Tips to Know If You are Drinking Clean Water or Not
Drinking water is important for our lives, but more important is drinking clean water. Sometimes we drink water that does not feel right, while sometimes, everything is right with the water, but it is not safe or clean. If you carry your drink bottle all the time, you must know if you are drinking clean water or not. Checking it is not hard, as there are a few tips that you can benefit from.
Top 9 tips to know if you are drinking clean water or not
The following are our top 9 tips that will help you check if you are drinking clean water or not from your stainless steel drink bottle.
1. Start by checking the water for cloudiness, as clean water is always clear
The most basic test to see if you are drinking clean water or not is by checking the water for cloudiness. When you pour water into a glass or sports drink bottle, you will notice that it gets cloudy. Such water may get a little clearer after letting it sit.
However, the ideal clean and safe drinking water is always clear. So, the water is not clean if you find any cloudiness or turbidity in your water. While it may not be clean, cloudiness never necessarily means that this water is dangerous for your health or not.
2. Wash your hands with soap using your drinking water and compare the results
If you feel that the water you drink is not clean, then try washing your hands with it using soap. It is probably hard water if the water leaves a slimy and slippery feeling on your hands. Hard water contains abundant minerals and salts, which may not be good for your health.
While some of those may not be harmful to you, most of the time, hard water will not be good for your body, especially over a longer exposure.
3. Smell your water and ensure that it does not smell unusual
A smell test is a great way to check if the water is clean or not. To start this test, you can take water that you are sure is clean. Notice its smell and now smell the water you suspect is not clean. You may find different smells that will tell you different things about the water's situation. Some common ones include:
- The smell of bleach means that there is excessive chlorine in the water to clean it
- Rotten eggs' smell that tells you about the presence of hydrogen sulfide in water
- Fishy smell that signifies cadmium or barium in the water
That's how you can smell and test your water to see if it is safe for you or not.
4. A metallic taste could be a clear sign that there is some issue with your water
After the smell and taste, you can take testing to the next level by tasting it. Comparing it with surely clean water will give you better results. If you find a metallic taste in water, there is excessive copper, lead, or iron in the water. However, sometimes the metallic taste will be a sign of lower pH. In any case, this type of water is not safe.
5. See for mineral buildup on your bottle or water containers
A clear sign of having hard water or water that is not clean is getting some sort of buildup on the container. To check this, you need to put that water in a clean container and leave it open to evaporate for some time.
If there is a buildup of minerals (usually white), then it is a clear sign that your water is hard. If you are drinking tap water, you will also find a similar buildup (more intense) on your home's faucet and other taps.
6. Get a water report from your water company
Your water company will provide you with the annual water report if you ask them. So, if you suspect the water is dirty or unsafe, you can ask for that report from your company. That report will tell you the situation of your current water and history so that you can compare stats. In this way, it becomes easier and clearer to see if you are currently drinking clean water or not.
7. Make sure that the water is safe by getting it tested by a local agency
Another tip to check if the water you drink is safe and clean is to get it tested by a local agency. Several agencies and certified labs provide testing services from where you can get your water tested. If the results come out clean, there will be nothing you need to worry about.
However, if you get results about that water being dirty or unsafe, then you must switch to some other source of water that is clean and safe.
8. Never ignore the container that you drink your water in
Sometimes there is no issue with the water and its source. The issue lies within the drink bottle or container you use to store water. In that case, you need to change the container and try the water again. If that's the case, you need to switch to a better one, and the best alternative to your bottle is the 32oz stainless steel water bottle that can keep you hydrated all day long.
9. Try DIY water testing kits
A quick way of testing your water is by getting DIY water test kits. These are available online, and you can buy them for cheap. Although these are not as good as the results from certified labs, they can still give you an idea about the cleanliness of your water.
Conclusion
Keeping your drink bottle all day long is a great habit as it keeps you hydrated all the time. However, you need to be sure that you are drinking clean water. If the water is not clean and you are staying well hydrated with that water, you might be welcoming several health issues. So, you can check your drinking water with the tips and tricks we shared above to understand your water clearly.