What Is Water Purity?

Pure water is important.

Water is the combination of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom into each molecule. Pure drinking water is essential to life. Purified water can be made from a less-than-pure water source.

Purity

To say a substance is pure means it contains nothing unintended. Pure water ostensibly means all molecules present are water molecules. However, mineral waters can be considered pure even though they do not meet that criterion. Knowing what is desired in purity, one or more purification procedures may be instituted.

Purification From Bacteria

Sanitizing chemicals and/or ultraviolet light exposure can be used to destroy bacteria.

Purification by Membrane Filtration or Reverse Osmosis

Polymer membranes using chemically formed pores is an excellent filtration method used by many municipalities to purify public drinking water. Reverse osmosis employs pressure to pass water through a membrane, while contaminants, even dissolved ones, remain behind.

Purification by Distillation

Distillation is the boiling of water to vapors, which are then cooled and condensed back to water. Non-volatile impurities are greatly reduced.

Purification by Ion Exchange

Deionization utilizes ion exchange resins in purifying water.

References

• Integrated Publishing; Nuclear Power Fundamentals; "Water Purity"
• FDA; "High Purity Water Systems"

Resources

• North Dakota State University; "Treatment Systems for Household Water Supplies---Softening"