According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rainwater that's collected for drinking purposes should be filtered, disinfected, and tested regularly ( 2 ).

Do you need to purify rainwater?

Why there is a need to purify rainwater before drinking

present in the atmosphere. On reaching the earth surface, it gets mixed with animal faeces, algae, sand, twigs, dead insects, etc. The contaminated water becomes the breeding ground for E. coli, microorganisms and other life-threating bacteria.

Why do we need to filter rainwater?

Rainwater needs to be free of disease causing microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and protozoa) and harmful levels of chemicals, to ensure a safe drinking water supply. Contamination of collected rainwater with disease causing microorganisms from birds and other animals poses the biggest risk to health.