Knowra Drinking water Drinking water Drinking water is water safe for people to consume, either naturally or after treatment. Its safety depends on the absence of harmful contaminants at levels that pose health risks.
Water quality : Water quality describes water’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics in relation to its uses. Drinking-water safety is one use-specific judgment of overall water quality.
Water treatment : Water treatment uses physical, chemical, or biological processes to change water quality for a specified use. Drinking-water production applies treatment processes to make source water safer.
Municipal water supply : A municipal water supply is a system that treats and distributes water to a community, usually through public infrastructure. Public systems typically monitor treatment and water quality across a shared distribution network.
Cholera : Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by toxigenic strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera outbreaks can follow ingestion of water contaminated with the pathogen.
Waterborne disease : Waterborne diseases are illnesses caused by pathogens or toxins transmitted through contaminated water. Microbial contamination can make water unsafe even when it looks clear.
Coagulation and flocculation : Coagulation destabilizes suspended particles, and flocculation gathers them into larger clumps for removal. These steps help remove particles that can shelter microbes or cloud water.
Private well : A private well is a groundwater source serving an individual property or a small group of properties outside a public water system. Well owners generally need to arrange their own testing and maintenance.
Cryptosporidiosis : Cryptosporidiosis is an intestinal illness caused by parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium. Its chlorine-resistant oocysts can challenge drinking-water disinfection.
Water contaminant : A water contaminant is a physical, chemical, or biological substance present in water at an undesirable level. Contaminants determine which hazards drinking-water treatment and testing must address.
Filtration : Filtration passes water through a porous medium to remove suspended particles and, in some systems, microorganisms. Filters reduce particles and can provide a barrier against certain pathogens.
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