The Importance of Water Filtration

Water is a gift of nature

The total amount of water on the earth is finite, while man's capacity for pollution is accelerating fast with the growth of population, agriculture and industry across the globe. Local water bodies may very quickly be exhausted and become polluted due to greed and ignorance; water can become a source of death and disease rather than life.

Today, at least one-fifth of all people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water.

In developing countries, most cities discharge 80 to 90 % of the untreated sewage directly into rivers and streams, which are used for drinking, bathing and washing. This lack of sewage treatment has allowed dangerous microorganisms to spread water-borne diseases; particularly diseases transmitted by vectors which live in the water environment account for about a third of all deaths in the world.

The growing pollution of our rivers constitutes the biggest threat to public health.

Polluted waters lead to various gastrointestinal problems, liver infections, cancer, etc. Children are often the worst affected, dying in large numbers because of diarrhea. Even in the 1990s more than 1 million children died due to diarrhea and other gastrointestinal disorders.

The need is great in the Developing World!

1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water

2.9 billion people do not have adequate sanitation facilities

11,000 children die each day of water-related diseases

Water-related diseases

The water-related infections of man are extremely numerous and diverse. In general the following are the ways in which diseases may be carried by water.

* Pathogenic organisms are transmitted from one person to another through their domestic water supply. (e.g.) cholera, typhoid and hepatitis.

* Inadequate water supply, lack of personal cleanliness (e.g.) trachoma and skin infection

* Infection transmitted by organisms which live in water. (e.g.) helminths (parasitic flukes) that spend part of their life cycle in water.

* Insect vectors which are related in some way to water transmit inflection. (e.g.) yellow fever, malaria etc.

It is necessary to be careful about the water you drink and the water you bathe in, since water is a carrier for a number of diseases.

Drinking water

* Filter water with a good quality purifier (ultraviolet or reverse osmosis)

* Boil un-treated water to 100°C for 10 to 15 minutes

* All fruit and vegetables that will not be cooked must be peeled after soaking them in treated water

* Do not eat ice-creams, drinks, etc., sold by street vendors

* Clean your teeth preferably with treated water