Water is an essential part of life on earth. Even space exploration for life on other planets looks for water as the first sign that the planet could support life. As human beings, we use it every single day of our lives to clean, drink, cook and even in industries. Other life forms on earth use it to cool themselves and quench their thirst and plants need it in order to grow. Water test kits are used for testing water for purity.
So, you may ask yourself, why do we need to test the water quality? The answer is surprisingly simple, to gauge its purity and suitability for the purposes outlined above. Due to the high rates of global pollution, the sky is laden with a multitude of pollutants some of which include heavy metals and bacteria. As the vapor rises into the atmosphere it mixes with these pollutants and the rain we get later also contains these heavy metals and bacteria. It is important to have the water system tested so that everyone’s safety will be checked, An example of not testing the water system is the camp Lejeune water contamination lawsuit which is still a big controversy to this day.
Water may undergo some purification processes before it reaches our households, but you cannot be assured that it is totally pure and suitable for your purpose unless it is tested. The effect of these heavy metals in human bodies has been the cause of a lot of debate in scientific circles. Some scientists contend that these metals are the cause of cancer and other long-term illnesses. Bacteria could also lead to a running stomach or more severe illnesses.
Pets such as fish living in aquariums need an uncontaminated environment because contaminants pose a threat to their lives. Fish as especially sensitive when it comes to contamination given that they can either only live in a salty or fresh environment. The water you use on the plants in your garden should also be of the highest quality to guarantee a good harvest.
So, how do you test its purity? The market is filled with thousands of testing kits with each testing for specific impurities. The first thing that you need is to identify a kit that is suitable for your purpose. Go through the consumer reviews on the internet to identify the best kit.
Testing kits come with a vial, for filling with water and testing strips which mainly work by changing color when inserted into the water. A color scheme indicating the different impurities resulting in specific color changes will also be part of the kit. You test the water by filling the vial and giving it a good shake. Insert the test strip after this and allow the setup to sit for a few minutes away from direct sunlight. After this, you refer to the color scheme to identify the impurities present or whether it is pure.