Surely the many miles of underground pipes are a breeding ground for microbes, right?
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Water utilities add a little chlorine to tap water which kills microbes. The pipes are airtight, so the chlorine doesn’t evaporate and disappear until after the water leaves the tap.
Water utilities add a little chlorine to tap water which kills microbes. The pipes are airtight, so the chlorine doesn’t evaporate and disappear until after the water leaves the tap.
Water utilities add a little chlorine to tap water which kills microbes. The pipes are airtight, so the chlorine doesn’t evaporate and disappear until after the water leaves the tap.
This is why public utilities use chlorine. The chlorine breaks down when it disinfects, but otherwise has a healthy half life in clean water. The residual chlorine helps keep the water safe while in the system, although it will eventually break down if the water isn’t used. This is one reason you should let a faucet that hasn’t been used in a long time (days/weeks) run a little bit before drinking it.
Ozone can be used to disinfect water, but it has a very short half life, and provides little residual protection. Likewise deep UV light is effective in disinfection, but it has zero residual protection.
This is why public utilities use chlorine. The chlorine breaks down when it disinfects, but otherwise has a healthy half life in clean water. The residual chlorine helps keep the water safe while in the system, although it will eventually break down if the water isn’t used. This is one reason you should let a faucet that hasn’t been used in a long time (days/weeks) run a little bit before drinking it.
Ozone can be used to disinfect water, but it has a very short half life, and provides little residual protection. Likewise deep UV light is effective in disinfection, but it has zero residual protection.
This is why public utilities use chlorine. The chlorine breaks down when it disinfects, but otherwise has a healthy half life in clean water. The residual chlorine helps keep the water safe while in the system, although it will eventually break down if the water isn’t used. This is one reason you should let a faucet that hasn’t been used in a long time (days/weeks) run a little bit before drinking it.
Ozone can be used to disinfect water, but it has a very short half life, and provides little residual protection. Likewise deep UV light is effective in disinfection, but it has zero residual protection.
It depends on where you live.
While in the USA you’ll get the typical “chlorine” answer, this isn’t the case for every other country.
In the USA up to 4 milligrams of Chlorine per liter of water are permitted. However in Germany for example only a maximum of 0.3 mg/liter are allowed.
Instead, to ensure water quality, Germany mainly uses copper pipes, which are naturally harmful to any kind of germs, and water in those pipes is constantly in motion. Also, water quality is very strictly monitored.
Because of that the water quality is considered to be overall better than in the USA, since it’s at least equally safe and on top of that has far less chemicals put inside.
It’s a combination of chlorine in the water, which kills any contaminants in the water, and highly pressurized water mains, which prevents new contaminants from entering the water supply. That’s why any time there’s a loss in water pressure like a water main breaking, you’re usually told to boil your water before using it.
It depends on where you live.
While in the USA you’ll get the typical “chlorine” answer, this isn’t the case for every other country.
In the USA up to 4 milligrams of Chlorine per liter of water are permitted. However in Germany for example only a maximum of 0.3 mg/liter are allowed.
Instead, to ensure water quality, Germany mainly uses copper pipes, which are naturally harmful to any kind of germs, and water in those pipes is constantly in motion. Also, water quality is very strictly monitored.
Because of that the water quality is considered to be overall better than in the USA, since it’s at least equally safe and on top of that has far less chemicals put inside.
Surprisingly running water hinders the development of many bacteria and contaminants that are usually found in standing water. It’s why rivers are at least ostensibly clean compared to lakes or swamps, and why most Romans didn’t die by lead poisoning despite using lead pipes in their aqueducts.
Still all water meant for consumption goes through treatment plants and has additives put in to prevent bacterial growth. Also it’s important to note that while running water is safer than standing water that doesn’t mean that running water can’t be contaminated.
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