There are several areas where water might be contaminated, though the main two are the treatment plant where the water originated, and the pipes it travels through. Neither of these are designed to cause problems; designers and builders aim to reduce and eliminate problems with drinking water. But contamination issues are complex, there is not always agreement about problems and their causes, and there is always the possibility of discovering an issue that has previously gone unnoticed.
Chilled Water Pipe Cladding seems to cause fewer problems than other methods. It has been known for a while that hot water picks up some minerals when travelling through copper pipe cladding, but cold water seems to be much better. Cold water from the tap is much preferable to hot water through the same piping. Water for tea and coffee should obtained from the cold tap.
PVC piping seems to initially give a ‘waxy’ taste to water when first installed by pipe cladding companies. This quickly dissipates after a few day of use, and appears to be something inside the piping rather than the materials that make up the pipe itself. Nonetheless, there might be undesirable chemicals in the water, either from the pipe materials seeping into the water, or something that was in the water after it left the treatment plant.
Ultraviolet light (UV) does a lot for drinking water. It effectively destroys bacteria and other living substances. Purifiers can be bought at many places online, both as installed and portable devices. UV treatment seems to work best after the water has been filtered.
There are many types of water filter. Charcoal seems to be popular and effective. These tend to remove solid particles and chemicals, including the ones like chlorine that are deliberately added to the water. Filters can be installed as part of the plumbing or as part of a jug or cup. Remember to replace filter periodically, according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Water can also be distilled. This is simply a method where water is boiled into steam, with the steam then collected and cooled for drinking. Unfortunatly this removes too much from the water. Our body needs trace elements. If you distil water, add a very small amount of salt, lemon juice and a essential minerals.
