Problem, solutions and prediction

1. Problem, solutions and prediction

2. Problem: Clean and sanitary water Every day people wake up, turn the faucet and have clean water pouring into the sink, but for many people this is not the case. In the world 1.2 billion people suffer from inadequate water and about 2 million children die because of the lack of water (Human Development Report, 2006). Inadequate water is a lack in either the quantity or the quality of the water. Unclean water can carry deceases that cause sicknesses and can even kill. In many countries people travel miles to obtain water and only the amount that they can carry. In such cases people can become sick from dehydration because there is not enough water to drink. The deficiency of clean local water is a huge problem because it causes sickness and can even cause death.

3. Solutions: Spring Water Catchers One solution of inadequate water is a spring water system. These systems are concrete boxes built around a spring or water supply with pipes to individual homes or to a centralized location (Global water, 2010). The concrete boxes and pipes keep the water clean from life threatening contaminants. The pipes also carry water to a more easily accessible location. Where spring catchers have been built locals no longer fear sickness from water and they no longer need to travel far distances to the water supply.

4. Solution 2: Water filtering system Another solution to inadequate water is water filtering systems. An easily operated and inexpensive water filter is slow-sand filters (Global Water, 2010). The slow-sand filters form “a biological layer on the sand that traps and destroys harmful bacteria and viruses” (Slow Sand Filtration, 2012). Through this system harmful things are removed from the water and people are able to drink clean water.For example a village has a local water supply but it has been contaminated by animals. Through the filter all the harmful substances are removed from the water and the villagers can drink safe water.

5. Prediction: Which method is better? • Spring Water Catcher Water Filter • Benefits • Brings water closer • Natural clean water • Problems • Leaks in pipes • Crakes in the concrete • Benefits • Cleans already existing water • Local water • Easy to maintain • Problems • No local water supply • Crakes in system containers

6. Prediction Although both the spring water system and the slow-sand filter are both good solutions; but the water filter is the better solution. This is because it cleans existing water. Where as the spring water system can only work if there is a local spring or clean water available but not easily accessible. Another reason why the water filter is the better solution is because it has only one container and one pipe; while the spring water system also has only one container but it has multiple pipes. The more parts that a system has the more chances there are for breaks and crakes causing contamination. Therefore the water filter has less possible future problems. The water filter is the better system because there are less potential problems and cleans already existing water.

7. Reference • Beyond scarcity: power, poverty and the global water crisis. (2006). In Human development reports. Retrieved from http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2006/. • Projects overview. (2010). In Global water.Retrieved from http://globalwater.org/global-projects/ • Slow sand filtration. (2012). In The safe water system. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/safewater/sand-filtration.html