Is drinking water long-term harmful to health?

In Vietnam, keeping water in a bottle and using that water for a long time is a common practice. But whether drinking water for a long time is harmful to health or not, and what is the best way to store water? See what experts say about this.

Is drinking water long-term harmful to health? The answer is depending on many factors. According to Professor Kellogg Schwab of Johns Hopkins University, right after we started drinking, our lips and mouth transmitted microorganisms into the water. Combined with room temperature and sunlight, these microorganisms can multiply rapidly.

"If we have clean water with a clean pot, then the water can last for one to two days" - he said. But have you ever wondered why it is strange to have a strange taste for a long time? That's because carbon dioxide in the air reacts with water and lowers pH . "But it's still safe for the body," said the professor.

According to Schwab, using the same glass to drink water day by day will increase the chance of some harmful bacteria - especially when the cup is used by many people and microorganisms from those people. be mixed together in the cup. But what if you wash the cup every day? "Perhaps we will not have any problems" - Professor Schwab asserted - "This is not yet a major public health concern."

In addition there is a common case: It's a dirty hand-held cup - especially if you (or anyone who serves the dishes) forget to wash their hands after going to the toilet. There are countless bacteria that cause disease in human waste, and if you take a drinking cup with unwashed hands, those bacteria can infect drinking water.

But what about bottled water? Professor Schwab warns: "A chemical called bisphenol-A , or BPA, along with some other substances used to produce plastics can dissolve into water if the water bottle is heated or placed under direct sunlight. continue " . BPA is a hormone disorder that science has proven to lead to some dangerous diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Professor Schwab said that the plastic used to make water bottles was not manufactured for the purpose of washing them for second use. So next time you intend to keep plastic bottles for water, think about bringing them to recycling. Or better yet, use a metal or glass container.

If you intend to store water for a long time, be careful because water can also be damaged - according to US Environmental Service Center scientist Zane Satterfield at West Virginia University. "Most experts will advise you to store bottled water with a shelf life of six months," Satterfield said. "After that time, the chlorine in the water will evaporate, creating conditions for bacteria and algae to start. development " . This process will happen faster if you keep the water in a warm and light place.

If you believe in the apocalypse and carry out water storage in your shelter, remember that even though the water can be kept for at least a year, after 12 months we should check the place. my reserve water."You will see part of the water evaporates during that time, as proof of the plastic bottle is not completely waterproof," Satterfield explained.

If you want to ensure safety when using stored water for a long time, Satterfield recommends that we put in a few drops of a mild, odorless detergent and wait 30 minutes for water to be safe to use . ( Exactly one drop per liter of water). Perhaps that is the knowledge we don't need, but what about it, what about the end of the world like zombies or something else?