The benefits of clean water and having plenty of safe water to drink are well known. Most of us have experienced the feeling of not getting enough water; when we feel sluggish and light-headed from being dehydrated.
Many common health problems can be avoided by all of us if we simply drink more water.
Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water helps to flush out wastes from our bodies.
Water is a transport medium for the nutrients our bodies need.
Body temperature (perspiration) is regulated by the amount of available water in our bodies.
Water also regulates the pH balance and supports a multitude of physiological processes.
Being well hydrated elevates our energy levels and can help alleviate headaches.
Severe dehydration causes a multitude of health problems, not the least of which are fatigue, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, weakness, and loss of energy.
But some people have plenty of water to drink. Take the rain forest, for instance. Water is everywhere, but people still suffer from a lack of safe, clean water. The water they find to drink is often unsafe for them to consume. See "Water-borne Diseases"
So what they need is not just any water, but they need to experience the benefits of clean water! Clean, clear and safe water.
So, what do we mean when we use the term "clean water"? In the context of this website, we are referring to water that is safe for human consumption. “Safe” water is also a good definition. Safe water must be free from disease-causing pathogens. But water that is free of pathogens may still be clouded by sediment.
Water that is fit for human consumption must be clean and clear. It must be water that does not have offensive odor or color, making it undesirable and unpalatable, and deterring people from drinking it. It must be desirable to drink it and people must have confidence that they can give it to their family with certainty that they are giving them water that is fresh, clean, clear, healthy and safe.
Access to safe, clean water opens up a world of possibilities for community development. Without water, the most basic element of life, all other development efforts will hit a brick wall.
Sanitation and hygiene, working together with a source of clean water create lasting community health and sustained human growth and development.
Just the simple act of washing hands with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrheal disease. When coupled with the use of adequate sanitation facilities and a dependable source of clean water, the multiplied effects are even greater.
As a child, disease from lack of water, sanitation and hygiene carries over into the schoolhouse. A child’s education is affected by an increase in absenteeism, decrease in cognitive potential, and increased attention deficits. Young girls often stop going to school if the school lacks adequate sanitation facilities.
With the benefits of clean water, adequate sanitation, and good hygiene in place, educated individuals grow up to be enterprising adults, who become the owners of businesses, as well as corporate, community and national leaders.
From the early years of life, throughout childhood and into adulthood, water is the common beneficial factor determining the quality of life and the possibilities of the future.
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