With rainwater harvesting made mandatory in Bangalore, many NGOs, Institutions and private businesses have come forward to help the citizenry in designing and implementing rainwater harvesting in their campuses. But There is is still a feeling of insecurity and skepticism among the people on the quality of water and the ways to ascertain the right quality of water.
While there are many methods and many Laboratories which can test the water, many people are are complaining about the logistics involved in getting the water tested and the cost involved.
But there is one simple way to test the water for bacteriological contamination. This test is virtually free and can be done at the household level. This is what is called H2S strip test.
It is a simple 20 ml bottle with some chemical inside. The water has to be filled in it till a mark indicated on the bottle. The bottle should to be kept in a warm place (preferably in the sun) for 24 to 36 hours. If the water colour turns black, then the water is not fit for drinking and if it turns to any other colour (generally light brown), the water is potable.
The test bottles are distributed for free by UNICEF and manufactured by water health laboratories , Roorkee. It can also be bought from water health laboratories or LTEK systems, Nagpur.
While there are many methods and many Laboratories which can test the water, many people are are complaining about the logistics involved in getting the water tested and the cost involved.
But there is one simple way to test the water for bacteriological contamination. This test is virtually free and can be done at the household level. This is what is called H2S strip test.
It is a simple 20 ml bottle with some chemical inside. The water has to be filled in it till a mark indicated on the bottle. The bottle should to be kept in a warm place (preferably in the sun) for 24 to 36 hours. If the water colour turns black, then the water is not fit for drinking and if it turns to any other colour (generally light brown), the water is potable.
The test bottles are distributed for free by UNICEF and manufactured by water health laboratories , Roorkee. It can also be bought from water health laboratories or LTEK systems, Nagpur.
