Most water sources aren't clean enough for human consumption without water treatment. Water quality varies depending on the source and location. Water pollution is caused by a wide range of things making water purification a critical aspect of water treatment.
Water treatment is a necessary part of getting water that is fit to use and drink, since many water sources are polluted to the point where you cannot use the water directly out of it. Water treatment plants are numerous in most developed countries, but most citizens of these countries take these plants for granted and do not put much thought into the water treatment process. This can be dangerous, however, because sometimes not knowing can be detrimental to your health.
Most people just assume that the water treatment plant takes care of all the problems that may be in the water, but this isn't correct in some cases. Putting this kind of trust in your water treatment can mean that you are allowing yourself to drink and use water that isn't completely safe for you to drink. Yes, the water treatment plant removes most of the pollutants from the water, but there may still be some pollutants that you need to be concerned about. The sad thing is that some of the pollutants are used in the water treatment process itself.
Chlorine and/or chloramines are used in many water treatment plants to help purify and clean the water. The problem is that these two chemicals can cause health problems, as well. Chlorine (like what's in bleach) has been linked to cancer in several studies, and in one specific study it was linked to arthrosclerosis, or the narrowing of the arteries, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. Premature senility and other mental problems and the link to chlorine usage are being studied as well. Many water treatment plants have chosen to change to chloramines to help purify the water, but they can have just as many health impacts as chlorine.
Chloramines are a combination of chlorine and ammonia and are used to disinfect the water. It can cause health problems, especially if you are taking dialysis, so if you are a dialysis patient, then it is important that you do not use the water from your tap without proper purification first. The use of chloramines in water treatment has also been linked to increased deaths from pneumonia and influenza. Chloramines are difficult to remove from the water entirely, but it can be done with the right filtering system.
Another pollutant that may cause you problems even if your water does get treated at a water treatment plant is lead. Lead can get into your water supply because some homes and offices have lead pipes. When the water flows through lead pipes, it may pick up lead; in large enough quantities it can cause severe health problems. Children, from fetuses and up, are especially susceptible to problems associated with lead. There may be mental deficits and behavioral problems that can occur due to exposure to lead. Kidney, reproductive and nervous system problems are some of the areas of the body that can be affected by lead water pollution as well. If you have an older home, it is especially important that you test your water to ensure that you are not exposing your family to this pollutant.
Water treatment plants do a very good job at removing bacteria, viruses, parasites, and man-made chemical pollution (minus the chemicals that they use to purify the water). It is important for you to know, however, that water treatment plants are not going to make your water completely safe. You need to use some type of water purification at home to ensure that your water is as healthy as safe as possible for you and your family.
