H2O THIRST ATLAS
Once upon a time, I crossed the pathway of a water treatment technician working for the city. I currently reside in a country abundant in natural resources but does not take it for granted. I wanted his input regarding his expertise and how it impacts the world.
I asked: «What is H2O treatment?»
He responded: «The purification of water is a process in which biological contaminants including some chemical compounds and organic & inorganic materials are removed from water. The objective of this treatment is to reduce many contaminants such as algae, bacteria, fungi, parasites, suspended particles, and viruses.»
I asked: «Why is the purification of water a must in all countries?»
He responded: «The objective of this treatment is to clean drinking water. It also provides to the needs of chemical, industrial, medical and pharmacological applications.»
I asked: «Who regulates water quality?»
He responded: «The standards, detailing the maximum concentrations of harmful contaminants permitted in safe water, of purification quality is set by government agencies.»
I asked: «Can you judge water quality by visual examination?»
He responded: «No, never! If there is nothing written in a bottle then do not jeopardize your health and do not drink it! You can die from contamination.»
I asked: «Can you judge water quality by taste?»
He responded: «No, never! If you do not know the source of the water then do not jeopardize your health and do not drink it! You can die from contamination.»
I asked: «Can you die from thirst?»
He responded: «Yes, you can die from dehydration! One can also die by drinking contaminated water. Water is a resource provided to the common-man and should not be appropriated as a weapon of destruction.»
I asked: «Does water purification defer by community?»
He responded: «Yes! Water treatment differs depending on the quality of the source water but there are always quality control checks during the purification process.»
I asked: «Can you name the steps in water purification?»
He responded: «Certainly! 1) Coagulation: Chemicals with charges are added to bind with particles. 2) Flocculation: The formation of flocs by mixing water. 3) Sedimentation: It separates solids from water. 4) Filtration: It passes water through filters to dissolve contaminants. 5) Disinfection: It adds chemical disinfectants to kill remaining contaminants.»
I asked: «Has the city ever issued warnings regarding water contaminant levels?»
He responded: «Yes! It does so by broadcasting at large, to the geographical zones impacted, a water boil warning message.»
I asked: «If you were living in a war zone, hearing bombs drop, powder everywhere and hear distress yells, and received an order to evacuate immediately, what goes in your mind and what do you bring?»
He responded: «Like the rest of the world, I would panic and think of evacuating all family members in my household. I would worry about family members who are not in the household and who could not be reached. The last thing I would think about is carrying water bottles while I lead my family to run for their life!»
I asked: «If you were living in a war zone and the opponent nation cutoff electricity, can you receive any form of distress messages?»
He responded: «No, it's like adding oil to fire. How do you expect people to see in the dark in chaos. I thought wars have rules!»
I asked: «If you were living in a war zone and the opponent nation cutoff water supply and water pipes are damaged from war, what goes on in your mind?»
He responded: «I would call the nation a madman! The respect for human life is what distinguishes the human from the man!»
I asked: «If there is no electricity, can you boil water?»
He answered: «Obviously not, so your last recourse in removing one layer of contaminants is taken away from you and a step forward to death!»
I responded: «Thanks for a wonderful lesson in H2O Thirst Atlas!»