How to Safely Drink Water During the COVID-19

July 27, 2020

As Human Coronavirus (HCoV) is spreading all over the world at a high pace, we always need to be careful and stay safe. In most cases, we don’t think about the water we drink. We just open the tap, pour the water into a glass, and drink it. According to the WorldCounts, 1,935,985 people died because of drinking dirty water and related diseases in 2020 globally. So, we need to ensure that we are drinking safe water.

Is Tap Water Safe to Drink?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends people drink water from the tap as usual. According to a recent study on the Survival of Coronaviruses in Water and Wastewater, HCoV can not survive both in tap water (filtered and unfiltered) and wastewater. Coronaviruses die off very rapidly even in the wastewater. But, in most cities and countries, tap water is still declared  not safe by the local authorities.

So, the question arises how we can safely drink water during the Covid-19.

#1: Boiling Your Water

By far, the most common and easiest water purification method is to boil your water before drinking. Boiling water for sufficient time will kill most of the germs, bacterias, and other microbes that can cause illness.

“Boiling is the safest and easiest method to make sure that you drink safe water. Boiling water for 1-3 minutes can kill pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. If you are unsure about the water you are drinking, you should boil water with a pan or pot and cool it before drinking” shares Jeffy Anderson, a health care writer at Uni Assignment Help.

You can use any variety of heating techniques to boil your water.

• Place the water in a pot or pan or electric cattle
• Place the container on your stove or plug in the electric cattle
• Boil your water up to 3 minutes
• Wait for the water to be cool
• Pour the water in a fresh container or bottle, and drink

#2 Using Iodine Solution

If you are traveling and don’t have any tap water, you can use Iodine to clean river water or dirty water with an Iodine solution. Iodine solution, crystals, or tablets are very popular with the hikers and travelers to instantly clean water and make it drinkable.

“Iodine solution can instantly kill bacterias and germs. Though it gives an after taste, it is easy to use and get used to. If you are a pregnant woman or have any thyroid complications, do not use the Iodine solution to make your water safe. In that case, you should carry bottled water while traveling.” shares Arannyk Monon, a medical writer at Essay Paper.

Steps to Use Iodine Solution:

• Use liquid 2% Tincture of Iodine
• For clear water, you have to add up to 5 drops per quart
• For cloudy water, you have to use 10 drops per quart
• Mix the solution well with the water
• Wait for 30 minutes to purify the water (60 minutes if the water is cold)

#3 Using Bottled Water

Bottled water is always safe to drink if you take precautions before grabbing the bottle with your hand. If you purchase the bottle from any departmental store, make sure that you wear gloves before touching the bottle. The best option is to sanitize the bottle before using it.

However, if you are traveling from one place to another, you can pour boiled or filtered water into a bottle. But when you are using bottled water from the store, check the following things:

• The bottle is not opened before (there is no sign of reusing or open)
• Check the expiry date.
• Check the level of other materials in the water (you can find it on the label of the bottle)
• Still, if you have any doubts, try boiling the bottled water.

#4 Using UV Light Water Purifier

The ultraviolet (UV) light water purifier can also be used to purify drinking water. UV light is very efficient to kill germs and bacteria. Before using the UV light, make sure that the water is clean. To make the water clean, you can use any clean cloth to filter the water and remove other particles. You can purchase any pen-shaped UV lights powered by batteries from your nearest super shop.

Steps to Use UV Light in Water

• Turn the UV light on.
• Aim the light on the water container.
• Based on the manufacturer, wait for a specific time to purify the water.
• Remove the light from the water, and drink the water.

#5 Using a UV Water Purification Filter

If you do not feel comfortable using UV light, the best option is to use a UV water purifier. Water purification filter removes 99% germs, particles, and bacterias from the water with 2-3 steps purification method. Be sure to read the manual of the filter before using so that you can set up the filter perfectly to purify your water.

If you travel or go outside frequently during the Covid-19, you can use a portable UV water purifier. Most of the branded portable water purifiers kill the germs within 1 minute. On average, you can carry 5-6 ounces of water.

Note that: Most of the portable water purifiers need the battery. So, before moving out, be sure that you carry an extra battery or your purifier is fully charged.

Final Words

Water is always a crucial element for human’s survival. Though there is no evidence that Coronavirus can stay in drinking water, we all need to make sure that we are drinking water safely during the epidemic as well as during any other period.

Author’s Bio:

Leon Collier is a blogger from the UK, who loves to do Australia assignment help about everything: pop-culture, history, travel, self-development, education, marketing. He also provides Dissertation writing services. When not writing, you can find him behind a book or playing games with his friends. Follow him on Twitter @LeonCollier12