How I found out that minerals from hard water might be sneaking into the food we eat!
When I saw rusty taps I tested our water and found scary metals like aluminum and mercury! Now I wonder is this hard water really safe for washing apples and watering plants? Is my apple clean?
While washing an apple, I noticed our taps were rusty. Curious, I tested our water. Tap water had 237 TDS and unsafe levels of aluminum (0.9ppm), mercury (10ppm) and zinc (10ppm) that were way above WHO limits. Clearly this water wasn't safe to drink, but was it safe to wash food or grow plants with?
Experts like Dr. Ramesh Sharma (NEERI) say that metals in hard water stick to the unpeeled fruits we eat. They also build up in soil making it hard for plants to grow. No wonder our balcony plants kept dying.
This made me realize that food or water doesn’t have to look dirty to be unsafe.
I now use RO water, but many, like our maid and plumber, can't afford it. If only there were community ROs for safe water for all. If only we all asked ourselves are our apples clean?
(Image contributed by the author)
Judge’s comment: Good topic and features some investigative reporting. Great photo and investigation.
This entry was submitted on 30th April 2025 and won the first prize in the Class 4–5 category of the Cub Reporters Contest. The contest invited budding journalists to take their passion for the environment to the next level—raising their voices on critical food-based environmental issues while gaining hands-on journalistic experience. Participants ventured into their local areas, investigated ongoing crises, and filed stories from the ground up. The best entries are published here to showcase their work.
Student of Class 4, Mayoor School Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh
