Norms of drinking water quality: GOST, SanPiN, quality control program

Water is that element without which life on Earth would not have been possible. The human body, like all living things, cannot exist without life-giving moisture, since not a single cell of the body will work without it. Therefore, assessing the quality of drinking water is an important task for anyone who thinks about their health and longevity.

Why do we need water

Body water is the second most important component after air. It is present in all cells, organs and tissues of the body. It lubricates our joints, moisturizes the eyeballs and mucous membranes, participates in thermoregulation, helps digest beneficial substances and removes unnecessary ones, helps the heart and blood vessels, increases the body's defenses, helps fight stress and fatigue, and controls metabolism.

An ordinary person should drink two to three liters of clean water per day. This is the minimum on which our well-being and health depend.

Living and working under air conditioning, dry and poorly ventilated rooms, an abundance of people around, the use of poor-quality food, coffee, tea, alcohol, physical activity - all this leads to dehydration and requires additional water resources.

It is easy to guess that with such a value of water in life, it should have the appropriate properties. What are the drinking water quality standards in Russia today and what does our body really need? About it further.

Pure water and human health

Of course, everyone knows that the water we use should be exceptionally clean. Contaminated can cause such terrible diseases as:

• Cholera.
• Dysentery.
• Typhoid fever.
• Hookworm.
• Jaundice.
• Fever.
• Brucellosis.
• Various parasitic infections.

Not so long ago, these diseases knocked down health and claimed the lives of entire villages. But today, the requirements for water quality can protect us from all pathogenic bacteria and viruses. But in addition to microorganisms, water can contain many elements of the periodic table, which, when consumed regularly in large quantities, can cause serious health problems.

Consider some chemical elements dangerous to humans.

• Excess iron in water causes allergic reactions and kidney disease.
• High manganese content - mutations.
• With an increased content of chlorides and sulfates, violations of the gastrointestinal tract are observed.
• Excessive magnesium and calcium add water to the so-called hardness and cause arthritis and stone formation in humans (in the kidneys, urinary and gall bladders).
• The fluoride content above the normal limits leads to serious problems with the teeth and the oral cavity.
• Hydrogen sulfide, lead, arsenic - all this is a poisonous compound for all living things.
• Uranium in large doses is radioactive.
• Cadmium destroys zinc, which is important for the brain.
• Aluminum causes liver and kidney disease, anemia, problems with the nervous system, and colitis.

There is a serious risk of exceeding SanPiN standards. Drinking water, saturated with chemicals, with regular use (in the long term) can cause chronic intoxication, which will lead to the development of the above diseases. Do not forget that poorly cleaned liquid can be harmful not only when taken orally, but also absorbed through the skin during water procedures (taking a shower, bath, swimming in the pool).

Thus, we understand that minerals, macro- and microelements, which in small quantities bring us only benefit, in excess can cause serious, and sometimes even irreparable, disturbances in the functioning of the whole organism.

Key indicators (norms) of drinking water quality

• Organoleptic - color, taste, smell, color, transparency.
• Toxicological - the presence of harmful chemicals (phenols, arsenic, pesticides, aluminum, lead and others).
• Indicators that affect the properties of water - hardness, pH, the presence of petroleum products, iron, nitrates, manganese, potassium, sulfides and so on.
• The amount of chemicals remaining after processing - chlorine, silver, chloroform.

Today, the requirements for water quality in Russia are very strict and are regulated by sanitary rules and norms, abbreviated SanPiN. Drinking water, which flows from the tap, according to regulatory documents, must be so clean that it can be used without fear for your health. But unfortunately, it can only be called truly safe, crystal clear and even useful only at the stage of exit from the treatment plant. Further, passing through old, often rusty and worn-out water supply networks, it is saturated with completely unhealthy microorganisms and is even mineralized with hazardous chemicals (lead, mercury, iron, chromium, arsenic).

Where do they get water for industrial cleaning?

• Reservoirs (lakes and rivers).
• Underground sources (artesian wells, wells).
• Rains and melt water.
• Desalinated salt water.
• Water from icebergs.

Why is water polluted

There are several sources of water pollution:

• Communal drains.
• Municipal household waste.
• Stocks of industrial enterprises.
• Plums of industrial waste.

Water: GOST (norms)

The requirements for tap water in Russia are regulated by the norms of SanPiN 2.1.1074-01 and GOST. Here are some of the key indicators.

State water quality control

The program for monitoring the quality of drinking water includes regular sampling of tap water and a thorough check of all indicators. The number of inspections depends on the number of people served:

• Less than 10,000 people - twice a month.
• 10,000-20,000 people - ten times a month.
• 20,000-50,000 people - thirty times a month.
• 50,000-100,000 people - a hundred times a month.
• Next, one additional check for every 5,000 people.

Water from a well and a well

Very often people believe that water from wells, wells and springs is better than tap water and is ideal for drinking. In fact, this is not so at all. Sampling water from such sources almost always shows its unsuitability for drinking even in boiled form due to the presence of harmful and infected suspensions, such as:

• Organic compounds - carbon, tetrachloride, acrylamide, vinyl chloride and other salts.
• Inorganic compounds - excess of zinc, lead, nickel.
• Microbiological - E. coli, bacteria.
• Heavy metals.
• Pesticides

In order to avoid health problems, water from any wells and wells must be checked at least twice a year. Most likely, after sampling, comparing the results and drinking water quality standards, it will be necessary to install stationary filter systems and regularly update them. Because natural water changes and updates all the time, and the content of impurities in it will also change over time.

How to test the water yourself

Today, there are a huge number of special devices for home testing of some indicators of water quality. But there are also the simplest and most accessible ways for everyone:

• Determination of the presence of salts and impurities. One drop of water must be applied to a clean glass and wait until it dries completely. If after that there will be no streaks on the glass, then the water can be considered perfectly clean.
• We determine the presence of bacteria / microorganisms / chemical compounds / organic substances. It is necessary to fill a three-liter jar with water, cover and leave in a dark place for 2-3 days. A green coating on the walls will indicate the presence of microorganisms, sediment at the bottom of the jar - the presence of excess organic substances, a film on the surface - about harmful chemical compounds.
• The suitability of drinking water will help determine the usual test with a solution of potassium permanganate. About 100 ml of the prepared weak solution of potassium permanganate should be poured into a glass of water. Water should become a lighter shade. If the shade has changed to yellow, it is strongly not recommended to take such water inside.

Of course, such home checks cannot replace the detailed analyzes and do not confirm that the water complies with GOST. But if temporarily there is no way to verify the quality of moisture in a laboratory way, you need to resort to at least such an option.

Where and how can I pass water for analysis

Today, everyone can control the standards of drinking water quality independently. If you suspect that tap water does not meet the requirements of regulatory documentation, you should pass a water sample yourself. In addition, it is recommended to do this 2-3 times a year if a person uses water from a well, well or spring. Where to go? This can be done in the district sanitary and epidemiological station (SES) or in a paid laboratory.

Water samples taken for analysis will be evaluated according to toxicological, organoleptic, chemical and microbiological indicators in accordance with generally accepted standards. Based on the test results, a conventional laboratory recommends the installation of additional filter systems.

Home Filter Systems

How to maintain the quality of drinking water in accordance with the standards? What can be done to ensure that life-giving moisture is always of the highest quality?

The only way out is to install stationary filter systems.

There are filters in the form of jugs, nozzles for a faucet and desktop boxes - all these types are suitable only for initially good quality water from a water tap. More serious and powerful filters (under the sink, stationary, filling) are often used to purify water in adverse areas, in suburban homes, in catering facilities.

Filters with a special reverse osmosis system are considered the best today. Such an aggregate first purifies water from all impurities, bacteria, viruses, and then mineralizes it again with the most useful minerals. The use of such wonderful water can improve blood circulation and digestion, and it also allows you to significantly save on the purchase of bottled water.

What to do if there is no filter

Since childhood, we are all used to drinking boiled water. Of course, this allows you to get rid of dangerous microorganisms, but after boiling it can become even more harmful to health:

• Salts when boiling precipitate.
• Oxygen disappears.
• When boiling, chlorine forms toxic compounds.
• A day after boiling, water becomes a favorable environment for the reproduction of all kinds of bacteria.

Since no one can guarantee the safety of tap water, and there is no filter yet, microorganisms still need to be disposed of without fail. Remember some of the rules of “healthy” boiling:

• Before boiling water, let it stand for 2-3 hours. During this time, most of the chlorine will evaporate.
• Turn off the kettle immediately after it boils. In this case, most of the trace elements will be saved, and viruses and microbes will have time to die.
• Never store boiled water for longer than 24 hours.