The need for water purification and recycling

• Water is a scarce resource and less than 1% of the water on earth is available for sustaining life.
• As the human population increase so does the demand for water
• There is an urgent need for water purification and recycling to conserve this scarce resource.
• Many available freshwater sources are contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms and are not suitable for domestic purposes (especially drinking and cooking)
• Many people in remote, rural areas do not have access to safe, clean drinking water and have to purify their own water
• In some areas there are water shortages
• Larger communities, such as towns and cities, have water purification plants to purify drinking water that is piped to homes
• Possible actions to recycle water:

  • Individuals can make a difference by reusing grey water for watering vegetable gardens or flower beds
• Grey water is untreated waste water from baths, basins, showers and washing machines.
• Waste water from toilers and kitchen sinks is known as black water and must be purified before recycling