The invention of water purification
Executive summary
In this report, I am going to introduce to you the historical background of water purification and also the modern methods of purification. More importantly, we need to know the importance of water purification in our modern society and its application. I will also discuss the current obstacles that hinder the progress of water purification, business opportunities from water related industries and its future development.
Rationale for choosing this topic
- Clean water is a necessity for living but the supply of clean water is extremely scarce.
- Water related disease (Cholera, Diarrheal) cause 1.8 million deaths each and every year.
- In the developing world, the cumulative effect of water-related disease stifles economic growth and stresses healthcare systems that are already overloaded.
- The access to clean water is becoming one of the largest issues due to its severity.
- The best solution to solve the issue is through water purification methods to obtain clean water. A single Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units can sustain a roughly 1,000 to 6,000 people.
The invention and improvement of various water purification methods going to be the solution for all these problems.
Background Introduction
Today, people are becoming more aware of the importance to drinking water, with that awareness comes the concern about the quality of water they are drinking, water that looks drinkable can contain harmful substances that may cause illness if ingested. Communities get their water from rivers and lakes (surface water), from springs and wells (groundwater) or from both surface and ground, these sources of fresh water makes up less than 1% of the total water resources on earth. About 97% of the water on earth is found in the oceans. Most of the rest is frozen in the polar ice caps and in glaciers.
According to a 2007 World Health Organization report, 1.1 billion people lack access to an improved drinking water supply, 88% of the 4 billion annual cases of diarrheal disease are attributed to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation and hygiene, and 1.8 million people die from diarrheal diseases each year.
Historical Background
Water purification first invented by the Greek at around 2000 BC. People back then knew that heating water might purify it, and they were also educated in sand and gravel filtration, boiling, and straining.
In 1627 the water treatment history continued as Sir Francis Bacon started experimenting with seawater desalination.
In the 1700s the first water filters for domestic application were applied.
1804 the first actual municipal water treatment plant designed by Robert Thom, was built in Scotland.
In 1902 calcium hypo chlorite and ferric chloride were mixed in a drinking water supply in Belgium, resulting in both coagulation and disinfection.
In 1949 Reverse Osmosis was invented
Social Impact
20th Century
South Korea made huge investments in water and sanitation during the1960s, when its per capita income was the same as Ghana's, and during that decade, under-five mortality more than halved, while the number of medical staff stayed virtually the same. (WaterAid)
In the UK the expansion of water and sanitation infrastructure in the 1880s contributed to a 15-year increase in life expectancy in the following four decades. (HDR, 2006)
Current Situation
A global crisis
884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world's population. (WHO/UNICEF)
2.6 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation; this is almost two fifths of the world's population. (WHO/UNICEF)
1.4 million children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unclean water and poor sanitation - 4,000 child deaths a day or one child every 20 seconds. This equates to 160 infant school classrooms lost every single day to an entirely preventable public health crisis. (WHO/WaterAid)
| Reducing Water-Related Disease Impact of Improved Water Infrastructure, Selected Studies | ||||
| Place | Type of Facilities or Improvement | Type of Study | Diseases | Difference in Incidence After Improvement |
| Uttar Pradesh, India | Piped water | Before and after | Dysentery | 76% reduction |
| Kwara State, Nigeria | Boreholes, hand pumps, and health education | Before and after | Dracunculosis | 81% reduction |
| Cebu, Philippines | Private, sanitary latrines | Before and after | Diarrheal diseases | 42% reduction |
| Lusaka, Zambia | Extension of piped water supply | Before and after | Typhoid | 37% reduction |
Future Goals
Methods of Water Treatment:
· Desalination
· Reverse Osmosis
· Filtration
· Disinfection
· Coagulation
Detailed explanation of Water Treatment for better understanding
Economic Impact
Business Opportunities from Water purification
· Clean water is also an industry with huge potential. Companies such as Pure Water are the leading firms in the industry.
· Household water-purification system
· Industrial waste water treatment
· According to a recent report by Lux Research, water use is projected to grow globally to 40 percent by 2030, and water-related revenues are projected to grow from around $500 billion in 2007 to nearly $1 trillion by 2030.
Political Impact
Case Study: Solving the Water Shortage Is the
Key to Mideast Peace
Key to Mideast Peace
Obstacles Facing Now
- Cost of setting up and also the cost of purified water are too high
- Efficiency of the method
- Availability of the equipment
Other Applications of the technology
- Drinking water
- Food Industry
- Other industries (Car washing)
Future Improvement
- Increase in research to improve the efficiency as well as lower the costs
- Through sustainable water treatment development
- Examples of some emerging technologies
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