Tap water

Mineral Water

Water of sufficient quality to serve as drinking water is termed potable water whether it is used as such or not. Tap water ( running water) is part of indoor Plumbing, which became available in the late 19th century and common in the mid-20th century In many places mineral water is often colloquially used to mean Carbonated water (which is usually carbonated mineral water as opposed to tap water Although many sources are utilized by humans, some contain disease vectors or pathogens and cause long-term health problems if they do not meet certain water quality guidelines. A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly In Epidemiology, a vector is an Organism that does not cause Disease itself but which transmits Infection by conveying Pathogens from A pathogen (from Greek πάθος pathos "suffering passion" and γἰγνομαι (γεν- gignomai (gen- "I give birth to" infectious Water quality is the physical chemical and biological characteristics of Water in relationship to a set of standards Water that is not harmful for human beings is sometimes called safe water, water which is not contaminated to the extent of being unhealthy. The available supply of drinking water is an important criterion of carrying capacity, the population level that can be supported by planet Earth. The supportable Population of an Organism, given the food habitat, water and other necessities available within an environment is known as the environment's EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001

Typically water supply networks deliver single or multiple qualities of water, whether it is to be used for drinking, washing or landscape irrigation; one counterexample is urban China, where drinking water can be optionally delivered by a separate tap. A water supply network is a system of engineered Hydrologic and Hydraulic components including the watershed or geographic area that collects Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land including physical elements such as Landforms living elements of flora and fauna abstract elements such as lighting Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National In the United States, public drinking water is governed by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA is the principal federal law in the United States that ensures safe Drinking water for the public

Metabolism

Main article: Fluid balance

Water is necessary for all life on Earth. Fluid balance is the concept of Human homeostasis that the amount of Fluid lost from the body is equal to the amount of fluid taken in Humans can survive for several weeks without food, but for only a few days without water. A constant supply is needed to replenish the fluids lost through normal physiological activities, such as respiration, sweating and urination. Urination, also known as micturition, voiding, and more rarely emiction, is the process of disposing Urine from the Urinary bladder In terms of mineral nutrients intake, it is unclear what the drinking water contribution is. However, inorganic minerals generally enter surface water and ground water due to the Earth's crust. Treatment processes also lead to the presence of some mineral nutrients. Examples include fluoride, calcium, zinc, manganese, phosphate, and sodium compounds^[1]. Fluoride is the reduced form of Fluorine. Both organic and Inorganic compounds containing the element fluorine are considered fluorides Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Manganese (ˈmæŋgəniːz is a Chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. Sodium (ˈsoʊdiəm is an element which has the symbol Na( Latin natrium, from Arabic natrun) atomic number 11 atomic mass 22 Water generated from the biochemical metabolism of nutrients provides a significant proportion of the daily water requirements for some arthropods and desert animals, but provides only a small fraction of a human's necessary intake. Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes in living Organisms It deals with the Structure and function of cellular components such as Metabolism is the set of Chemical reactions that occur in living Organisms in order to maintain Life. Arthropods are Animals belonging to the Phylum Arthropoda (from Greek ἄρθρον arthron, " Joint " A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. There are a variety of trace elements present in virtually all potable water, some of which play a role in metabolism; for example sodium, potassium and chloride are common chemicals found in very small amounts in most waters, and these elements play a role (not necessarily major) in body metabolism. Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 The chloride Ion is formed when the element Chlorine picks up one Electron to form an Anion (negatively-charged ion Cl&minus Other elements such as fluoride, while beneficial in low concentrations, can cause dental problems and other issues when present at high levels. Water is essential for the growth and maintenance of our bodies, as it is involved in a number of biological processes.

Requirement

See also: Water#For_drinking

Reference daily intake for water is 3. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Reference Daily Intake (or Recommended Daily Intake ( RDI) is the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient which was considered (at the time they were defined to be sufficient 7 L/day for human males aged 19-30 years[1]. Food contributes 0. 5–1 L, and the metabolism of protein, fat, and carbohydrates produces another 0. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most 25–0. 4 L^[2]. Thus, a person needs to drink approximately 2–3 L of water per day. Average urine output for adults is 1. 5 L a day. Breathing, bowel movements, and sweating result in a loss of an additional liter. Twenty percent of water intake comes from food consumption, so drinking 2 L of water, along with normal diet will suffice in replenishing fluids. These assumptions are limited by the condition of the subject, including personal health and physical exercise, but are also affected by temperature and humidity. ^[3]

There is a persistent myth that people should try to drink 8 cups of water per day[2], but there is no evidence to support that. For example people in hot places will need more water. Instead of aiming for a fixed number a person's thirst is a good guide, and there is no specific number to aim for. A good guideline is that a normal person should urinate 4 times per day, and the urine should be a light yellow color [3], fully clear urine is overdoing it.

The kidneys will adjust to varying levels of water intake, if someone drinks a lot of water the kidneys will produce more diluted urine, even if the person did not happen to drink a lot, and it takes time for the kidneys to a adjust to the new water intake level. This can cause someone who drinks a lot of water to become dehydrated more easily than someone who routinely drinks less. Survival classes recommend that someone who expects to be in an environment with little water (such as a desert), to not drink a lot of water, but rather to drink as little as possible for several days before the trip to accustom the kidneys to making concentrated urine. Not doing this caused the death of a man during a survival test [4].

Indicators of Safe Drinking Water

Access to safe drinking water is indicated by the number of people using proper sanitary sources. These improved drinking water sources include household connection, public standpipe, borehole condition, protected dug well, protected spring, and rain water collection. A borehole is the generalised term for any narrow shaft drilled in the ground either vertically or horizontally Sources that don't encourage improved drinking water to the same extent as previously mentioned include: unprotected well, unprotected spring, rivers or ponds, vender-provided water, bottled water (consequential of limitations in quantity, not quality of water), and tanker truck water. Access to sanitary water comes hand in hand with access to improved sanitation facilities for excreta. These facilities include connection to public sewer, connection to septic system, pour-flush latrine, and ventilated improved pit latrine. A pit toilet or compost toilet is a method of collection of Human waste used for Composting controlled decomposition, or Waste disposal Unimproved sanitation facilities are: public or shared latrine, open pit latrine, or bucket latrine^[4].

Access to drinking water

Drinking water vending machines in Thailand. A vending machine is a machine that provides various snacks beverages and other products to consumers The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj One liter of purified water is sold (into the customer's own bottle) for 1 baht

Earth's surface consists of 70% water. Water is available almost everywhere if proper methods are used to get it. As a country’s economy becomes stronger (as its GNP per capita or PPP rise) a larger percentage of its people tend to have access to drinking water and sanitation. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. Access to drinking water is measured by the number of people who have a reasonable means of getting an adequate amount of water that is safe for drinking, washing, and essential household activities.

In the US, the typical single family home consumes 69. 3 gallons of water per day. These figures are concerning in some parts of the country where water supplies are dangerously low due to drought, particularly in the West and the South East region of the U. S ^[5].

As of the year 2006 (and pre-existing for at least three decades), there is a substantial shortfall in availability of potable water in less developed countries, primarily arising from industrial contamination and pollution. Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties As of the year 2000, 27 percent of the populations of lesser developed countries did not have access to safe drinking water^[6]. Implications for disease propagation are significant. A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly Many nations have water quality regulations for water sold as drinking water, although these are often not strictly enforced outside of the developed world. Water quality is the physical chemical and biological characteristics of Water in relationship to a set of standards The World Health Organization sets international standards for drinking water. A broad classification of drinking water safety worldwide can be found in Safe Water for International Travelers.

It reflects the health of a country’s people and the country’s capacity to collect, clean, and distribute water to consumers. According to the United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) more than one billion people in low and middle-income countries lack access to safe water for drinking, personal hygiene and domestic use. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security These numbers represent more than 20 percent of the world’s people. In addition, close to 3 billion people did not have access to adequate sanitation facilities. Sanitation is the hygienic means of preventing human contact from the hazards of wastes to promote health (For details see data on the website of the Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) on water and sanitation of WHO and UNICEF. The United Nations Children's Fund (or UNICEF) was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946 )

While the occurrence of waterborne diseases in developed countries is generally low due to a generally good system of water treatment, distribution and monitoring, waterborne diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries, frequently called developing countries. The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties

The access to safe drinking water to the populations in several countries is listed below. ^[7]

The main reason for poor access to safe water is the inability to finance and to adequately maintain the necessary infrastructure. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election Overpopulation and scarcity of water resources are contributing factors.

Only forty-six percent of people in Africa have safe drinking water.

Many other countries also lack in the amount of safe drinking water that they need to survive. Some of the countries have less than twenty percent of the population that has access to safe drinking water. For example in Africa, with more than seven hundred million people, only forty-six percent of people have safe drinking water. The more populous Asia Pacific region with over three billion people, eighty percent of whom with access to drinking water, still leaves some six hundred and twenty seven million people without access to safe drinking water. [5]

The lack of water and the lack of hygiene is one of the biggest problems that many poor countries have encountered in progressing their way of living. The problem has reached such endemic proportions that 2. 2 million deaths per annum occur from unsanitary water - ninety percent of these are children under the age of five. [6] One program developed to help people gain access to safe drinking water is the Water Aid program. WaterAid is an international Non-profit organisation dedicated to helping people escape the Poverty and Disease Working in 17 countries to help provide water, Water Aid is useful in helping the sanitation and hygiene education to some of the world's poorest people. [7] Solar water disinfection is a low-cost method of purifying water that can often be implemented with locally available materials. Solar water disinfection, also known as SODIS is a method of disinfecting water using only Sunlight and plastic PET bottles ^{[8] [9] [10] [11]} Unlike methods that rely on firewood, it has low impact on the environment. Firewood was the primary source of fuel until the 1800s when it was displaced by coal and later by oil

Diarrhea as a major health effect among children

Diarrhoeal diseases cause ninety percent of all deaths of children under five years old in developing countries. Malnutrition, especially protein-energy malnutrition, can decrease the children's resistance to infections, including water-related diarrhoeal diseases. Malnutrition is a general term for a medical condition caused by an improper or insufficient diet. In 2000-2003, 769,000 children under five years old in sub-Saharan Africa died each year from diarrhoeal diseases. As a result of only thirty-six percent of the population in the sub-Saharan region having access to proper means of sanitation, more than 2000 children's lives are lost every day. In south Asia, 683,000 children under five years old died each year from diarrhoeal disease from 2000-2003. During the same time period, in developed countries, 700 children under five years old died from diarrhoeal disease. Improved water supply reduces diarrhea morbidity by twenty-five percent and improvements in drinking water through proper storage in the home and chlorination reduces diarrhea episodes by thirty-nine percent^[12]. In Medicine, diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea (see spelling differences) is frequent loose or liquid Bowel movements Acute diarrhea

Plans to improve availability of drinking water

One of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the UN includes environmental sustainability. In 2004, only forty-two percent of people in rural areas had access to clean water. Sixty-three percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa lacked access to basic sanitation facilities (hardly down from the sixty-eight percent in 1990). The effects of climate change add more distress to sub-Saharan Africa. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that 75-250 million people will have to cope with additional limitations to water access. The results could be terrible for the livelihoods of the disadvantaged and rural economies. Currently the UN is not on schedule with their plans but estimates that their intended goal will not be reached by 2015^[13].

Bottled water regulation

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency sets standards for tap and public water, while the Food and Drug Administration regulates bottled water as a food product^[14], while it must meet EPA tap water standards. However, it should be noted that bottled water is not necessarily more pure, or more tested than public, tap water^[15] Standards regarding safe public water systems are based on the Safe Drinking Water Act^[16]

For more information regarding United States regulation of bottled water production, see Code of Federal Regulations CFR129^[17]

United States' Bottled water classifications

Bottled water manufacturers in the United States must ensure that their products meet the FDA established standard of identity for bottled water products. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA is the principal federal law in the United States that ensures safe Drinking water for the public ^[18]. A bottled water product identified under a specific category, such as mineral water, spring water, artesian water, etc. In many places mineral water is often colloquially used to mean Carbonated water (which is usually carbonated mineral water as opposed to tap water A spring is a point where Groundwater flows out of the ground and is thus where the Aquifer surface meets the ground surface See Great Artesian Basin for the water source in Australia An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing Groundwater , must meet requirements established by the government or be considered misbranded.

Code of Federal Regulations, Section 21, subsection 165. 110 defines identity information for categories of bottled water:^[19]

• drinking water - The lowest common denominator of potable water categories, meeting the basic EPA/FDA standards
• ground water - The name of water from a subsurface saturated zone that is under a pressure equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure. Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations
• artesian water, also known as artesian well water - The name of water from a well tapping a confined aquifer in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. See Great Artesian Basin for the water source in Australia An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing Groundwater See Great Artesian Basin for the water source in Australia An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing Groundwater (Water that will rise above the water table if tapped) Artesian water may be collected with the assistance of external force to enhance the natural underground pressure.
  • How often is "artesian water" tested to meet these standards? The law says there is no mandatory testing, instead: "On request, plants shall demonstrate to appropriate regulatory officials that the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. "^[20]
• mineral water - The name of water containing not less than 250 parts per million (ppm) total dissolved solids (TDS), coming from a source tapped at one or more bore holes or springs, originating from a geologically and physically protected underground water source. In many places mineral water is often colloquially used to mean Carbonated water (which is usually carbonated mineral water as opposed to tap water Mineral water shall be distinguished from other types of water by its constant level and relative proportions of minerals and trace elements at the point of emergence from the source, due account being taken of the cycles of natural fluctuations. No minerals may be added to this water.
• purified water - The name of water that has been produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, or other suitable processes and that meets the definition of "purified water" in the United States Pharmacopeia, 23d Revision, January 1, 1995. Purified water is water from any source that is physically processed to remove impurities
  • Alternatively, the water may be called "deionized water" if the water has been processed by deionization, "distilled water" if it is produced by distillation, or "reverse osmosis water" if the water has been processed by reverse osmosis.
• sparkling water - The name of water that, after treatment and possible replacement of carbon dioxide, contains the same amount of carbon dioxide from the source that it had at emergence from the source.
• spring water - The name of water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth. A spring is a point where Groundwater flows out of the ground and is thus where the Aquifer surface meets the ground surface
  • Spring water shall be collected only at the spring or through a bore hole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring. There shall be a natural force causing the water to flow to the surface through a natural orifice. The location of the spring shall be identified.

Water Contaminants

Parameters for drinking water quality typically fall under two categories: chemical/physical and microbiological. Chemical/physical parameters include heavy metals, trace organics, total suspended solids (TSS), and turbidity. Total suspended solids is a Water quality measurement usually abbreviated TSS. Microbiological parameters include Coliform bacteria, E. coli, and specific pathogenic species of bacteria (such as cholera-causing Vibrio cholerae), viruses, and protozoan parasites. Distinguish from the birds called coliiforms. Coliform bacteria are the commonly-used bacterial indicator of sanitary quality of foods The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have Cholera, sometimes known as Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera, is an infectious Gastroenteritis caused by the Bacterium Vibrio cholerae (also Kommabacillus) is a Gram negative curved-rod shaped Bacterium with a polar Flagella that causes Cholera A virus (from the Latin virus meaning Toxin or Poison) is a sub-microscopic infectious agent that is unable Protozoa (in Greek πρῶτον proton "first" and ζῷα zoia "animals" are unicellular Eukaryotes (singular Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between Organisms of different Species.

Chemical parameters tend to pose more of a chronic health risk through buildup of heavy metals although some components like nitrates/nitrites and arsenic may have a more immediate impact. Arsenic (ˈɑrsənɪk is a Chemical element that has the symbol As and Atomic number of 33 Physical parameters affect the aesthetics and taste of the drinking water and may complicate the removal of microbial pathogens.

Originally, fecal contamination was determined with the presence of coliform bacteria, a convenient marker for a class of harmful fecal pathogens. Distinguish from the birds called coliiforms. Coliform bacteria are the commonly-used bacterial indicator of sanitary quality of foods Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the Anus A pathogen (from Greek πάθος pathos "suffering passion" and γἰγνομαι (γεν- gignomai (gen- "I give birth to" infectious The presence of fecal coliforms (like E. Coli) serves as an indication of contamination by sewage. Fecal coliforms (sometimes faecal coliforms) are facultatively-anaerobic, rod-shaped, Gram-negative, non-sporulating Bacteria. Sewage is the mainly liquid Waste containing some solids produced by humans which typically consists of washing water Feces, Urine, laundry waste and other Additional contaminants include protozoan oocysts such as Cryptosporidium sp. Protozoa (in Greek πρῶτον proton "first" and ζῷα zoia "animals" are unicellular Eukaryotes (singular An oocyst is the spore phase of certain Protists such as Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma. Cryptosporidium is a Protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with Diarrhea in humans , Giardia lambia, Legionella, and viruses (enteric)^[21]. Giardia lamblia (synonymous with Lamblia intestinalis and Giardia duodenalis) is a Flagellated Protozoan Legionella is a Gram negative Bacterium, including species that cause Legionellosis or Legionnaires' disease most notably L A virus (from the Latin virus meaning Toxin or Poison) is a sub-microscopic infectious agent that is unable Microbial pathogenic parameters are typically of greatest concern because of their immediate health risk.

See also

• Backflow prevention device
• Bacteriological water analysis
• Boil water advisory
• Bottled water
• Carl Rogers Darnall
• Clean Water Report
• Desalination
• Drinking water quality legislation of the United States
• Dual piping
• Flow: For Love of Water
• Food safety
• Giardia lamblia
• International Hydrological Programme
• Overpopulation
• Plumbing
• Tap water
• Waterborne diseases
• Water crisis
• Water fluoridation
• Water purification
• Water resources
• Water law

References

External links

• International Action - A Non-profit committed to providing access to clean water to the people of Haiti, using inexpensive technology
• Tap vs. Bottle - Santa Clara Valley Water District
• California Dept. of Public Health - The drinking water regulator for the State of California.
• Drinking Water Inspectorate - The drinking water regulator in England and Wales.
• KnowH2O - A water education initiative from PlayPumps International about drinking water and global water issues.
• Louisiana Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness - Locating Safe Drinking Water
• OpenWater Project - Instructional content about safe drinking water.
• Safe Drinking Water Is Essential - An online exhibit of the Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences that examines the state of the world's water supply and what can be done to improve it.
• Safe Water for International Travelers - A broad classification of drinking water safety worldwide.
• Safe Water International - Non-Profit committed to creating solutions to unsafe drinking water problems
• US Environmental Protection Agency - Drinking water program