Drinking water and sanitation

Drinking water and sanitation

Introduction

We live on the blue planet, and water plays an essential role in the life of humans, animals and plants. But only the smallest part, 0.3% of global water reserves are used as drinking water and it's just this small part which has been under grave danger for the past few years. Scientists draw our attention to the alarming increase in pollution of drinking water supplies. A radical change on our environment is urgently needed. Drinking water is one that brings together features that puts on own condition for human consumption. Therefore, drinking water must be free of any contamination. Drinking water can be from a natural source, since there is no type of contamination at its source or route. Can also be obtained through a process of physical and or chemical treatment. In cities, this process is performed in the water treatment plants (American Water Works Association, 2000).

Clean drinking water and unpolluted becoming increasingly rare. Chemical pollution by sewage from industry and agriculture, sewage household detergents loaded and laundries as well as the infiltration of toxic substances have already reached groundwater. Water dispensers are therefore faced with major problems concerning the limits of permissible pollution.

The health risks from water pollution are not yet sufficiently studied. We know just the effects of certain substances such as nitrates, herbicides, "pseudo-hormones", lead, copper, phosphates, chlorine, etc. They are suspected of causing cancer, mutations, infertility, nervous system disorders and brain damage to the frame, the intellectual difficulties and, in the case of nitrate, the death of infants.

Sanitation is the activity related to the supply of drinking water, management of storm water, collection and treatment of sewage, the urban sanitation, management of solid waste and pest control and any type of pathogen, aimed at health communities. This is a specialty studied in higher Sanitary Engineering in Environmental Engineering of Public Health of Sanitation Technologist and Technologist in environmental management.

These are services that can be provided by public or, under concession by private companies, and these services are considered essential in view the imperative need for this part of the population, and the importance for the health of all society and the environment. The lack of sanitation combined with socio-economic and cultural determinants are for the emergence of intestinal parasitic infections, with children the group most susceptible to infectious diseases.

Discussion

The human body is composed of 60% to 70% water, ...