Natural source of drinking water

Drinking water is water that is safe and suitable for human consumption. It can be naturally found and consumed without undergoing any form of treatment which will alter its original chemical composition and bacteriological purity. We find our drinking water from different places depending on where we live in the world. Three sources that are used to collect natural drinking water are:

·         Groundwater: Water that fills the spaces between rocks and soil making an aquifer. Groundwater depth and quality varies from place to place. About half of the world’s drinking water comes from the ground.

·        Top characteristics of safe drinking water

·         Physical Properties of Water 

·         Surface water: Water that is taken directly from a stream, river, lake, pond, spring or similar source. Surface water quality is generally unsafe to drink without treatment.

·         Rainwater: Water that is collected and stored using a roof top, ground surface or rock catchment. The quality of rainwater collected from a roof surface is usually better than a ground surface or rock catchment.

References

1.      Manahan, Stanley E. "FRONTMATTER" Environmental Chemistry, Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC, 2000

2.      FHSST Authors, The Free High School Science Texts: Textbooks for High School Students Studying the Sciences Chemistry Grades 10 – 12, Version 0, November 9, 2008