[RPG] How great is the purifying power of Purify Food and Drink

dnd-5efood-and-drinkspells

I had a game in which there was temple for a local god. One of the practices of the temple was to make sure that the river that flowed through the town was clean. They managed this by doing what the Romans did, with public bathrooms. All of the plumbing comes to a spot at the temple where they have clerics casting purify food and drink on the sewage.

The description of the purify food and drink spell says:

All nonmagical food and drink within a 5-foot-radius sphere centered on a point of your choice within range is purified and rendered free of poison and disease.

Regardless of why they're using this, would Purify Food and Drink (by RAW) actually clear the sewage from the water? Or would their efforts be in vain and it would still be nasty sewage water, unfit for drinking? (Note: They have as many clerics as is necessary.)

Best Answer

Pretty sure it's clean.

First, we know that it's at least potable. Clearing out all poison and all disease means that you can drink it without harm - anything in it that might harm you would either be a poison or a disease. Whether it's foul-tasting or not is less certain, but I'm pretty sure that that's taken care of too. It says that the stuff is "purified", in addition to having poisons and diseases removed. If what you're starting with is befouled water, then the natural effect of purifying it is to render it into "pure water". How this works with food and non-water drink is a little more interesting, but for water it looks pretty clear.

Now, how that purification occurs, and what happens to the foulness as a result is a different question, and up to your DM. It might even vary from god to god. Perhaps there's a god of filth out there who takes it for himself because he likes the stuff.