It’s time to go on a scavenger hunt for the perfect water. Industrial water testing is the ideal environment because of the infinite possibilities. Everything could be there — which is both good and bad — but it’s great for data gathering and learning more about how to make water quality even better for providers and citizens.
Testing Industry Water
It’s essential to test industrial water for contaminants and consistency. It’s nice to have clean, fresh water coming through your pipes at home, but it’s arguably more important for manufacturing and science-led sectors. They need it to create everything from food to electronics to medicine, and harsh or untreated water could corrode lifesaving machinery and disrupt operations.
Industry can impact you with water in more ways than your health — think of how operations affect the waterways near your house. Consider how they could be responsible for the spread of illness. The well-being of households, farms, schools and animal habitats is in their hands.
Water testers are critical because they look for qualities like acidity and hardness. They keep contaminants out of the water, like:
- Sulfates
- Chlorides
- Mercury
- Iron
- Sodium
- Bacteria
- Manganese
- Lead
- Arsenic
Testers execute tests based on advice from regulatory bodies. The most traditional paths require sending samples to laboratories to evaluate quality. State-of-the-art techniques include robots that scan water before it even hits laboratories and treatment plants. Sensors straight out of science fiction detect pollution and even microorganism density. Scientists study the resulting data determining toxin exposure and how the creatures interact with the sample’s contents.
Industrial water testing studies are ramping up to research new things in water samples. Microplastics, algae and silica abound among every other novel item in the water playground.
Maintaining Water Quality
Industries must maintain water quality because it’s the right thing to do and it’s mandated. The EU recently announced revised water quality standards in the Drinking Water Directive. It tackles new contaminants, like endocrine disruptors, and ensures safe transportation since 23% of treated water is lost in transit. Testing and handling industrial water more efficiently can fix that.
Scientists analyze the water sample reports to see what’s happening. Physical tests point out colours and solids in the various manifestations. Chemical analysis draws attention to toxins and pH imbalances. Each outlier is run against the acceptable parts per million that every substance is safe in the water. It’s crucial for drinking, but it’s vital for keeping pipes sturdy for delivering water, cooling intense machinery and preventing cross-contamination when industrial processes require water.
User error impacts upwards of 85% of water tests. However, you shouldn’t be scared by this number because it’s easily fixable. Do you have clean equipment? How’s your technique? Has someone double-checked your samples and results for accuracy? If so, you’ll be in tip-top shape and have clean water with fresh insight.
Keeping the Planet Happy
It’s not the best news you’ve heard today, but climate change is impacting water quality. This reiterates how important it is to be attentive to testing. Doing so keeps the impact of testing and related industrial production reliant on water to a minimum.
Testing water keeps industries pristine in a stealthy way — water tests can reveal when a machine is going bad. Companies that don’t want to spend tons of money on a replacement, generating waste, should pay attention to the water coming from that area. It is a flashing sign that maintenance is long overdue. Similarly, if a product coming off a production line is faulty, look into how poor water quality might be to blame.
Industrial machine and infrastructure damage is already a big motivator to test. Impurities, slime and sediment that build up in water systems eventually find their way outside — even if water testers didn’t want that. Water tests pay off by keeping waterways, soil and animals happy due to strengthened biodiversity.
In a perfect world, these instances would never happen. They should be considered opportunities for the industry to focus on improvements. Do companies need higher-quality testing procedures or new equipment, like filters? Is there a consistent area of the test that confuses scientists?
Imperfect results happen, and each instance allows the industry and water source to improve. These test results will help the EU achieve the Green New Deal and provide fresh water to all. How can this information be used for action?
Splashing Around for Water Safety
Swimming through water samples sounds like a grand time, even if it does mean picking out and sifting through things that make it less tasty or safe. Industrial water testing is vital since it impacts so many people and operations. Water quality testers are investigators, helping the planet become healthier and better protected by delivering safe water stores and discovering what lies within it to prevent further pollution and damage.
Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized Magazine, an online publication that explores innovations in science and technology.
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