potability

The water's potability is tested in a laboratory.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The quality of being suitable for drinking: "potability" refers to the condition or property of water or another liquid that makes it safe and acceptable for human consumption. It is often used in contexts of water quality, sanitation, or environmental science.

Usage Examples

• (The water's safety for drinking was examined.)
• (Local governments must guarantee that tap water is drinkable.)
• (They used tablets to make stream water safe to drink.)

Advanced Usage

• "Potability standards": regulations or criteria defining safe drinking water.

  • The new law sets stricter potability standards for bottled water. (Legal requirements for drinkable water quality.)

• "Potability assessment": an evaluation of whether a liquid is safe to drink.

  • Engineers conducted a potability assessment of the well water. (They tested the well water's safety for consumption.)

Variants and Related Words

• Potable (adj): fit or suitable for drinking.

  • The only potable water on the island came from a spring. (The only drinkable water.)

• Potableness (n): a less common synonym for potability.

  • The potableness of the rainwater was uncertain. (Its suitability for drinking.)

Synonyms

• Drinkability: the quality of being drinkable.
• Wholesomeness: the property of being beneficial and safe for consumption (broader meaning, often includes food).
• Purity: the state of being free from contaminants (related but not identical; potability implies both purity and safety).

Related Idioms

• "Fit to drink": a common phrase equivalent to potable.

  • After boiling, the water was fit to drink. (It became safe for consumption.)

• "Safe to swallow": informal phrase for drinkable.

  • The bottled water is safe to swallow. (It is potable.)