If you stick out your tongue on a rainy day, you might think that the drops you taste are the same as water coming out of the faucet. But rainwater contains many microscopic components that are filtered before being pumped into your home.
So is it safe to collect and drink rainwater?
There are many pollutants that can end up in rainwater, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, dust, smoke particles and other chemicals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (opens in a new tab) (CDC). If you collect rainwater from a roof, it may also contain debris left by animals, such as bird droppings, and if the roof or drainage pipes are old, materials such as asbestos, lead and copper may also end up in your tank. If rainwater is stored in an open container, it can be full of insects and decaying organic matter such as dead leaves. For this reason, the CDC advises against collecting rainwater and not drinking it, but instead recommends using it for other purposes, such as watering plants.
However, the levels of these pollutants can vary significantly depending on where you live, and your risk of getting sick depends largely on the rainwater you drink. If you have a clean collection system and properly sterilize rainwater, either with chemicals or boiling and distillation, most impurities can be removed. This has caused a lot of confusion as to whether rainwater is safe to drink.
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But now, in the modern age of man-made chemicals, there is a new danger associated with drinking rainwater. Environmental Science & In a study published in August 2022 in the journal; Technology (opens in new tab), researchers have found that rainwater around the world contains toxic concentrations of PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) that exceed health guidelines. These findings mean that rainwater is not safe to drink, especially if it is untreated.
What are PFAS?
PFAS is a collective term for more than 1,400 man-made chemicals and substances that have historically been used in a variety of products, including textiles, fire-fighting foams, non-stick cookware, food packaging, artificial grass and guitar strings, research by Ian Cousins – the lead author, an environmental chemist at Sweden’s Stockholm University, told Live Science in an email. See the article : Dips, kebabs and curly spuds: Olia Hercules’ comfortable food recipes.
However, “current understanding of biological impacts is based primarily on studies of four perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs),” which is a subgroup of PFASs, Cousins said. These PFAAs include perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), which are the main focus of the research, he added.
Past studies have shown that these chemicals are highly toxic and can cause a wide range of problems, including various types of cancer, infertility, pregnancy complications, developmental problems, immune system conditions, and even various intestinal, liver, and thyroid diseases. As the effectiveness of childhood vaccines decreases, Cousins said. It’s possible that PFAS could cause additional damage to the environment, but that idea hasn’t been studied in detail, he added.
This evidence has led to bans or greatly restricting most PFAAs and other PFASs over the past 20 to 30 years, except in China and other Asian countries, Cousins said. Health guidelines for PFASs have also been adjusted to reflect the toxicity of the chemicals. For example, in the US, the safe level of exposure to PFOA as determined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is 37.5 million times lower than it used to be, according to a statement from the researchers (opens in a new tab).
PFAS do not break down very easily, meaning they remain in the environment for a long time after they are produced and are just as toxic, Cousins said. This has led scientists to dub PFAS “the forever chemicals,” he added.
Contaminated rainwater
In the study, the researchers collected data from rainwater samples collected around the world, and revealed that PFASs are still abundant in rainwater everywhere on Earth at concentrations above the safety guidelines set by the EPA and other similar regulatory bodies in other countries. Read also : The Midwest Food Bank is addressing 2 emergencies: Kentucky floods and rising inflation.
Experts had hoped that PFAS concentrations would start to drop by now, but that clearly isn’t the case, Cousins said. Instead, the researchers believe that PFAS represent a new planetary boundary, a conceptual boundary beyond which something becomes safe for humans, which we have already crossed, he added.
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The most striking finding was that PFOA levels in rainwater are 10 times higher than the EPA’s safe level in all sampling sites on the planet, including the Tibetan Plateau and Antarctica.
Researchers still don’t know exactly how PFAS are transported to the most remote parts of the world, Cousins said. The team’s hypothesis is that PFAS from the ocean surface are being re-injected into the atmosphere by ocean spray and then transported to other regions where they fall as rain; they plan to test this hypothesis in future research. PFASs may still be leaching from landfills into the environment, Cousins added.
It is too early to predict the global public health impacts of PFAS-rich rainwater, but it may already be underway. “We’ve already been at even higher levels in the last 20 to 30 years,” Cousins said. “Right now we have a better understanding of the effects of that exposure.”
The impact of PFAS will be greater in developing countries, where millions of people rely on rainwater as their only source of drinking water, Cousins said. But even in some regions of developed countries, such as Western Australia, drinking rainwater is still common, he added.
Even if rainwater is properly treated, there is still no guarantee that it will remove PFAS. PFAS can also be found at low levels in tap and bottled drinking water, although they are often at safe levels.
PFAS levels will decrease as they return to the deep ocean, but it’s a gradual process that could take decades, Cousins said.
Originally published in Live Science.
Harry is a UK writer for Live Science. He studied Marine Biology at the University of Exeter (Penryn campus) and after graduation started his own blog site “Marine Madness”, which he continues with other ocean enthusiasts. He is also interested in evolution, climate change, robots, space exploration, environmental conservation and anything fossilized. When he’s not at work, he can be found watching sci-fi movies, playing the old Pokemon game, or jogging (probably slower than he’d like).
Harry is a UK writer for Live Science. He studied Marine Biology at the University of Exeter (Penryn campus) and after graduation started his own blog site “Marine Madness”, which he continues with other ocean enthusiasts. He is also interested in evolution, climate change, robots, space exploration, environmental conservation and anything fossilized. When he’s not at work, he can be found watching sci-fi movies, playing the old Pokemon game, or jogging (probably slower than he’d like).
How do you clean rainwater for drinking?
To remove the smell and taste of chlorine from your drinking water, you can use a charcoal filter or charcoal filter. This system is made of coconut shell, carbon and other ecological solutions. To see also : Letter: Strengthening storage | Fractious Cupertino | Same politics | Independence of power | Video games. The last method of rainwater filtration is solar pasteurization.
Can rainwater be filtered for drinking? Rainwater can be filtered for drinking as long as you have a clean catchment surface and use a suitable filter. Whole house water can be filtered using a uv filter or quantum filter system or you can use a gravity filter such as a Berkey Water Filter just for your drinking water.
Can rainwater be made drinkable?
Although collected rainwater is high quality water, it has been exposed to whatever is on your roof. This means it is not potable (meaning you can’t drink it) without first treating it.
How long do you have to boil rainwater to make it drinkable?
Most health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control, recommend boiling water hard for 1 minute at 2,000 meters (6,562 feet) and 3 minutes higher. You will be protected from giardia and crypto if you follow these guidelines.
Is it healthy to drink water from rain?
Rainwater can carry bacteria, parasites, viruses and chemicals that can make you sick, and has been linked to disease outbreaks. Your risk of getting sick from rainwater can differ depending on your location, how often it rains, the season, and how you collect and store rainwater.
What are the benefits of drinking rainwater? Drinking rainwater can also improve human digestion due to its alkaline pH content. Rainwater has the same pH as distilled water, so it helps to neutralize the pH level of our blood and supports the functions of the stomach. Rainwater is very beneficial for healthy skin and hair.
Is drinking rain water safe?
If rainwater is stored in an open container, it can be full of insects and decaying organic matter such as dead leaves. For these reasons, the CDC recommends collecting and drinking rainwater, but recommends using it for other purposes, such as watering plants.
Can rainwater cause infection?
According to health experts, the collection of highly contaminated water in the streets and houses due to heavy rains and the flooding of wastewater from the city’s Nullah Leh can cause infections, including cholera, typhoid, dysentery, gastroenteritis, hepatitis A and E, shigellosis and giardiasis, and. ..
Can you catch rain water and drink it?
California (Somewhat regulated): Under the Rainwater Catchment Act, harvesting without a permit is allowed, but use must comply with the California State Water Resources Control Board. Rainwater intended for ponds or irrigation purposes requires a permit available through the council.
How do you make rainwater drinkable at home? Water treatment options include filtration, chemical disinfection or boiling. The filter can remove some germs and chemicals. Treating water with chlorine or iodine kills some germs, but does not remove chemicals or toxins. Boiling the water will kill the germs but will not remove the chemicals.
How do you safely drink rainwater?
Rainwater is only as clean as its container. Only the rain that fell directly from the sky should be collected for drinking. He was not to touch plants or buildings. Boiling and filtering rainwater will make it even safer for drinking.
How can we purify rain water?
Chlorine Treatment Chlorine is being used as the primary method of disinfection in most public water systems. To do this, add 2.3 fluid ounces of household bleach to every 1,000 gallons of water. However, the dosage rate will vary depending on the amount of water to be treated, pH and temperature.
