Is the water you drink safe? If so, you're lucky if you drink filtered or mineral water. What to watch out for? If you don't have access to safe water then you are prone to these risks:

Microbial contaminants. Without adequate treatment, sewage containing dangerous bacteria, virus and protozoa may easily seep into rivers, lakes and groundwater. The most common source of contamination in developing countries comes from the improper storage of water in storage tanks. Other sources include waste from domestic and wild animals, seafood from contaminated water, and leaking septic tanks. Septic tank is a concrete container for holding water. Bacteria decompose some of the solids in the wastewater in this tank. After which turn these into liquid and gaseous substances that can easily pour out into an outflow pipe.

Chemical risks. During water treatment or during delivery through water pipes, chemical contamination of drinking water may happen. Among the common contaminants are radon, arsenic, lead, fluoride, nitrate and pesticides. Health effects may range from diarrhea, skeletal fluoresces and infants death.

Other Risks. Incrustation happens when minerals in water such as Iron, bicarbonates and carbonates are deposited on the pipe surface. Too much incrustation can lead to total blockage of pipes and being a breeding ground for microorganisms. Excessive corrosion might happen. Lead, copper and Iron are heavy metals that physically dissolved in the plumbing system whenever the pH is not maintained at the 7 to 8.5 range. This can cause heavy metal poisoning.

Water Management

Here are some of the tips and strategies from the World Plumbing Council and WHO to effectively manage water systems:

1) Use wastewater. Both gray water and wastewater can be use to irrigate crops and green spaces. It can also recover arid land, and cool industrial processes. Wastewater are said to come from kitchen sinks or dishwashers. Gray water on the other hand includes used water from showers, bathtubs and water from clothes washing machines and laundry tubs.

2) Effective plumbing design. Plumbing materials and products should therefore be equipped with protective devices that prevent leakages and back flow.

3) Know the best way to treat water systems. The most basic in chemical disinfection is by using iodine, chlorine, and ceramic filters. The use of ultraviolet lamps reverse osmosis for treating drinking water is also use.

Conserve water

"Knowing how precious water is, especially drinking water, it pays to devise ways and means to conserve it than losing to such 'nonsense' usage. After all, water does not come easy these days. In fact there are areas where water supply is meager. So,the best way to deal with the situation is to employ the most effective means to make use of every drop thus, saving up for more important purposes. Here's how:

Make sure that the water you save is safe for consumption.
Check out pipes, faucets from time to time . Using worn-out or dilapidated equipment lead to leaks that causes water wastage.
Use a water basin to avoid wastage. In washing dishes, open faucet until moderate amount of water flows out.
Try to save some water in containers or pails; avoid superfluous use of water. It is certainly most enjoyable when luxuriating in cool, clear water during hot season but for us to continue enjoying it, we must learn how to save some for the future. After all, the water we save allows us to appreciate it's long-term benefit." (Women's Journal June 7, 97, 23)

Source:

Bato Balani, Vol.27 No. 5