Pink is a very cheerful, delightful, and pleasant color for our eyes. But what if your water turns pink?
In 2019, in Coal Grave, Ohio, residents were using pink water for all their purposes. Every facet of each house in Ohio was giving pink water. However, officials said that the water was safe to drink.
Did you Know?
In 2023, the water of Lonar Lake in Maharashtra turned pink due to the presence of Haloarchaea bacteria. These bacteria usually exist in salty water and produce a pink pigment.
If your water has also turned to pink, then you must wonder why? Well, this article tells you why does the water looks pink?
Reasons for Water Turning to Pink
Everyone prefers odorless, tasteless, and colorless water. The only reason for tap water turning pink is the excess level of Potassium Permanganate.
In Ohio, the reason for pink water was the water supply system malfunction, due to which too much Potassium Permanganate gets mixed into the water.
Like chlorine, Potassium Permanganate is also a chemical compound mixed in the water to eliminate manganese and iron present in the tap water. However, when it gets dissolved, it turns the water pink.
Uses of Potassium Permanganate
It oxidizes iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide into large particles. Due to their large sizes, they get trapped during the filtration process.
In wells also, to kill the iron bacteria, Potassium Permanganate gets poured into the well. Around 3.8-7.6 gm/gallon of Potassium Permanganate is sufficient and efficient.
Besides this, it is also an antiseptic agent as it is helpful in the treatment of wounds and ulcers that are superficial.
Recommended Level
Potassium can occur in water in various forms. First of all, it is naturally present in water, then it gets added through Potassium Permanganate. Besides this, in some counties, potassium chloride gets added to soften the tap water.
So, the daily suggested requirement of potassium is 3000 mg. More than 3000 mg of potassium in drinking water could have some side effects on human health.
Side Effects of Potassium Permanganate
Usually, Potassium Permanganate in drinking water is harmless to humans. However, it can cause the following issues to humans:
- Skin Irritation: Water containing a high level of Potassium Permanganate means you have to use it for bathing and washing your hands. It can cause skin irritation, especially if your skin is sensitive and allergic.
- Affects High-Risk Groups: It can trigger kidney, liver, and heart diseases, hypertension, and diabetes.
- Fire Hazard: Although Potassium Permanganate is not an explosive compound, it can encourage the flammability of other substances. It poses a high risk of fire at your home.
- Eye Damage: It can also cause damage to the eye. Long-term exposure to high amounts of Potassium Permanganate can create burns in your eye.
However, all these side effects are rare. They occur only when you consume incredibly high level of Potassium Permanganate that too for a long time.
All other times they are harmless, and scientifically, it has not yet proven that they have any severe side effects.
What Should I Do If My Water Looks Pink?
The pink is the sign of love, compassion, and caring. But it is not the same in the case of water. When your water turns pink, it becomes unpleasant to drink.
Reverse Osmosis water purifier is the perfect solution as it removes toxic compounds in the drinking water. It is essential as it also eliminates other harmful tiny microorganisms present in the water. It makes your water healthier and safer.
Also, you should contact your water supplier to solve the problem.So, take no chance and invest in RO as soon as possible!
After completing this graduation in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Manipal University in 2013, Ankit began rummaging the current Indian market of technology and science. At apolloedoc, Ankit’s job profile consists of cumulating, researching, testing, and verifying products related to tech.
He has a knack for details and catches even the tiniest advantages and flaws that can make or break the product. Since last year, he has been writing for apolloedoc and has been our knight in shining armour when reviewing home appliances.
Ankit’s favourite pastimes consist of jamming onto his guitar with a couple of friends and constantly updating and learning new things! He is also a big-time pet lover and has a cute little pug named Oreo back in Chandigarh. He has bagged many achievements in his college by participating in multiple extracurricular activities.
Writing is something that comes to Ankit naturally. He has his own blog where he posts about coding languages and even provides coaching to students from 12th grade to 2nd year of college. At apolloedoc, Ankit beautifully showcases his knack for the written word by lucidly explaining information in an unbiased way.