Potable water is water that is safe to drink or use in cooking. It contains low levels of dissolved salts and microbes, making it free from substances that could be harmful to human health.
To make water potable, it is treated using methods such as:
Filtration – to remove solid particles
Chlorination – to kill harmful bacteria
Potable water is not the same as pure water (which contains only H2O molecules), but it is clean and safe for everyday use. In GCSE Chemistry, potable water is studied as part of water treatment and resources.
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