Water plays a huge role in the body; not only does it assist in the normal body functions such as temperature regulation, but it also makes up more than 50% of our body mass. Most adults reach out for clean water whenever they feel thirsty, but the same cannot be said about children. Most children will drink any water they can lay their hands on without giving a thought to the consequences. This leads to water borne illnesses and it’s therefore up to the adults to make drinking water safe for their children.
The immune systems of young children are not fully mature and this makes them prone to diseases when exposed to various pathogens that can be found in unsafe water sources. Some water sources are safer when compared to others. The two main water sources are underground and surface water. Underground water may be drilled from wells and then pumped to tanks that supply water directly to your house. Underground water is regarded to be fairly safe because it moves through soil layers that act as filters. These filters get rid of most contaminants before the water settles down at the water table. On the other hand, surface water comes from sources such as rivers and lakes. Water from such sources is likely to collect a lot of pathogens as it flows on the ground surface which makes water from these sources less safe.
To know where your water comes from, call your local water suppliers and inquire. Ask for the most recent water test results done on your tap water. If this is not available, it will be safe for you to have the water tested by a certified and trusted water testing company. This will then enable you to take any of the steps below to make the water safe for your children to drink.
Use of water filters
The market is filled with different kinds of filters that you can choose from. Some of them are quite expensive while others are affordable and depending on your budget, you cannot miss one that will meet your needs. However, it is important to note that different filters get rid of different water contaminants and those that tend towards being more expensive will get rid of more bad stuff. The good thing, however, is that you don’t need filters all over the house; you only need to install them where you will draw drinking and cooking water. This should allow you to install a good water filter or 2 where you need them most. A point to note however is that filters do not remove 100% of all contaminants in water and are therefore, not full proof.
Boiling water
Boiled water doesn’t taste much different from water that is not, and your children will hardly note any difference. As you boil water, maintain the boiling point temperature for about a minute. This will kill most of the bacteria and once the water has cooled down, it will be safe for drinking.
Distillation
This is more like boiling, but in this method water is boiled to vapor and then cooled down again. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind most contaminants, making the water safe for drinking. You can find home distillation units in the market at an affordable price depending on the capacity of the water you want distilled.
Addition of chemicals
Use of chemicals to purify water is also quite effective and quite affordable. Commonly used chemicals include chlorine, iodine and colloidal silver. These chemicals are tested and are proven to be quite effective against different kinds of pathogens. When you opt for the chemical methods, ensure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter as an excess of these chemicals can have a negative impact on your child’s health.
A disadvantage with these methods is that the chemicals may leave an aftertaste or after smell in the water. Nonetheless, considering what the repercussions are for your kids when they drink unsafe water, it is a small price to pay. In any case, you can add more taste and flavor to the water by adding colorful fruit slices such as strawberries, kiwis and oranges.
UV treatment
This is also a very effective method you can use to purify drinking water. All you need is a UV treatment unit that you can get easily from your nearby market. In less than 2 minutes you will have safe drinking water for your kids.
Bottled water
You can also buy bottled water that is purified. This will save you time that you spend on treating water and will also come in handy when your kids are out of the house and you are not sure how safe the water they will be accessing is. Whenever they are going out to play in the park or even to school where clean water is not guaranteed, just pack a bottle of distilled water for them as you pack their lunch or snacks.
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