It is not advisable these days to drink tap water because it  is contaminated. We have many good ways to purify and filter water and the method one wishes to use depends on the contaminants one wishes to remove before drinking or using the water for other purposes.

Boiling of water and keeping it at boiling temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes is a good way to kill bacteria, virus and other microorganisms.  However this method does not help to remove lead and nitrates and may at times even get concentrated after some time. One should make sure to filter the boiled water through a muslin cloth and store it in a clean container.

The next good way to filter and purify water is by using activated carbon filters. These filters help to get rid of  the color and odor and remove harmful chemicals like chlorine and heavy metals like lead besides parasites like giardia. This method is very good to be used in pitchers. However it is advisable to change these filters often to eliminate the build-up of contaminants from being released into the water.

Reverse osmosis used in filters and purifiers is another good way to remove soluble organic and inorganic substances  and bacteria but are not effective in case of viruses. This method of water purification and filtration can be effectively used for tanker water and bore well water.

Another good way to purify and filter water is by using germicidal lamps that emit ultraviolet rays to destroy the water borne disease causing bacteria, viruses and cysts and chlorine and chloramines. However these filters cannot remove solid particles and are not ideal for cloudy water. However this method requires very less maintenance.

The other good method to purify and filter water is to use ozonizers. This is a 3-stage purification system. In the first stage all suspended solid particles and particulate impurities are removed to give crystal clear water.  This water is then passed through a silver impregnated activated carbon filter, which removes organic matter, bad taste and odor. In the third stage ozone derived from oxygen is injected into the water to kill bacteria and viruses.

To conclude one can choose any way to purify and filter water for drinking and other purposes, but one should make sure that these equipment are regularly serviced and cleaned. However one should make sure one opens the tap only half way if one wants good results.