Water is perhaps the most important nutrient in our diets. In fact, a human adult needs to drink approximately two litres (8 glasses) of water every day to replenish the water that is lost from the body through the skin, respiratory tract, and urine.
However, 99.7% of the Earth's water supply is not usable by humans. This unusable water includes salt water, ice, and water vapour in the atmosphere.
Only fresh water, which is contained in rivers, lakes, and underground sources, can be used for human consumption. Furthermore, many freshwater sources are not suitable for human to drink.
Water containing dangerous microorganisms and large amounts of industrial waste or agriculture chemicals (eg pesticides) can be toxic and unfit for drinking. Hence, humans have a great need for a reliable source of clean fresh water for drinking.
In addition to the water needed for drinking, other uses of fresh water include household use (eg cooking and cleaning), industry, agriculture (eg irrigation), and recreation.
Hence, the quality of fresh water supply is important for virtually every aspect of our lives. Water that is supplied for domestic use must be treated to ensure it is clean.
The water supplied must meet the National Guidelines for the Quality of Drinking Water (1983), which is based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines for the Quality of Drinking Water (1984).
Conservation is the sustainable use and management of natural resources, including wildlife, water, air, and earth deposits. Natural resources may be renewable or non-renewable.
The conservation of water involves ensuring that is not consumed faster than it can be replaced and ensuring that sufficient quantities are maintained for future generations to utilise.
Preservation, in contrast to conservation, attempts to maintain natural resources in their present condition. This is due to the concern that mankind is encroaching onto the environment through farming, industry, housing, tourism and other human developments, and that we are losing too much of what is 'natural'.
Our water resources are part of a fragile system, which is potentially at risk. Generally, conservation and preservation of water quality takes place in two arenas: surface water quality - lakes, streams, rivers and ponds - and groundwater quality.
A combination of poor soils unsuitable for septic systems, a high water table, and an increasing amount of rural development may begin to threaten the quality of an area's water supply.
Specific regulations, such as those pertaining to soil erosion and sedimentation control practices, protection of wetland areas, increased water body set backs, the use of greenbelts or buffers, and density reductions are among the techniques that can assist in protecting water quality.
In the long run, it is cheaper to protect our water resources than it is to try to restore them.
DIFFERENT STAGES OF WATER TREATMENT
1.Filtration
◦Here, the remaining substances and sediment pass through layers of sand filters and are removed.
2.Disinfection
◦In this tank, a small quantity of chlorine is added to the water to kill any remaining bacteria. A small amount of fluoride is also added to the water to help prevent tooth decay.
3.Coagulation
◦From the reservoir, water is pumped into this tank and mixed with slaked lime and alum. Alum makes the fine solid particles stick together and form larger solid lumps, and slaked lime reduces the acidity of the water.
4.Reservoirs
◦River water is pumped here and left for several days. During that time, sunlight kills most of the dangerous bacteria in the water. Mud, silt and other suspended substances will sink to the bottom and a metal screen removes large solid particles from the water.
5.Storage
◦Water that has been treated enters these tanks before being pumped into the supply ponds, which are usually found on hilltops or at higher levels. From the supply ponds, water flows through pipes to houses.
6.Sedimentation
◦The water then flows very slowly into these tanks, where the larger lumps sink to the bottom of the tank and are then removed.
PROTECTING OUR WATER RESOURCES
Conservation is the sustainable use and management of natural resources, including wildlife, water, air, and earth deposits. Natural resources may be renewable or non-renewable.
The conservation of water involves ensuring that is not consumed faster than it can be replaced and ensuring that sufficient quantities are maintained for future generations to utilise.
Preservation, in contrast to conservation, attempts to maintain natural resources in their present condition. This is due to the concern that mankind is encroaching onto the environment through farming, industry, housing, tourism and other human developments, and that we are losing too much of what is 'natural'.
Our water resources are part of a fragile system, which is potentially at risk. Generally, conservation and preservation of water quality takes place in two arenas: surface water quality - lakes, streams, rivers and ponds - and groundwater quality.
A combination of poor soils unsuitable for septic systems, a high water table, and an increasing amount of rural development may begin to threaten the quality of an area's water supply.
Specific regulations, such as those pertaining to soil erosion and sedimentation control practices, protection of wetland areas, increased water body set backs, the use of greenbelts or buffers, and density reductions are among the techniques that can assist in protecting water quality.
In the long run, it is cheaper to protect our water resources than it is to try to restore them.
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