Green Water Technologies explains that clean water, a privileged many of us woefully take for granted, isn’t something that happens on its own. In the United States, the vast majority of our drinking water comes from groundwater, rivers, lakes, and other large natural water stores. This water is then taken to a treatment facility, where it undergoes many different processes before being pumped into your home.
The first step in water treatment is coagulation and flocculation. The experts at Green Water Technologies note this is when the water is pumped full of chemicals. These chemicals then grab onto solid particles, which then lump together and settle at the bottom of a treatment tank. This sentiment is the majority of the impurities.
During the second treatment, the semi-clean water is routed through filters. Green Water Technologies explains that these are typically made of sand, charcoal, and coarse gravel. This helps to eliminate smaller impurities, including parasites, additional chemicals, viruses and bacteria, and dust.
According to Green Water Technologies, one of the last things to happen to your water before being routed to the public is that it is disinfected with chlorine or other chemicals. This kills any lingering bacteria, germs, and living parasites. Finally, fluorine, a chemical that prevents tooth decay, is added, and the water is made available for public consumption.
Green Water Technologies explains, however, that once it leaves the treatment facility, there is no guarantee that your water remains uncontaminated. The infrastructure of many cities has left pipelines degraded, and homeowners wishing for more peace of mind may wish to invest in a whole home water treatment appliance.