Tuesday 9 April 2013

Facts about tap water

It should be pointed out that the well known scientific phenomenon of electrolysis causes these particles and colour to come from the iron electrodes and not the water.

Fact : The tap water supplied in Johannesburg is safe to drink.

Fact : Drinking water is an important source of trace elements in our diet.

Fact : Prolonged consumption of water from which such salts have been removed could be deleterious to health due to shortage of these essential trace elements.

Fact : Between four and over five hundred samples of tap water are tested monthly by Johannesburg Water's laboratories to ensure that it meets the high quality requirements of the SANS 241 Ed 6.1, (2001) Drinking Water Standard.

Fact : The discolouring that appears in the water during electrolysis experiment is due to iron dissolve into the water as the electric current passes from one electrode to the other.

Our customers sometimes ask about apparent taste and odour in tap water. This can be caused by chlorine or very small quantities of natural substances in water. In fact a small amount of chlorine is added to our water to ensure that it is free of dangerous bacteria and viruses.

If not maintained according to the supplier's directions may cause deterioration in the quality of the water being treated.

If you are still concerned about the water in your home or business and would like further information, feel free to call Joburg Connect 011 375 5555, email : customerservice@jwater.co.za.

Analysis

Typical analysis of water supplied in the Johannesburg area, per mg/L where applicable:


Complies fully with SANS 241 Ed 6.1, Class 1 Drinking Water.

Introduction

Questions of tap water being safe to drink are usually prompted by sensational media articles or scare tactics and ambiguous statements of the seller of bottled water or home water treatment devices. They often mislead customers into purchasing expensive treatment systems for supposed health reasons. The truth is that devices are completely unnecessary in Johannesburg as the tap water is perfectly safe to drink.

Some of these traders are prompting sales of home treatment systems and bottled water by demonstrating a colour change in our tap water which then does not occur in their bottled water. The demonstration unit comprises two clear bottles, one containing tap water and the other the bottled water. Two electrodes are then placed in each bottle. In each case one electrode is made of iron and the other aluminium. These electrodes are then connected to an electrical power source.


As the tap water contains a certain amount of dissolved salts it is able to conduct an electrical current when the power is turned on. This causes one of the two electrodes to dissolve in the water resulting in colour change and formation of visible particles. As the bottled or treated water they use in this experiment contains very low concentrations of dissolved salts, it cannot conduct the current, therefore no colour or particles are formed.