Drinking safe water did not just start in the past decades. It started more than 4,000 years ago in ancient Greece. Now, you might think that they used crude methods, but as time passed by, these methods significantly progressed until it arrived at the water filtration system that people use today.
You might think that the water from those times was clean because pollution was non-existent yet. A common misconception because even in those times, contaminants are already present in the water. People are still getting sick from water-borne diseases, so there must be some way to have safe drinking water. In time, people achieved a proper water filtration method through various experiments.
Of course, Berkey Filter studied all about filtration, so they became one of the best filtration producers in the world. Their research included the history of water filtration methods. This article will discuss the humble beginnings of water filtration and its progress throughout the millennium.
The history of water filtration
Four thousand years ago, people purified their drinking water through boiling and straining. Some people still use these methods today. Three thousand five hundred years later, Hippocrates invented the first water filter and was named the Hippocratic sleeve, a back screen made of cloth. Despite this, a lot of people used this method as an improved water filtration method.
Egypt
The Egyptians followed the Greeks’ example, and after a hundred years, they were filtering their water through various methods. Since their drinking water has different impurities, they tried boiling their water, placing it under the sun for a specific amount of time and set a heated iron on their water supplies. Another water filtration method that they implemented is using sand and gravel to filter the water through sifting. Some water filtration devices still use this method.
Great Britain
Jumping to the year 1627, Sir Robert Bacon made the first upgrade for water filtration devices by using sand to separate salt from seawater. Before that year, there were no apparent changes to the filtering methods. Seventy years have passed, and the microscope is not available in the world, which opened new boundaries for water filtration systems.
Through microscopes, people now can see microorganisms present in water that were invisible through an unaided eye. Because of this, new information and water filtration systems revolutionized and created new types of filters that employed the use of wool, charcoal, and sponge to remove unwanted particles from the water. One hundred fifty years passed by, and another scientist named John Snow made a vital discovery. He learned that the deadly disease called cholera is transmitted to people by drinking contaminated water.
This prompted a call to action because of the severity of the disease. Mr. Snow didn’t waver, and after many experiments, he found out that infusing water with chlorine effectively purifies it and kills the bacteria that cause cholera. Ever since that day, chlorination became a staple ingredient in water filtration.
The not-so-distant past
In the 1900s, several countries around the world have used different forms of water filtration. People have devised specific standards for water quality, and regulations were mandated to uphold these standards. Scientists never stopped and continued to experiment and invent new methods to purify water.
At present
Before, you can only see water filtration devices from specific locations. Now, anyone can own a system of their own. One of the best options for these devices comes from the Berkey Filter. Through modern science, these systems can eliminate a majority of harmful impurities from tap water. People from all over the world, place water filtration systems in their homes so that they could gain access to safe and high tasting water.
Berkey Filter produces state-of-the-art water filtration systems that use different stages of filtration to ensure the safety of your drinking water. These stages effectively remove impurities and particles such as debris, silt, sand, and a lot more. Oxidation helps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the water. All these stages aim to avoid any water-borne diseases.
Conclusion
Water filtration methods inevitably came a long way and continue to grow at an exponential rate. Water is essential for any human’s survival, so as the world progresses, the methods should upgrade as well to ensure the survivability of humanity.
