what are the varieties of purification methods

It is very important to know that the water you are consuming has been purified or treated before drinking. If the water is contaminated and you don’t prefer bottled water, then there are various water purification methods used today. But all of these methods has its own merits and demerits. Filtering helps in purifying water from impurities like sediment and chlorine.

Nowadays, most homes trust an RO or reverse osmosis water purifier to keep their families and loved ones safe with healthy drinking water. But not everyone considers RO as the best water purifiers in India. It is often questioned why RO Water is good for health, especially when you are selecting a purifier online you tend to worry about the authenticity of the product. Let’s check out why RO is good for you and what is RO.

What is RO Water?

RO stands for reverse osmosis, and it can benefit health in many ways. RO is a water purification technique that works in contrast to osmosis. Impure water passes through a semipermeable membrane made of Thin Film Composite that helps in trapping larger and harmful contaminants like lead, mercury, sediment, among others, leaving behind only the clean and purified water for consumption.

What worries them most to consumers is that if RO traps all the chemicals and contaminants, then does it also deplete the water of all the nutrients?

Let’s check out some of the best water purifier for home which you can try:

a) Boiling

Boiling is the simplest of all the purification methods. It is also effective because it kills 99.9% of all the living organisms and vaporizes most chemicals. It is also a good method to use for water contaminated by living microorganisms.

How does Boiling Work?

The microorganisms present in the tap water are eliminated by heating the water to its boiling point. Some bacteria can sometimes resist high temperatures, so make sure that the water boils for at least 3-7 minutes. It is recommended for people living in high altitude areas to boil the water for more than 3-7 minutes. After boiling, let the water cool down. This part is important because it allows any solid matter to settle down. After cooling, the water becomes safe for human consumption.

b) Chlorination

Chlorination is the most common water purification technique that has been in use for so many years. It is because it is available quite easily, cheap, and effective. Chlorine is also a heavy-duty oxidant that swiftly kills germs, parasites, and other disease-causing organisms found in ground or tap water.

How does Chlorination Work?

It is important to follow the instruction on the chlorine packaging to ensure proper safety and successful water treatment.

Be careful when you mix the bleach with contaminated water; always mix the prescribed ratio and permit it to stand for at least 30 minutes. If the water is also chalky, wait for at least an hour. After that, you can enjoy purified water.

When you use the chlorine tablet, add them to heated water, as they dissolve better.

c) Reverse Osmosis or RO

Reverse Osmosis is also the perfect solution for improving the taste, odor, and appearance of your water. RO is universally known for its effective purification of seawater. This type of water filter removes inorganic solids, such as fluoride, chlorine, lead, and pesticides from the water by applying pressure more than the osmotic pressure and pushing the water through a semipermeable membrane.

How does RO Work?

An RO membrane is a semi-permeable membrane which allows water molecules' passage but not dissolved salts, organics, and bacteria.

RO generally works by using a high-pressure pump to increase the contaminated water pressure pushing it across the semipermeable RO membrane. In order to remove these impurities, the pressure used has to be greater than the occurring osmotic pressure. The filtration ensures that almost 99% of dissolved salts are sieved out.