The needs of clean water

The availability of clean drinking water is a development issue faced by billions of people in the developing and near-developed world. Development organizations continually site the lack of access to clean water and sanitation as the leading cause of death amongst children in rural areas. The scale of this problem is immense, as are its solutions. The global nature of this issue opens the door for the application of communal solutions.

Like energy, the need for clean water is increasing rapidly as supplies of traditional resources continue to diminish due to overuse, waste, and pollution. Unlike energy, the ability to harness local resources to produce water is not possible. However, we do have the capability to use local energy resources to gain access to water supplies that would otherwise be unavailable and then ensure that this water is safe for human consumption. Most water is located underground in deep aquifers, in surface lakes, rivers, and streams or in the ocean. Technologies exist to make use of all of these water sources but in many cases, the absence of available, inexpensive energy makes their use expensive, time consuming, and potentially dangerous. The proper application of any number of energy options available today can make gaining access to this water a reality in many areas not previously considered.

Absolutely pure water is not found in nature. Water evaporates into the atmosphere, condenses, and when it falls back to the ground, the water contains dissolved gases including oxygen, carbon dioxide, bacteria, and dust absorbed from the air. Once the water hits the ground, it picks up many more organic and non-organic chemicals, microorganisms, and organisms as it make its way into streams and rivers. Some of the rainfall percolates into the soil, loosening suspended silt and bacteria. There is also the danger of contamination by radioactive isotopes in the groundwater. Contaminants from the ground’s surface include municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastes. These wastes wash into rivers and also infiltrate the groundwater. Depending on the intended use, all of these contaminants need some kind of treatment.
Generally, wastewater requires a certain level of treatment before it can come into contact with the surface or with groundwater. Similarly, domestic water should be clean and safe to drink.