High-quality living is the birthright of every human being. However, a healthy life remains elusive for several people. One significant component of a person’s well-being is access to purified water that is safe for drinking or daily use. Contaminated water is a major issue in a country like Ghana, where many people live on limited resources. Hence, the need for water purification solutions is rising every day.
Even in today’s era, where information is readily available, many people are unaware of vital information related to water purification, such as
Why Do We Need Water Purification Solutions?
People often confuse clear water with clean water. However, just because water obtained from a specific source ‘appears’ free from contamination and is void of dirt, it doesn’t mean you can use it for drinking or household uses.
Critical processes like everyday drinking water consumption and cooking require water that is free from contaminants and harmful elements. This is where water purification solutions come in handy.
Let’s see the primary reasons that make water purification a must.
Consumption of contaminated water, even in the slightest amount, can be catastrophic for an individual’s health. Water purification is necessary to keep yourself and your near ones safe from bacteria and viruses. These microbial contaminants are the reason behind the spread of diseases like Giardiasis, Shigellosis, Norovirus, and Legionnaires’ disease.
What will anyone do if the water they have access to is not clean? They will have to rely on expensive water bottles and water tankers, whose supply may be unreliable as well. In a country like Ghana, where not everybody can afford costly water sources, water purification proves to be a boon for the people, making access to clean water affordable.
In addition to preventing you from falling ill, purified water promotes healthy daily living. Eating food that has been washed with purified water and drinking clean water helps keep your digestion strong and brings a glow to your skin. This will help your body free from problems like constipation, stomach ache, etc., and common skin problems.
When clean water that is fit for consumption is readily available to the common populace, people don’t have to spend money on buying pure water or traverse long distances to fetch clean water. The time and money saved can be put to use in other areas like a child’s education, community status, family nourishment, etc.
Now that we know why water purification is necessary, let’s move on to the next part.
People worldwide keep witnessing disasters and emergencies from time to time. That is why it is of utmost importance to have solid plans for disinfecting water to enable the water to get stored for a long time during disaster recovery or emergencies.
In other words, you need to plan how you are going to cater to the requirements for one of the most crucial requirements, which is water, during turbulent periods. Note that food supply during disasters or emergencies is a lot easier than arranging safe drinking water.
These turbulent situations create circumstances where individuals may go through the repercussions of dehydration unless they have strategies in store for water disinfection. That is why you have to know the strategies for cleaning and storing a large volume of water so that you can get prepared for disasters or emergencies.
Needless to say, disasters, such as a flood, hurricanes, or other emergency situations contaminate drinking water. And contaminated water causes different types of health disorders, such as diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis A, and dysentery to name a few, and leave people in a miserable state. Apart from causing contamination, disasters or emergency situations also disconnect water for an uncertain period.
How to verify if the water is safe to drink after a disaster?
Once a disaster or an emergency situation is over, you need to verify whether the water supplies in your home are providing safe water or not. To ensure the safety of the water, you should take care of the following aspects:
Stay updated with the latest public announcements by watching or listening to local news from the respective local authorities. Thus, you would get to know whether the available tap water is drinkable or not. You can also be sure if you can make use of your tap water in bathing, cooking, and other day-to-day activities by paying heed to the local news.
In case your local authorities declare the water unsafe to drink, you should rely only on bottled water. On the other hand, boiling and other disinfection methods can also be used in this regard. It applies to drinking and other daily activities in your life.
Until the local authorities test and verify the safety of the water, you should only leverage the power of disinfection methods or use bottled water for drinking, cleaning, cooking, washing, and all other activities concerning water.
In case the supply of water is scarce, you can choose to use hand sanitizer (alcohol-based) when it comes to washing your hands.