light. For the first time this cleaning method was used in St. Petersburg. Its disadvantage is that bacteria do not die after treating water with UV rays. Therefore, to obtain the desired effect, such cleaning is carried out together with chlorination.

In European countries (for example, Finland), as well as in Canada, water is disinfected with ozone. Ozone causes oxidation of the viral shell, as a result of which the virus stops dividing and cannot attach to human cells. But ozonation does not get rid of bacteria either.

Domestic water purification systems are quite modern and have good technical equipment, sufficient to maintain the quality of water supplied to the population at the proper level and ensure its safety. At least that's what we are assured of. At the same time, the source of water for large cities is rivers, lakes and reservoirs. During the flood period, it is possible that fertilizers or sewage from the fields may get into them. In summer the water blooms and its taste and color change. That is, the quality of water cannot be constant, but its safety is always guaranteed. The water does not contain pathogenic microorganisms.

Another problem, most acute for small towns and old areas, is very worn out communications. Due to the fact that the pipes are old, and in some areas the water stagnates, various impurities appear in it. The natural features of reservoirs also determine a lot. For example, in the Neva the water is soft, and from the taps of residents of the northern capital a liquid flows that contains almost no microelements beneficial to the body. And in Kalmykia, the water has a salty taste, since local reservoirs contain a lot of salt. Its consumption negatively affects the condition of the kidneys.

Is it possible to drink tap water in Russian cities and abroad?

Is it possible to drink tap water in Moscow? The opinion of experts is unanimous - it is possible. Every day, water is sampled and tested at Mosgorvodokanal. It is delivered to all areas bacteriologically safe, and the content of impurities in it does not exceed permissible limits. But there is too much iron in Moscow water, and therefore rust is deposited on plumbing fixtures. Excess iron in the body is undesirable, but it will not cause much harm.

Water for St. Petersburg residents is taken from the Neva, and it goes through two stages of purification. It is first cleaned with sodium hypochlorite and then treated with ultraviolet light. Chemical purification allows you to disinfect water, and UV treatment kills viruses. Accordingly, water in St. Petersburg is absolutely safe. Therefore, you can be sure whether the tap water is safe to drink. It is worth noting that in many areas of the city, as in Moscow, the water may contain large amounts of iron. Communications suffer from this. Drinking such water is not particularly dangerous, but you should not abuse it either.

Although the Vodokanal system tries to maintain water quality at the proper level and even improve it, in some cities it is declining. For example, previously, when asked whether it is possible to drink tap water in Sochi, residents unanimously answered in the affirmative, but now they doubt it and prefer to buy bottled water. And the reason for this was a change in the method of its purification - chlorine was replaced with another reagent. As a result, the taste of the water changed and its hardness increased.

In the regions of the country, only large cities can boast of high quality water, which cannot be said about small ones. For example, the third largest city in the Russian Federation, Novosibirsk, constantly ranks among the top ten cities in our country with the best water. Novosibirsk residents should not torment themselves with the question of whether they can drink tap water.

But in Elista the situation with tap water is deplorable. Since the region is steppe, there is not enough of it, and the quality leaves much to be desired. In addition, communications in the city are worn out. Those who do not have large bodies of water nearby from which to draw water are a little luckier. For example, in the Tula region, artesian water flows from taps.

Once in Europe, you don’t have to worry about the quality of water, especially in large cities. Its safety is guaranteed, at least that's what official sources say. However, only the countries of Central, Northern and Southern Europe can boast of high quality water. But in Eastern European countries it is better not to use tap water, especially in Albania, Moldova, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovakia. Also, the water is not particularly suitable for drinking in Bulgaria and Montenegro.

Tourists often ask whether it is possible to drink tap water in Cyprus. The local population is confident that it is possible. However, there is a shortage of fresh water in Cyprus. To provide it to residents, water treatment plants desalinate sea water, as a result of which the quality suffers. It is quite suitable for washing, but it is not advisable to drink it.

In Western European countries, the quality of tap water is high, especially in large cities. So don’t even think about whether you can drink tap water in Prague, Vienna or Berlin. It is the same as in bottles: not particularly soft, the hardness is normal. No deposits form on the kettle when boiling. The water there is absolutely safe.

Is it possible to drink tap water in Amsterdam? The water there is purified very well. What can you say about France? Is it possible to drink tap water in Paris? French doctors are confident that it is not harmful to health at all, but they still recommend giving it to babies after boiling.

The highest level of tap water safety is ensured in the Nordic countries. High-quality water flows from absolutely all taps: you can safely drink from the sink of a public toilet or from the tap in any cafe. It is given to infants without fear. Sometimes doctors prescribe it for medicinal purposes, since such water contains minerals necessary for the body.

In the United States, water is purified using the most modern systems, so it is of high quality in almost all localities. There are exceptions. In some small towns, the water contains harmful contaminants, such as lead or copper. The best and cleanest water is in San Francisco, as there are unique natural springs there.

Where should you not drink tap water? There are countries in which tap water cannot not only be consumed, but also used for rinsing the mouth while brushing teeth. Such states include poor countries (Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh), countries of Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam), as well as many African countries (Ethiopia, Chad, Ghana, etc.). In these countries, it is recommended to drink exclusively bottled water. In restaurants, you need to pay attention to whether the bottle is closed, so as not to drink the liquid poured into it from the tap.

Is it possible to drink tap water?

Of course, when released from city water utilities, the water is absolutely safe and meets all sanitary and epidemiological standards. However, when it enters the water distribution network, it becomes secondarily contaminated. If the water is cloudy, it means it contains suspended particles; if it has a color, it means iron compounds; an unpleasant odor and taste means chlorine-containing compounds and iron oxide bacteria.

If the pipeline is rusty and has a coating of harmful compounds, then the water passing through it becomes contaminated with boron, lead and arsenic. Its use is fraught with allergic manifestations. In addition, arsenic is a dangerous carcinogen that can cause cancer, and biooxidizable dissolved organic carbon negatively affects the immune system, increasing the risk of developing cancerous tumors.

All this explains why you should not drink tap water. But not only for these reasons. Everyone knows that drinking water must be chlorinated. Bodies that monitor the chlorine content of tap water claim that it meets the standards, and therefore tap water is harmless. However, people with asthma or allergies experience negative effects from even small amounts of it. In addition, chlorine in water reacts with various organic compounds. As a result, harmful substances are formed, for example, trichloromethane. It has been proven to cause cancer in animals.

Some people are wondering whether it is possible to drink tap water after boiling it first? It must be said that boiling will help disinfect the water, but will not get rid of chlorine. High temperatures cause a decrease in the concentration of non-volatile compounds and an increase in the concentration of volatile ones. Another reason why it is not recommended to drink tap water is that it promotes the formation of stones in the urinary system. It often contains antibiotics, painkillers and hormonal drugs that end up in water reservoirs from sewer systems and farm wastewater.

The main reasons why you should not drink tap water

Why is tap water harmful to drink? There are several reasons:

As a rule, water is purified by chlorinating it. The optimal chlorine content in tap water is considered to be 0.2-0.4 mg/l (the maximum permissible is 0.5 mg/l). However, its concentration does not always correspond to standards. In addition, regular consumption of such water in large quantities leads to the accumulation of chlorine in the body, which negatively affects human health. Chlorine destroys the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and increases the risk of developing cancer of the digestive organs. It also has a negative effect on blood vessels, the heart, and the tissues of the respiratory system. Chlorine can cause the development of ischemia, atherosclerosis, and asthma. Water with high levels of it can cause allergic reactions and irritate the skin.
Tap water contains iron. If its concentration exceeds the permissible level, then it is deposited in the kidneys, adversely affecting their functioning and promoting the formation of stones.
Tap water may contain nitrates. They cause oxygen starvation of the brain and all tissues of the body, and have a bad effect on the activity of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems. Drinking water with a high content of nitrates by pregnant women is fraught with delayed embryo development and the occurrence of pathologies.
Present in water are also metal salts, usually magnesium and calcium. They form limescale on household appliances, pipes and plumbing, and have a bad effect on the body, participating in the formation of kidney and gallstones, as well as deposits in the joints, as a result of which they become inflamed and less mobile.
Aluminum can accumulate in the liver and cause the destruction of its cells, and also penetrate into the brain, disrupting the functioning of the central nervous system.
If the pipes are old, rusty and rotten in places, then there is a high risk of sewer water, which contains pathogenic and disease-causing bacteria, getting into them. Drinking such water can lead to the development of dangerous infections (dysentery, typhus, salmonellosis, etc.).

If you are not afraid of all of the above and still prefer to drink tap water, then you need to be able to at least determine the degree of contamination.

How can you determine the quality of tap water?

Many people believe that to determine the quality of water it is enough to check its organoleptic properties. However, it is not. Of course, everyone understands that drinking water should not have color: it is transparent. And if the water coming from the tap is cloudy or yellowish or brown, then you definitely can’t drink it. It has either not been cleaned at all or contains many foreign impurities.

In Russia, water of this quality can flow from the tap only for a short time in small towns: after a long shutdown, passing through the pipes, it washes away rust, so it has a reddish color. However, she quickly escapes. In all other cases, the presence of harmful substances and pathogenic bacteria cannot be so easily determined. They do not change the taste of water. Although the very high content of iron, copper, nitrates, petroleum products, chlorine and hydrogen sulfide still affects the taste. In summer, when reservoirs are blooming, tap water may smell damp (no matter how paradoxical it may sound) or swamp. If you think that the water tastes strange, it is better to stop drinking it and trust your body.

So, determining the presence of impurities in water using the senses is not so easy. What are the ways to find out if tap water is safe to drink? The easiest way is to submit a sample for analysis to a special laboratory. But you can only use it where you live permanently.

How can you find out if the water is safe if you are on vacation or on a business trip? First of all, check with your tour operator whether you can drink tap water in the country you are visiting. If you do not use the services of travel agencies, then upon arrival, ask local residents, for example, hotel staff, about this. In addition, there are special information resources, for example, the project Is the water safe to drink. On its website, you can get information about whether the water is safe to drink by entering the name of the city. Information provided by the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The database of cities is quite large and includes 28 Russian ones.

More complete and up-to-date information on domestic cities can be obtained on the websites of Rospotrebnadzor and Vodokanal of the localities of interest. All major cities and regional centers have them.

Of course, the most effective way to assess the quality of tap water is through laboratory tests. If you are interested in the composition of tap water, collect it and take it to the laboratory. Specialists will examine the fluid and provide you with detailed results. You will learn what substances enter your body along with water.

Although there are obvious signs indicating low quality water and its unsuitability for consumption:

The water is cloudy. If, after filling with water, nothing can be seen through a glass vessel, then this indicates its low quality.
The water has a tint (yellowish, reddish, greenish, brown, etc.). High quality water is clear.
The water smells bad. The smell can be putrid, rotten, acidic.
After the water settles, a significant sediment forms. Various impurities, usually metals and their salts, settle to the bottom.
The water has a bitter, metallic, sour, or chemical taste.

6 Ways to Make Your Tap Water Drinkable

There are various ways to improve the quality of tap water and make it safe for children and adults:

A healthy alternative to tap water

Unfortunately, we cannot be sure that our tap water can be consumed without additionally purifying it, at least with the help of filters. Of course, there is an alternative to tap water - you can buy mineral water for drinking in the store. However, this will not come cheap. And even if the issue of money doesn’t bother you, not being able to drink tap water will not make you happy. In addition, regularly purchasing drinking water from supermarkets can be a hassle.

It is worth mentioning another worthy alternative to drinking tap water. This is a delivery service for bottled drinking water. Today it is becoming increasingly popular. The reason for this is convenience and relatively low cost.

For example, if you want to drink water of really high quality, you just need to go to one of the specialized websites and leave a request for delivery.

Many people already use the drinking water delivery service, receiving many benefits:

they no longer need to track drinking water supplies every day;
they are freed from trips to the store for bottled water;
most supermarkets offer water that cannot be used for cooking, while water supplied by specialized organizations can be safely used in the kitchen;
such water is of very high quality and meets the requirements of all environmental standards;
Customers do not need to lift heavy containers of water; delivery is carried out directly to the site;
Water that has undergone thorough purification gives vitality, refreshes, improves tone and mood, and is pleasant to the taste.

Why put yourself at risk by drinking tap water, if right now you can place a request for delivery of clean water and get it in the quantity you need for quite a bit of money?

If the water quality leaves much to be desired...

The problem of dirty water in the house can be partially solved by installing a high-quality filter, but gradually it may become necessary to replace components in such systems, because the quality of drinking water purification directly depends on this.

At the same time, the question remains unresolved: how to ensure that the best quality water is available at our workplace or at our child’s school? The solution would be to buy water delivered.

The Iceberg company offers favorable conditions for servicing its clients:

free delivery of water to your home or office: buyers pay only the cost of the product;
the wells from which our water is drawn have registration documents in the State Water Cadastre of the Russian Federation;
Advanced technologies are used to extract and bottle water, which helps preserve and enhance its quality and natural purity;
We also sell modern water coolers and other equipment manufactured by well-known European brands, taking into account existing quality standards. The sizes of pumps and racks for bottles vary, allowing the devices to be installed even in small spaces;
delivery of drinking water to your home or office is carried out at a minimal price, thanks to constant promotions from our company;
Along with water, you can purchase disposable tableware, tea, coffee and other auxiliary products.

Clean water is valuable, but it should not be worth its weight in gold. Our mission is to provide every home and workplace with high-quality drinking water, so we have prepared the most favorable conditions for our clients.

Tap water in Moscow and St. Petersburg meets all standards, as it goes through several stages of purification. But it is important to note that control is carried out only at the water outlet from the treatment plant - no one checks it at your home. And the main pollution occurs precisely during transportation through pipes, most of which are worn out. Therefore, the presence of harmful heavy metals in such water is a common problem. To solve this, liquid chlorine or safer sodium hypochlorite is added to the water at treatment plants, and in large quantities. Of course, one or two sips of chlorinated water is unlikely to make you feel bad, but you definitely shouldn’t drink it regularly - you risk getting problems with the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular diseases and allergies.

How to check water quality

According to Rospotrebnadzor, the dirtiest water flows through pipes in the Primorsky Territory and Yakutia, as well as in the Smolensk and Amur regions.

If you are in doubt about the quality of your water, contact your municipality, submit an application to the housing and communal services service, or have your water tested in a laboratory. For example, if your house has old iron pipes (nowadays they are mostly made of stainless steel or plastic) and they have not been replaced for a long time, it is very likely that the content of iron and other metals in the water will be increased. As for the content of pesticides and nitrates in tap water, this is rather a myth: this is only possible when water is supplied from a well - for example, at a dacha or in a cottage community outside the city - and largely depends on the location of the site, the presence of nearby factories, landfills, and livestock farms and so on.

3 types of drinking water

Water in bottles or cans

Bottled water that has been certified is considered harmless and suitable for consumption. Please ensure that the storage conditions in the store are observed: bottles and cans of water should not be exposed to direct sunlight, and the packaging itself should not have cracks or scratches. Focus not only on the cost of water and the popularity of the brand, but also take into account the technical conditions (TU). If you examine the bottle label, you can find the inscription “TU 9185 - …” or “TU 0131 - …”. The first option means that during the purification process the chemical composition of the water has not changed and it has retained its natural properties. In the second case, the cleaning process entailed a change in the composition of the liquid. In other words, this one could have been extracted from a well or a water supply, which means its quality is lower. Once you have made your choice, try to buy drinking water from the same place.

Boiled water

When you boil water, you kill bacteria but do not deal with chemical contaminants such as heavy metals. In addition, scale forms in the kettle - the deposition of calcium and magnesium salts. They make the water “hard”. Its frequent use can lead to the development of urolithiasis and other health problems. But according to the World Health Organization, the harmful effects of “hard” water have not been scientifically proven, so such water is considered suitable for drinking.

Just three or four generations ago, people simply did not face this question. Here is the tap, clear, odorless water pours out of it, which means we drink to our health! But the fact is that the quality of tap water cannot be determined by eye.

“Easy Useful” will help you figure out why you shouldn’t drink raw water.

Dangers of tap water

How to purify tap water

We know that drinking raw water is not recommended, and out of habit we boil it. Boiling will indeed rid the water of bacteria, but not the chlorine content. You can get rid of this harmful chemical by letting the water sit in open containers for several hours, the longer the better. And the already settled water should then be boiled.

You can also get rid of harmful impurities by freezing water. Clean water freezes faster, so be careful: as soon as half of the total volume of water has become ice, you can safely pour out the rest. You can drink the water formed after the ice melts without risk to your health. It can also be used for cooking.

A completely affordable option would be to switch to bottled water. First, make sure that the storage conditions are appropriate. The water should not be exposed to direct sunlight and the packaging should be free of defects. Secondly, pay attention to the technical specifications (TS) on bottled water labels. So, for example, “TU 9185-...” means that during purification the chemical composition of water was not changed, and its natural properties were preserved. But “TU 0131-...” indicates that water purification in this case changed its composition. That is, this water may be obtained from a water supply or a well, and, accordingly, its quality will be lower.

Be sure to recycle empty bottles. Read more about this at recyclemap.ru

Another way to purify tap water is filtration. The most common types of filters are “jugs” and flow-through filters with the installation of a separate tap. They do a good job of purifying water from impurities and heavy metals.

So, is it possible to drink raw tap water? Most likely, nothing bad will happen if you take a couple of sips of this water. But drinking it on a regular basis is not recommended. Choose for yourself the best way to obtain high-quality drinking water and be healthy!