As the global population hurtles towards 10 billion people by 2040, WSS (water supply and sanitation) industry continues to experience all forms of pressure, especially because of the climatic change. However, the UN has put this issue a top priority, and part of its goals is to achieve a great future for everyone.
With more focus put on providing clean water worldwide, most companies and organizations have come up with ingenious strategies. The ultimate goal of these companies and organizations is for everyone to access at least 30 liters of clean and safe water to bathe, cook, and drink every day. For them to achieve this, some technological advancements have been designed to solve water contamination and shortage problems. Some of these technological advancements include:
Fog Catchers
Fogs can provide a source of clean and freshwater in dry regions and might be harvested through low-cost and simple collection systems. The systems are stabilized between two different posts and designed in the form of a mesh net.
Once the droplets are collected, they flow through storage tanks and shipped to nearby locations. In places such as the Andes, the collected water is piped through towns or delivered by trucks.
Purifiers
It is very important to be sure that your water has been treated or purified before drinking. If your water is already contaminated, there are purification methods, which you can use today. The most common method is to use a water purifier, which sucks up contaminated water and filter out micro-organisms and sediments.
Some purifiers use electrostatic charges, but others use chemicals to capture or kill bacteria and viruses. The earliest purification method used to involve chlorine. Though because of chlorine ineffectiveness to kill protozoa and negative impacts on human health, the technique has lost its popularity. Today, there are other effective purifying techniques, such as:
- Reverse osmosis
- UV
The Drinkable Book
For individuals in rural areas or developing nations, accessing clean water can be as easy as opening a book or ripping pages out. This is the same idea behind ‘The Drinkable Book, designed by a group of US researchers in partnership with a non-profit company.
A single page from this book can filter around 120 liters of drinking water and can offer a sustainable and affordable solution for people suffering from sanitation problems.
Softeners
Naturally, water has different minerals, like magnesium and calcium. Whether water is regarded as soft or hard, it depends on the number of minerals. Soft water has low levels of magnesium and calcium when compared to hard water.
The decision to soften water is a matter of personal choice, which may affect the environment and your home. If the hardness is more than 120mg/l or 7 grains per gallon, you will need a water softener to make sure your appliances operate well and improves the taste, look, and smell of water. Basically, water softeners consist of three components, including:
- Brine tank
- Control valve
- Mineral tank
Final Remarks!
Water insecurity is a complex issue, and part of it is because of the limited groundwater supplies and large population. Billions of gallons of safe water systems and infrastructure are also crumbling down.
However, thanks to new technology, everything is about to change. With the likes of water purifiers, softeners, drinkable book, and fog catchers, people can now get clean water, which can change lives in important areas, including poverty, child development, and health.
