Characteristics of Clean Water – We all know that water is one of the most important needs in human life throughout the world. Not only humans, water also determines the life of various creatures on earth, such as animals, plants, and so on.
As a human being, of course you need water to meet various existing needs. As time goes by and the development of the times, the need for water is also increasing. One category of water that is very important to humans is clean water.
However, a lot of waste is generated from various human activities in modern times like this, causing the quality of water to decline, so that not all water can be included in the category of clean water. Well, this article will explain the characteristics of clean water that is safe for human consumption.
A. Definition of Clean Water
In general, clean water can be understood as a type of natural resource in the form of water that has good quality and can be used by humans in everyday life, for example, for drinking, eating, and sanitation.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization or WHO as an international health organization states that clean water is water that can be used by humans to meet domestic needs, starting from consumption, drinking water and of course food preparation.
Based on these two opinions, clean water can be defined as water that can and is suitable for use by humans to support various daily activities, such as drinking water, consumption, to sanitation. This ultimately results in an opinion that not all types can be used in everyday human life.
Water that has been contaminated by pollution or a hazardous substance may not be consumed or used by humans. The reason is, water that contains harmful substances can provide losses and will be very harmful to the human body. Moreover, research says that humans who do not consume water for more than 3 days can result in death threats.
Apart from consumption, humans also need clean water for cooking, washing clothes, bathing, and so on. Therefore, as creatures that need water, humans should maintain the quality of water so that it remains clean and suitable for use. One of the efforts that you can do to participate in maintaining water quality is to conserve nature and maintain a healthy environment.
B. Characteristics of Clean Water
As explained in the definition of clean water, clean water is water that meets health requirements. In this section, we will learn about the characteristics of clean water suitable for human consumption and use.
So, here are seven characteristics of clean water that you need to pay attention to when identifying water, including:
1. Colorless
The first characteristic of clean water is that it has no color. one of the signs of proper and safe water for consumption and daily needs is that it looks clear. If water has a cloudy color, such as yellow, orange, or even brown, then it can be ascertained that the water contains harmful substances so that it does not qualify to be included in the category of clean water.
One of the characteristics that need to be known from clean water, of course, is that it has a stable level of clarity. You can try pouring some water into a container. Furthermore, to see the clarity of the water you can wait for the changes that occur in the water. If the water still has a clear color, then the water can be said to be clean water. However, if sediment is visible or there is color attached to the bottom of the container, then the water is said to be unclean.
2. It has no taste
The second characteristic of clean water is that it has no taste. If the water in your house has a salty or metallic taste when you drink it. So we can be sure that the water is not worthy to be called clean water. The taste contained in the water could be due to the impact of rust on the pipes or iron in the waterways. These waterways can release several types of metals such as iron, manganese, zinc, copper, and also lead.
However, in several types of water that have been studied, water that has a fairly strong metallic taste can also be caused by low pH or acidity levels in the water. Therefore, before consuming or using clean water, you can first identify the water, so that it does not interfere with the health of the body.
3. Has no odor
The third characteristic of a water that can be said to be clean is when the water has no odor. Almost the same as the taste, smell or aroma that emerges from a water is a sign of the presence of bacteria or decaying organic matter. In the end, this makes the water indicator to meet sanitation needs relatively low.
If you find water that has an abnormal odor, it’s a good idea to give it special treatment before using it. One example of water that has an odor is water in a swimming pool. Swimming pools usually have a high chlorine content in the water, which can cause kidney problems or even increase the risk of cancer.
Apart from water in swimming pools, some water that smells like rotten eggs or sewage is also not allowed to meet daily needs. Because water that smells like this indicates excessive hydrogen sulfide gas content. If this hydrogen sulfide gas has turned into sulfate, then if it is exposed to a bacteria it can cause the potential for dehydration to appear diarrhea.
Meanwhile, water that has a fishy odor could be due to its high barium content. Barium itself is a chemical substance that naturally appears in water as a result of the drilling process or manufacturing waste.
For consumption needs, clean water that is suitable for drinking is water that has a normal aroma and does not have an unpleasant odor. Water that already has an unusual and unpleasant odor can be due to mixing with bacteria or Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S). Hydrogen Sulfide itself is basically a colorless gas, but it contains poison and is very risky to burn.
4. It doesn’t feel sticky after use
The fourth feature of a water that can meet the clean water indicator is that it doesn’t feel sticky after use. Apart from knowing the indicators of clean water based on color, taste and smell, in this section you can identify water based on its texture.
The texture of water that is unfit for use is usually different from the texture of clean water. This texture can be caused by the influence of the content of certain substances, such as aluminum, magnesium, manganese, to lead. These marks of unclean water will leave marks that can be seen directly on the faucet, sink or glass.
When using water that contains some of these substances, your hands can feel sticky after using it to wash your hands with soap. You can also feel the difference when you use this type of water to wash clothes using detergent. Hands will feel sticky and uncomfortable.
5. It has a neutral ph
The fifth feature of clean water is that it has a water pH that is not far from the neutral limit. This characteristic is one of the chemical requirements commonly used to measure water. In mineral water itself, the level or pH content in water can be used as a benchmark for the properties of water, starting from alkaline, acidic or normal.
Chemically, the acid and base scales have a range of numbers between 1 and 14. A water that can be said to be clean and suitable for use is when the water has a neutral pH, which reaches the number 7. Meanwhile, some argue that water that has a pH level of around 6.5 to 8.5 is still safe to use.
One tool that you can use to find out the pH of a water is a pH meter. You can provide this tool, because it can be very helpful when it is found that there is an abnormality in the water at home.
6. Contains No Bacteria
The sixth characteristic of clean water is the absence of bacteria or microorganisms that can harm human health. One of the bacteria that needs to be avoided is the Escherichia Coli bacteria or E. Coli for short. E. Coli itself can live in the intestines of living things, one of which is humans.
If you drink water that still contains E. Coli bacteria, it might cause mild diarrhea. This is due to disturbances in the human digestive system, especially the intestines. Apart from E. Coli bacteria, there are many types of bacteria that can enter the body unknowingly.
Therefore, to avoid the entry of bacteria that harm the body, you can treat water for consumption by boiling it first. This method is believed to be one of the best ways to remove bacteria in water.
If cooking isn’t enough, you can manually check the water in your house. You can bring water samples at home to check the content of the water.
7. Does Not Contain Dust, Sand, Soil, or Other Sediments
The seventh feature of water that can be said to be clean is when the water does not contain dust, sand, soil or other types of sediment. As stated above, one of the physical requirements for clean water is that it is not cloudy and not dirty. The discovery of dust, sand, or soil content may result in a blockage in the canal or water source.
Water that has a blockage in the canal or water source can be said to be water that is unfit for consumption or use in everyday life. Well, to overcome this, you can clean the drains at home. Apart from that, you can also install a special filter or commonly called a filter to separate water from dust, sand, soil, and various other types of sediment.
C. Benefits of Clean Water
After knowing the various characteristics of clean water, in this section we will learn about the benefits of clean water. Some of the benefits of clean water that need attention are as follows:
1. Can Meet Fluids In The Body
Basically the human body has a water content of up to about 50% to 80%. This makes humans really need water. When the water content in the human body becomes low or lacking, it can have several impacts on the activity of organs in humans, such as decreased concentration making them susceptible to disease. Therefore, when you are sick, the most effective medicine is to meet the needs of the body’s water content.
2. Helping Daily Activities
Furthermore, the benefits of clean water for humans are to assist daily activities or activities, such as washing, cooking, and sanitation. The need for clean water is very important considering that if the water used for daily activities is not clean, then there will be a very high risk of contracting a disease. In addition, unclean water does not provide maximum cleanliness.
3. Agricultural Irrigation
The next benefit of clean water for humans is for agricultural irrigation needs. Clean water can be said to be water that has good quality and quality. In the absence of metal or other sediment content, water will greatly support success in agriculture. Water that is dirty and full of harmful substances will certainly greatly interfere with soil fertility. Like humans, plants also cannot grow healthily if they are in infertile soil.
4. Maintaining the Environmental Ecosystem
The last benefit of clean water is protecting the environmental ecosystem. As stated above, that water is a source of life for all creatures on earth. By always supporting efforts to preserve nature and maintain environmental health, we can be sure that clean water will continue to meet the needs of humans, animals and plants.
D. Sources of Clean Water
After discussing various things about clean water, starting from the definition, characteristics, to its benefits, in this section we will learn about clean water sources. Sources of clean water are available in various places on earth. The following are some sources of clean water that you need to know, including:
1. Space Water
Space water itself is water that comes from the sublimation of clouds or water vapor. One example of space water is snow. Snow itself is basically water, so when the snow melts it can be a source of water. However, of course it needs to be processed first so that the water from the snow can become clean water.
2. Rainwater
Almost the same as space water, rainwater is also formed from natural natural processes. Rainwater can be used as drinking water. It’s just that rainwater doesn’t contain enough calcium like drinking water, so you need to add calcium to it first.
3. Surface Water
Surface water can be understood as any type of water that is on the surface of the earth. Some examples of surface water are river water, lake water and sea water. For those of you who want to use this water, you need to choose a clean water source. This is because there are several places that naturally or as a result of humans become contaminated and have a cloudy color.
4. Groundwater
Groundwater is water that comes from the ground. Groundwater itself is located in two layers of soil, namely deep groundwater and shallow groundwater. Deep groundwater is usually a layer of soil that is impermeable. Meanwhile, shallow groundwater is groundwater that is around the ground surface, so it is quite influenced by the rain cycle.
5. Spring
Meanwhile, groundwater that appears naturally is known as spring water. This water comes from water sources such as in the mountains. This water can be drunk directly, but to make it safer, it still has to be identified to ensure its safety.