Most people don’t think about the quality of their tap water, it’s just something we take for granted. You might consider it when you’re traveling to another country, but at home, we assume that it’s perfectly fine to drink. The thing is, the quality of tap water varies a lot and, depending on where you live and what condition your pipes are in, you could have a lot of contaminants in it.
If you are concerned about your tap water, you should get it tested to see exactly what is in it. You might be surprised at the amount of contaminants in the water and you’ll probably be wondering if you should just switch to bottled water instead. Luckily, there’s no need to switch to bottled water because there are some simple ways to reduce the contaminants. These are some of the best ways to improve the quality of your tap water at home.
Use Cold Water As Much As Possible
You might not realise it, but hot water is far more likely to be contaminated than cold water. This is because hot water dissolves things as it runs through the pipes and out of the tap, meaning it has higher levels of metals and sediment that build up in the water heater. While cold water still picks up some contaminants, it won’t contain anywhere near as many as your hot water, so use cold whenever you can, especially for drinking and cooking.
Install Water Purification Pumps
Water purification systems can filter out a lot of the contaminants and eliminate bacteria using UV lights. You can install davey pumps with filtration systems to clean and purify your water as it runs through the pipes so it’s perfectly drinkable when it comes out of the tap. This is a bit of an investment, but if you want clean drinking water that is free from bacteria and metals, this is one of your best options.
Get A Water Filter
If you don’t want to install pumps to filter the water before it comes out of the tap, you can use a water filter to clean it afterward instead. Simply fill the jug and wait for it to filter through and you have nice clean water. This is a much cheaper option but it’s not quite as efficient because you need to keep refilling the jug each time.
Flush The Pipes
This is a simple trick you can use if you are worried about a buildup of contaminants in your tap water. Before you drink or cook with water, turn the cold tap on and leave it running for a minute or two. This flushes the pipes and washes out the majority of the toxins that come off the inside of the pipes, so the water is cleaner once you start using it.
You can’t just assume that the water from your tap is always perfectly clean because that isn’t the case. But if you use these simple tips and tricks, you can remove most of the contaminants and keep your drinking water safe.