By Minnie Whitley


Water quality is increasingly becoming sensitive especially with the fast rate of industrialization and urbanization. The importance of drinking water testing cannot be taken for granted anymore. There are many factors that come into play in H2O distribution. Some of these factors include; ageing distribution systems, contamination at the source and the plumbing nature at our homes.

We can never rely on observation to determine if H2O is safe for drinking. Factors that one should check to determine the quality are not always visible. Again some of the effects of taking contaminated H2O are obvious while others are not. Due to this factor a source may not be conducive but people continue using it because the consequences are not instant. Professionals in water quality need to be careful on public supplies to avoid pandemics triggered by taking contaminated H2O.

It is a concern that some people claim to determine the quality of their drinking H2O. This involves mere observations and using senses which may not be reliable. This is because senses can only identify those impurities that are visible, those that have unappetizing taste and smelly. For instance the presence of sulfur or excess chlorine is determined by a pungent rotten smell.

Contaminated H2O causes various health symptoms. These effects range from slight to severe ones like diarrhea and cramps. The intensity of the health effects due to drinking H2O is determined by amount of harmful chemicals or contaminants present in the water, length of time they have been present, and the quantity of such water taken.

There are seven main reasons why testing should not be ignored especially among homeowners using springs, wells, and cisterns for H2O supply. To begin with people should be aware that testing private water supply is completely voluntary unlike public H2O that is tested by local government. There is no government program or agencies that test private water supply hence it is entirely the responsibility of the user to determine if it is safe for consumption.

It is a point of concern that most of the public supplies have never been tested. Research has evidenced that despite the high risk of water contamination most H2O sources are not tested. However over the past few years the governments of various nations have brought the testing services near its citizens through establishment of more laboratory analyses institutions.

Another reason why people should be careful on testing is because most of the pollutants found in our systems may not have obvious symptoms. Some of the symptoms are not direct but have long time impact. Some of these tests help save our future generations. This is because information collected from the analyses is kept safely and used in future to determine the quality.

Looking at water and concluding it is safe for consumption is absolutely wrong and should be discouraged. Past tests and carrying out analyses are the only two reasons that should make one confident that water is safe for drinking. If one realizes that H2O has a strange smell, taste or color, they should keep off the source until a test is conducted.




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