MOSCOW, 2 Mar- RIA News. Moscow is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world. Every tenth Russian lives here, and the area of ​​the city is 2.5 thousand square kilometers. To provide 12 million people with water, more than 12 thousand kilometers of water supply networks have been laid in the capital. Where does water come from to Muscovites' homes, how is it purified, what do experts say, and what kind of water is recommended to drink - tap or bottled - in the material of RIA Novosti.

Where does the water come from

Water in Moscow comes from the Moscow, Smolensk and Tver regions. It is the rivers flowing through these regions that form three interconnected hydraulic systems that provide water supply to the capital, the required depth of navigable sections, power generation, and solve many other problems.

The resource of reservoirs is so great that the metropolis will not be left without tap water even in the driest year.

"Today, the total water output of these systems is 2.5-3 times higher than the city's needs for drinking water, so an acute shortage of water resources is not expected in the near future," Mosvodokanal explained.

How water is purified

To make water suitable for drinking, it is passed through several stages of purification. There are four water treatment stations in Moscow.

“The stations use a classic two-stage scheme for bringing water to drinking quality. First, it is purified by coagulation, clarified in settling tanks, passed through sand filters, then disinfected with chlorine-containing reagents. If necessary, it is treated with ozone and activated carbon,” said Mosvodokanal.

The main disinfectant is sodium hypochlorite with the addition of an ammonia-containing reagent. This is a common method used in cities with an extended distribution network. For example, it is it that is used in Paris, London, Tokyo and other megacities, since chlorine-containing reagents in combination with ammonia retain their bactericidal properties for a long time. Ozone, on the other hand, quickly dissolves in water, and can only be used in small towns or at intermediate stages, as is the case in Moscow.

How is hypochlorite different from chlorine?

Mosvodokanal switched from liquid chlorine to sodium hypochlorite in 2012. This reagent is an aqueous solution that is safer during transportation, storage and use.

Chlorine and sodium hypochlorite act in the same way: they form the same compound that starts the process of microbial inactivation. Acceptance, storage and dosing of the reagent in Moscow are fully automated.

"The automated control system ensures constant monitoring of the process and management of technological modes for maintaining the specified parameters, including chlorine residues in water," Mosvodokanal stressed.

Is tap water safe

After such purification, according to Mosvodokanal, the safety of tap water in Moscow cannot be in any doubt.

"The positive impact of the centralized water supply system on the health of the population has been proven by many years of practice - for a long period in Moscow, no diseases caused by tap water have been recorded," the company stressed.

Moscow water meets the requirements of state standards in all respects, and there are no restrictions on its use.

“It is safe, harmless and completely drinkable. It does not require additional purification,” Mosvodokanal is sure. At the same time, the composition of water in different districts of Moscow is slightly different, but within the established norm. This is due to the fact that it comes from different sources. You can check the quality and composition of water in real time on the company's website.

Water quality control in the centralized water supply system of Moscow is carried out around the clock along the entire path of water movement - from the upper reaches of sources to consumer taps. This includes automatic control using special analyzer sensors, and scheduled analysis of samples taken in accredited laboratories of the Water Quality Control Center of Mosvodokanal JSC, as well as in specialized analytical centers of other organizations.

"Samples for analysis are taken at more than 250 points in the city," Mosvodokanal added. "186 physicochemical and biological indicators are routinely determined." State control over water quality is carried out by the Moscow Department of Rospotrebnadzor.

What the experts say

The purity of water in Moscow pipes is confirmed by independent experts. Andrey Mosov, head of the Roskontrol expert direction, told RIA Novosti that the organization's experts repeatedly checked the quality of water during tests of household filters, and all samples met the quality requirements.

According to him, regularly published monitoring data show that the water in the Moscow pipes has "ideal microbiological, satisfactory organoleptic (appearance, smell, taste, etc. - Ed.) and good physical and chemical indicators, indicating a high level of water treatment at waterworks".

The expert noted that water sometimes acquires a slight smell and taste of iron at the "terminal" (that is, the most remote from the source) sections of the water supply network.

“Perhaps the only significant drawback of tap water is the volatile organohalogen compounds resulting from chlorination (and it is still impossible to refuse it), the content of which nevertheless does not exceed the permissible standards,” Mosov emphasized. He noted that household filters, settling and boiling can easily solve this problem.

Is there any benefit

When asked if tap water can be useful, the expert replied that its mineral composition cannot be called complete.

"Any river water does not have a high content of fluorine, magnesium, calcium and other biogenic elements. Purification does not affect the mineral composition much," Mosov said. He advises Muscovites to be sure to use fluoridated toothpastes, and also not to consider water as a source of calcium and magnesium in the diet - it is better to compensate for the lack of these elements through foods rich in them.

At the same time, a representative of Roskontrol noted that tap water is by no means inferior to bottled water, especially when compared with the waters of the first category that prevail on the market.

One of my friends got sick with dysentery. For some reason, she associated her illness with the fact that she was accustomed to regularly drinking water from the tap. It was in St. Petersburg 12 years ago. Since then, the methods of purifying tap water in the city have improved significantly - does this mean that you can drink tap water without fear for your health? We asked this question to a hygienist and a representative of Vodokanal.

Andrey Mosov

expert of the portal "Roskontrol.RF"

The question touches on two aspects of tap water - indicators of its quality and safety. Is this water safe for health? Yes. Useful? Not always.

Large cities, which include Moscow and St. Petersburg, have large water supply stations equipped with the latest science and technology, which guarantee the safety of tap water. The indicators can be seen on the websites of Rospotrebnadzor and Vodokanals themselves.

On the other hand, large cities, as a rule, are supplied with water from surface sources - rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Such water is not very attractive in taste and smell during the flowering period of reservoirs, and during the flood period it may contain sewage washed off from fields and roads. The quality is unstable and depends on the season. But the cleaning and disinfection system guarantees microbiological safety even in such cases.

The second problem that is urgent for our country is the deterioration of water supply networks in some areas, especially old buildings. The destruction of pipes leads to the fact that harmful substances can get into the water. And the stagnation of water in the end sections of networks with a small daily intake can lead to the deterioration of its microbiological indicators. Therefore, reaching your apartment, water can become of poor quality and even unsafe. Fortunately, our senses are able to detect non-compliance with water standards for many safety indicators, such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, phenols, nitrates, nitrites, petroleum products, hydrogen sulfide, surfactants and, of course, chlorine. Therefore, it is worth trusting your senses and not drinking water, the taste or smell of which seems suspicious.

If to speak about small towns
and rural areas, then there residents are much more likely to drink iron-rich water

There are few useful elements in water from surface sources, and cleaning often reduces their content to zero. Therefore, the mineral composition leaves much to be desired: unlike groundwater, there is little calcium, magnesium and fluorine in surface water. If there is no calcium and magnesium in the water, consumption will contribute to the development of a deficiency of these substances in the body. Calcium is the main element of our skeletal system, magnesium is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system and heart. A lack of fluorine causes caries, a lack of iodine causes thyroid disease. Therefore, if a person does not have other sources of fluoride (toothpaste, sodium fluoride tablets), then caries due to the use of tap water is almost inevitable, and a reduced amount of calcium and magnesium will exacerbate the deficiency of these minerals typical for most Russians in the diet.

If we talk about small towns and rural areas, then there residents are much more likely to drink water with a high content of iron and some other substances, the excess of which is harmful to humans.

Some consumers, afraid of drinking tap water, try to buy bottled water. But even here there are subtleties. Roskontrol conducted a large-scale study of bottled water (including cooler and children's), and we recognized more than 60% of the tested samples as unsafe or non-compliant. A producer can bottle water from a well, or he can take water from a tap, pass it through filters, bottle it and sell it. Many people do just that. Pay attention to the inscription on the bottles “water from a centralized source of water supply” - this is tap water that has passed modern purification methods.

Natalia Ipatova

Director of the Department of Information and Public Relations of the State Unitary Enterprise Vodokanal of St. Petersburg

In our city, the main source of drinking water is the Neva River. In St. Petersburg, water undergoes a two-stage disinfection: with the help of reagents (sodium hypochlorite; the use of liquid chlorine in the city was completely abandoned in 2009) and by ultraviolet treatment. Sodium hypochlorite effectively fights bacteria, and ultraviolet destroys viruses. By the way, St. Petersburg was the first among megacities in the world to ensure the treatment of all drinking water with ultraviolet light - this happened in 2008.

Quality control is carried out at all stages - from the moment of water intake from the Neva to the water metering unit at the entrance to the house. Those rare cases when deviations from the normative values ​​are recorded in tap water at the water metering units of houses are associated exclusively with the content of iron in the water. Neva water is naturally soft. This is a very good quality for domestic use - in particular, washing machines and dishwashers operating in St. Petersburg do not require special water softeners - but it is the natural softness of our water that makes it corrosive. And in St. Petersburg - more precisely, back then in Leningrad - during the period of active housing construction in the 1970s and 80s, steel was used for water supply networks, which, unfortunately, is very susceptible to corrosion processes. And in some cases, corrosion products, that is, iron compounds, may appear in drinking water. However, in such quantities they do not pose a risk to public health. Now Vodokanal is actively solving the problem of high iron content at specific addresses, and this issue will be completely eliminated in the coming years.

A path of several tens of kilometers from the treatment plant to our kitchen. These pipes are several decades old, they are covered with rust and deposits of various harmful compounds. Underwater can contain dangerous chemicals, including boron, arsenic, and lead, which can cause rashes and allergies. Arsenic is a carcinogen and can cause cancer if consumed in large amounts. Do not use tap water to prepare baby food. It is better to buy special baby water.

Tap water may contain painkillers. They enter water bodies from the sewerage and sewage of farms, and then into the water supply. This can cause serious health problems.

Tap water is one of the main causes of kidney stones. If you have had or have problems with kidney stones, it is best to avoid drinking tap water.

What ? Look for a trusted water manufacturer or install a filter on your faucet and remember to change it regularly. Although the filter cannot cope with all harmful substances, it will significantly improve the quality of the water. It is also not recommended to purchase low-quality faucets, because. they contain heavy metal ions, which are washed out and enter the water.

In order for a person to always feel healthy and strong, he needs to consume at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day. But, as practice shows, water is not always useful. This is especially true for tap water.

Constantly drinking water from the tap, a person may face health problems. Perhaps the impact will not be felt immediately. But numerous studies have shown that tap water can slowly clog the human body with harmful substances.

Elements that make up water

Nitrates and chlorides can cause urolithiasis or cholelithiasis. In addition, they can lead to allergies or even stomach ulcers. If there is a lot of iron in the water, then this has a bad effect on the reproductive function, has a negative effect on the liver and kidneys. Also, a large amount of iron increases the risk of a heart attack.

Experts have proven that an excessive amount of chemical elements that enter the human body with water adversely affect its health.

Toxic substances are also considered the enemy of the human body. They make the immune system much weaker. In addition, they can cause toxicosis in pregnant women. Also, such substances can cause various mutations. The consequences of the negative impact of toxic water on the human body can be hepatitis and congenital anomalies in young children.

Pesticides, which are most often used in agriculture, can get into the water. They are used to control insects and weeds. Such substances, entering the human body with water, can increase the likelihood of oncology in the future.

Bottled water or tap water - which is better?

Tap water isn't always healthy. Rather, on the contrary, it can be poisoned. But bottled water is also not considered clean. Tap water is researched much more often in laboratories, and is cleaned from time to time.

But, as for the bottle, it is checked very rarely. Especially if the water is in a plastic bottle for a long time, then it loses all its useful properties. In addition, bottled water may contain elements that adversely affect the human body. The composition of such water may include far from the elements that are indicated on the label.

Tap water also has its benefits. For example, it contains many minerals and vitamins that the human body needs. The same iron, in moderate doses, strengthens bones. Therefore, each type of water has its advantages and

Hey! You are on the Youfect channel. As you know, the average person consists of 70% water. Therefore, it becomes clear why it is so important to drink high-quality and clean water, since what we drink, in fact, becomes us later. But, unfortunately, in recent decades, the water that flows in our tubes has become more and more of poor quality and unusable. Let's try to figure out what will happen if you drink low-quality tap water and how you can fix it.

Scientists believe that high-quality drinking water would increase the life expectancy of a modern person by at least 20 years. At the same time, there are not many places left on our planet where you can find pure natural water suitable for drinking. Keys and springs, mountain glaciers, some underground lakes, Antarctica, the Arctic and Baikal. What of this is available to an ordinary city dweller? About 30% of surface water sources in the CIS countries do not meet hygienic, bacteriological and chemical indicators. Moreover, all GOST standards for metal content are overestimated, so even if the water meets the standards, this does not mean that it is drinkable. Suffice it to recall the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, because after it all the standards in the USSR for the natural radiation background were raised significantly. All this is due to the fact that it is much easier to increase the maximum allowable standards for the content of certain harmful substances in water than to improve the quality of tap water.

A serious problem that worsens the quality of tap water is water distribution networks, because from 40 to 70% of them require replacement. The purest water is literally a few steps from the treatment plant. The water travels several tens of kilometers to our tap. Given that these pipes are more than a dozen years old, they are overgrown with rust and deposits of various harmful compounds. And even if there are new pipes in the residential building itself, the water to this house usually goes through the old ones. Moreover, it happens that sewer and water pipes are laid side by side in the same box, and they can rot so much that tap water can mix with sewer water with all the ensuing consequences. Also, there are too many chloride compounds in tap water, which they try to disinfect the water with. Therefore, the tap water treatment system in the CIS countries is not the most modern. By the way, in many European countries they do not use chlorine at all or use it minimally. There is a wide application of purification of tap water using ozone, sand and carbon filters.

Poor quality tap water can lead to quite serious diseases, such as diseases of the mucous membranes, acne, irritation, dryness, early wrinkles, hair loss, kidney and gallbladder stones, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, dysentery, schistosomiasis, and so on. The list can be continued for a long time. Terrible diseases can be earned, among other things, due to microorganisms that multiply in water. Often they are carriers of dangerous infections.

And a person will not even suspect that most of these diseases can appear just because of poor-quality tap water. And no matter how strange it may sound, but more than half of the harmful substances that enter the human body are taken from our tap water.

As you can see, the situation with tap water remains not the best. At the same time, water is the most important component of human life, and his health significantly depends on the quality of the water he drinks. How can you eliminate many unwanted and harmful impurities in water as much as possible? Let's take a look at a few popular cleaning methods.

1. Water settling is one of the simplest cleaning methods. Water is poured from the tap into glass or enameled dishes, allowed to stand open for a while so that part of the chlorine has evaporated, then closed and left to settle for several hours. During this time, part of the heavy metals, salts and harmful substances invisible to the eye settle at the bottom, so you can’t drink all the water from the tank. The disadvantages of this method of cleaning is that harmful substances from the water still will not go anywhere, but will only partially settle at the bottom. And bacteria and other dangerous microorganisms will also remain in it, and they will actively begin to multiply if the water is left to stand for longer than the allotted time.

2. Boiling is also a very common cleaning method, if you can call it that. The only plus of boiling is that bacteria die under the action of high temperature, and even that is far from all. And if we talk about the removal of harmful impurities, then here your kettle is absolutely useless. In addition, the content of salts and harmful substances can further increase due to the evaporation of water and additional reaction of organic molecules with chlorine.

There are also other cleaning methods, such as cleaning with silver, activated carbon, silicon, freezing water, and so on. However, these methods are of questionable effectiveness. If we talk about bottled water, then often manufacturers save on the stages of purification of such water, as a result of which the product sold is far from what the label promises. And mineral water in general should not be used often, because. it contains a large amount of salts, with a supersaturation of the body with which you can also earn serious diseases.

If we talk about the most effective method of water purification, then this, of course, is filtration. And not with an ordinary jug with a carbon filter or a nozzle on a tap, but with a reverse osmosis system. The main component of such a system is a semi-permeable membrane that passes through itself only a water molecule. So all impurities and bacteria will not be able to get through it. Some believe that water passed through such a filter will be dead, tasteless and completely useless. Well, many manufacturers have foreseen this and built a mineralizer into the system. Those. after complete purification, the water will be saturated with minerals useful for the body, it will no longer be dead and will acquire the taste familiar to us. Personally, I myself use such a system and am quite happy with it.

Write in the comments what methods of water purification you consider the most effective.

Of course, drinking water is the source of life. We all know that you need to drink 1.5 - 2 clean liquids daily. But in recent years, many are convinced that drinking tap water is life-threatening. Someone solves the problem with the help of filters, and someone does not even notice the difference between homemade and purchased water. Why is tap water so different in composition, color, smell, taste, is it possible to drink tap water and is it really harmful to drink tap water?

Dangers of tap water

Previously, people could not even think that it was impossible to drink raw tap water. At first glance, it is colorless and odorless, which means it is not harmful to health. But unfortunately, "by eye", it is very difficult to determine the substances in water.

1. The very first obvious is that such water contains a huge amount of bacteria and viruses that can enter the body. We don't see them, but they are there. Therefore, it is not recommended to use the liquid, even if it is transparent and odorless.
2. Tap water is almost always an overabundance or deficiency of trace elements. For example, with an increase in iron, allergic reactions, problems with the cardiovascular and immune systems may occur. With a lack of calcium and magnesium, teeth can fall out, nails become brittle, and bones are less strong. Iodine deficiency causes thyroid dysfunction.
3. Of course, the water undergoes initial purification, in accordance with all standards. But it must be borne in mind that most of the water supply network is already rather outdated. And as it goes all the way to your faucet, it gets dirty again. Just imagine how much rust and dirt accumulates daily on the walls of pipes. Since lead, arsenic and boron are used to clean the water supply, it is strictly forbidden for allergy sufferers to eat this liquid in its pure form.
4. In addition, chlorine is used as a disinfectant. It has no less devastating effect on the body. Its use is especially effective in allergy sufferers and asthmatics. They experience discomfort even from a small amount of water with bleach.
5. It is highly likely that hormones and antibiotics get into the water supply. Since they pass through the sewer pipes of agricultural land.

To drink or not to drink tap water?

Even if the water utility conducts a stonecrop in accordance with all standards, doctors know why you can’t drink water. As we learned above, after cleaning, various trace elements may remain in the water. The most common method of liquid disinfection is boiling. This method will help you get rid of harmful microorganisms and an excess of trace elements. You can drink hot water, however, in this way the taste of the water deteriorates noticeably. In addition, when boiled, it loses its beneficial properties.

If you want to get rid of unpleasant odors, you need to install special filters. However, if you decide, remember that this is not a budget option, as you need to change cartridges regularly, otherwise they become useless and just as dirty.

Another common method is freezing. Melted water is given even to children and used for cooking.

Even strictly observing all of the above cleaning methods, many are wondering if it is dangerous to drink this liquid. And many mothers are horrified that their child drinks tap water. In this case, it is better to use bottled water. But at the same time, make sure that it is stored in the right conditions. Check the packaging for defects and do not store it where it is exposed to direct sunlight.

The technical conditions, which are written on the label, are very important. On properly purified water, where all useful elements are stored, you will see “TU 9185-…”. But if this procedure affected the composition, “TU 0131-…” will be written. This means that it was extracted from a well, or even worse - from a water pipe. Be sure to recycle used bottles.

Use tap water for household needs - washing, cleaning, washing dishes, etc. But it is best to drink purchased or passed through a filter. It can be a separately installed faucet or a water lily.

How to determine the quality of tap water?

Some mistakenly believe that just a clear, colorless liquid is completely safe. This is a huge misconception. Of course, you will not drink a cloudy orange mixture. But just because you don't see signs of rust, bleach, and bacteria doesn't mean they aren't there. Such a liquid can most often be found only in those regions where no one is engaged in purification. Let's find out if tap water is safe to drink in Russia.

In Russia, even in remote areas, water is pre-treated. A liquid with an admixture of rust occurs after stagnation. Therefore, the probability that you "by eye" identify contaminated water is very small. And even it tastes like a regular bottled product.

For example, it is obvious that in houses where there is an old sewage system, good quality water should not be expected. She may look ordinary, but you will immediately feel the taste of copper, iron, bleach and nitrates. Very often it tends to change in the summer. Then the aroma of dampness and swamp will be added. If you feel something like this, or if you just don't like the look or taste of water, it's best not to drink it. Save your body. So, how then to determine whether it is harmful to drink the liquid that flows from your tap?

The easiest and most effective way to check the quality of tap water is to take a sample for analysis to a special laboratory. But the method can only be used if you are at home. What if you are on holiday? You can always find out about this from local residents or from a tour operator.

But if others do not have the information you need, there are special sites. You just need to enter in the search the city where you are going to spend your vacation or business trip, and you will receive data on the suitability for drinking water. In extreme cases, you can contact the water utility.

The quality of tap water in Russia

Our water systems are very advanced and well equipped to provide clean, usable water. Since large cities use reservoirs, rivers and lakes, foreign microorganisms can get into them. And in the spring flowering period, the taste and smell of water changes. Therefore, the quality of tap water may not be at the highest level. But the water utility makes sure that there is only safe liquid in the living quarters. And they can drink tap water. You can be sure that you will not get any disease-causing elements into your body. Now you know whether it is harmful to drink Moscow tap water. We propose to study the requirements for water quality in accordance with GOST:

Things are much worse in remote areas and old regions. Stagnation often forms there and the quality of the pipeline leaves much to be desired. Therefore, residents are advised to use purchased water or filters.

Drink only water that is safe for health, making your own decision whether to drink chlorinated tap water or buy it in a store.