Skip to main content

Potable, wholesome water; function in body

Short answer

Potable water is safe to drink, free from harmful organisms/chemicals; wholesome water is also clear, odourless, palatable, with minerals within desirable limits. In the body, water makes up 60-70% of body weight, transports nutrients and oxygen, aids digestion, removes wastes, regulates temperature, and lubricates joints.

Define potable and wholesome water. Also describe the function of water in the human body.

Potable water

Potable water is water that is safe to drink. It does not contain harmful organisms or chemicals in amounts that cause illness, although it may have slight taste, colour or odour problems.

Wholesome water

Wholesome water is potable water that is also pleasant to the senses (clear, colourless, odourless, palatable) and has minerals within the desirable limits, so it is suitable for all domestic uses.

Function of water in the human body

  • Makes up about 60 to 70 percent of body weight; blood plasma is about 90 percent water.
  • Dissolves and carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells.
  • Helps digestion and absorption of food.
  • Removes waste (urine, sweat) from the body.
  • Regulates body temperature through sweating.
  • Lubricates joints and protects organs and tissues.
  • Keeps skin healthy and is the medium for all chemical reactions in cells.

An adult needs about 2 to 3 litres of drinking water daily; a loss of 10 percent of body water is serious and a loss of 20 percent can be fatal.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

Related questions

All Water Supply Engineering chapter 1 questions →