Safe water free from any impurities is a basic requirement for the people. In today’s pollution prone environment, hygiene of water is a must. Particularly in developing countries, the shortage of pure drinking water is very common. We need water for almost 24 hours for our day to day needs. In most of the developing countries, the municipalities or local government does not supply water for 24 hours. Hence it is compulsory for a house owner to store the water for their day to day needs.
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Nowadays, the plastic water tank is most popular for water storage as it is lightweight and leakproof. They are available in circular as well as cubical shape. The plastic water tank is made up of high-density polyethene. These tanks are leakproof, rustproof, maintenance free, durable and economical.
Is Plastic Water Tank Safe?
The water quality in your plastic water storage tanks is a huge concern. If the water is being supplied by the municipality, it is often safe to assume that the water quality is good. Therefore, if it is being treated or filtered before supplying, it is well and good. If it is not, for example in case of rainwater harvesting, very little can be done to purify it inside the tank.
The use of poor quality plastic may influence the chemical composition of water up to a large extent. It might even go unnoticed for a short period of time, but after some time, the taste of ‘plastic’ may come in stored water. Also, when there is excess sunlight reflection on the sides of the water tank, the light that comes through cause algae to grow. When algae grow in your plastic water storage tanks, you cannot use water from them. Therefore it is recommended to go for a water tank that has been made with food grade material (Food grade plastic has to meet certain standards of purity. It cannot contain dyes, other additives or recycled plastic products which are harmful to humans).
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The plastic water tank is made up of food grade material only ensures the quality of water. But nowadays all manufacturers use food grade plastics. Also, the manufacturing process ensures a uniform cross section and even thickness of each layer. All these layers actually help to maintain water quality, clean, safe and healthy.
Hence, the answer is yes! You can use plastic water tank only if there is no algae growth and they are NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) approved. As water is the basic necessity of life, it has to be healthy and safe. So, before buying any water storage tank one should make the quality check to ensure his or her life and then family is in safe hands.
