The number of organic and inorganic substances in the raw water, the taps will provide chlorine into the water as a disinfectant. The amount given quite a lot because it is adjusted by the amount of organic substances contained in water.''
Chlorine dose big enough, continued Nusa, can react with other compounds into chloroform, khlorofenol, and so forth. During this PDAM never analyze new compounds of chlorine due to excess it. In fact, the effect could create free radicals. ''So, the emergence of diseases is actually caused by poor drinking water quality,''.
Elemental iron, detergents, and other pollutants still found in the water despite the clear and clean appearance.
Arie added contamination of drinking water supplied to the public purposes can be caused by industrial waste, domestic waste, hazardous and toxic wastes, corrosion of piping and also due to a byproduct of the disinfection process with chlorine compounds. ''The contamination can occur ranging from raw water source, during processing or in the distribution pipeline.''
Therefore, further Arie, Indonesia's population is still difficult even now free from diarrheal disease, cholera, dysentery to typhus. For, the disease associated with water (waterborne deseases).''
Looking at the relationship between the quality of public health with clean water consumed interrelated. In addition to diarrhea, typhoid, cholera and dysentery, other diseases that are often found are hepatitis A and acute anterior poliomelistis.
Both researchers emphasize the importance of public knowledge about the dangers of chemicals in drinking water. ''Many people have found poisoned drinking water because of chemical compounds in drinking water exceeding the allowed threshold concentration,''.
Actually, this chemical compound can be natural or due to human activities pollute the drinking water. Some chemicals that are toxic to the human body are heavy metals, pesticides, compounds hydrocarbon pollutants, radioactive substances of natural or artificial, and so forth.
An example is nitrate commonly found in agricultural activities. Nitrate pollution caused by agricultural waste water containing nitrate compounds resulting from the use of nitrogen fertilizer (urea).
Nitrate compounds in drinking water in large quantities cause methaemoglobinameia. This disease is a condition of hemoglobin in the blood is transformed into methaemoglobin, so the blood deprived of oxygen.
Flouride (F) is a natural chemical compounds in water at various concentrations. At small concentrations of about 1.5 mg / l would be beneficial to dental health. When high concentrations (greater than 2 mg / l) cause tooth decay (dental-bercak0 spots.''When even bigger 3-6 mg / l causes damage to the bone. Dose Flouride in drinking water maximum of 0.8 mg / l .''
Another dangerous element mercury (merkurium, Hg) is a toxic heavy metal element to the body. Merkurium result of industrial waste had caused loss of life on Minamata case of Japan, 1950.
Drinking water was not contaminated by cadmium (Cd). Drinking water usually contains Cd with a concentration of 1 ug or sometimes up to 5 ug. WHO has issued recommendations Cd levels in drinking water of 0.01 mg / l while the Government Regulation No. 20/1990 maximum levels of cadmium in drinking water for 0,005 mg / l.
Other toxic substances commonly found in Selenium in seleniferous area (rainfed). In areas such levels of selenium in groundwater (wells) or surface can be high. WHO set the levels of selenium in drinking water of 0.01 mg / l while the Government Regulation No. 20/1990 recommends that permitted levels of selenium 0.01 mg / l.