I unfortunately live in a very polluted area, one where air quality apps mark in red and recommend that I never get out of my lair.

When it rains enough the air quality becomes more bearable and here comes the question: where does pollution go when it rains hard? Does it get pushed to the ground and stays there? Does it get embedded in the water (so instead of breathing it, I get to drink it later in the tap water)?

I’m curious to know where it gets dispersed or stuck (to possibly avoid it)

  • TheMurphy@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    8 months ago

    This varries alot depending on where you live.

    Normally it’s like this.

    First it goes into the water, then it goes to the ground, which normally filters it very well. BUT if this is generally a polluted area, and also depending on the composition of the earth, it may not filter it at all. We assume that there’s some filtering though.

    Now it gets really country-dependent. Some countries filter the tap water very well, some adds chlorine to ‘cleanse’ it, and some may not do a very good job entirely.

    I’m no expert in which countries around the world do what, but it’s probably something you can look up for your area.

    Generally though, it’s worse for you to inhale (unless the water is just polluted in other ways)

    • ConstipatedWatson@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      8 months ago

      Thanks! You’re right that I wasn’t thinking about chlorine which does get added to the water where I live. I suppose that doesn’t entirely kill all germs and pollution going into the water, but it helps getting rid of it.

      Also, yeah. When I am out breathing pollution, it feels really bad for me