First, we check if it’s safe to drink. That means hunting for poop germs. Yes, really.
Scientists look for E. coli and coliform bacteria. They’re like tiny, invisible party crashers that ruin your stomach.
If you find them, the water fails the gross-out test. No sipping allowed.
What’s Swimming in Your Glass?
We also test for pH. That’s how acidic or basic the water is. Pure water sits at a 7, which is neutral.
Imagine drinking battery acid (pH 1) or bleach (pH 13). That’s a bad day. Your tap water should be a boring, perfect 7.
Then there’s turbidity. That’s a fancy word for “how murky is it?”. Murky water is basically a mud milkshake.
