Unit-05: Clean Water and Sanitation

Unit-05: Clean Water and Sanitation
1	What are the effect of drinking unclean water and bad sanitation on communities?
Ans:	Drinking unclean water and having poor sanitation can lead to severe public health crises. Communities facing these issues suffer from increased incidences of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and dysentery. The health impacts extend to economic consequences, as frequent illnesses reduce workforce productivity and put additional strains on healthcare services. Children in these communities often miss school, which affects there educational progress and future opportunities.
2.	Why is the demand for clean water rising day by day?
Ans:	The demand for clean water is rising due to population growth, urbanization, and increased needs from sectors like agriculture, industry and energy. As populations grow and cities expand, more water is needed not only for drinking but also for agricultural production and industrial processes. Additionally as living standards improve globally, per capita water consumption increases, further driving up the demand for clean water.
3.	How can dirty water be purified?
Ans:	Dirty water can be purified using various methods, depending on the contaminants present. Boiling is effective against pathogens but does not remove chemical pollutants. Filtration systems can screen out particles and some chemicals, while chemical disinfectants like chlorine kill bacteria and viruses. Advanced methods include reverse osmosis, which forces water through a semi-permeable membrane to remove salts and impurities and ultraviolet light treatment, which destroys harmful microorganisms without adding chemicals to the water.
4.	What role does water play in sustainable development and environmental conservation?
Ans:	Water plays a central role in sustainable development and environmental conservation. It is essential for agriculture, industry and energy production, which are pillars of economic development. Water also supports ecosystems that provide critical services like carbon sequestration and climate regulation. Sustainable water management ensures that these functions are preserved, supporting biodiversity and providing resilience against environmental changes and disasters.
5.	How does climate change impact access to clean water and sanitation?
Ans:	Climate change impacts access to clean water and sanitation by altering weather patterns and increasing the frequency of extreme events such as droughts and floods. These changes disrupt water supply, reduce water quality, and damage sanitation infrastructure, make it more challenging to provide stable and safe water services. As global temperatures rise, water sources become more unpredictable, necessitating more robust and adaptive water management strategies to secure water access for all.
6.	What are the economic implications of investing in clean water and sanitation infrastructure?
Ans:	Investing in clean water and sanitation infrastructure has significant economic benefits. It reduces healthcare costs by preventing waterborne disease and boosts productivity by keeping the population healthy. Improved water and sanitation systems also attract business investments and can increase property values. additionally, these investments create jobs in the construction, maintenance and management of water services, contributing to overall economic growth.
7.	How can technology innovation play a role in improving access to clean water and sanitation?
Ans:	Technology and innovation are crucial in improving access to clean water and sanitation. New technologies such as automated water purification systems, smart water meters and efficient waste water treatment processes increases the availability and quality of water while reducing waste. Innovations in water recycling and reuse transform waste into a resource, providing solutions in areas facing water scarcity. Furthermore, technological advancements help in monitoring and managing water resources more effectively, ensuring sustainable usage.
8.	Explore the way of purifying contaminated water.
Ans:	Purifying contaminated water involves several techniques that can be applied based on the specific pollutants present. Physical methods like sedimentation and filtration remove solids and some pathogens. Chemical methods involve adding substances such as chlorine to kill bacteria or using activated carbon to remove toxins. Biological treatments utilize microorganisms to decompose organic pollutants in wastewater. Advanced technologies such as membrane filtration and reverse osmosis are effective at removing a wide range of contaminants, including viruses, bacteria, salts and heavy metals making water safe for consumption.
9.	Identify the health issues caused by drinking unclean water.
Ans:	Drinking unclean water can cause a variety of health issues ranging from acute to chronic illnesses. Short-term effects include gastrointestinal infections like cholera, dysentery and typhoid which are primarily caused by bacteria and viruses. Long-term exposure to contaminated water can lead to more severe health problems, such as liver and kidney damage, reproductive issues and neurological disorders due to chemical pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides. Ensure clean water supply is crucial to prevent these health risks.
11.	Summary of the Article ‘Clean Water & Sanitation’
Ans:	The article “Clean Water & Sanitation” emphasizes the critical need for access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene globally, citing that billions of people could lack these basic services by 2030 unless significant progress is made. The demand for water is surging due to factors like population growth, urbanization and the expanding needs of agriculture and industry. This demand exacerbates water scarcity, which is also being intensified by climate change. The article highlights the importance of investing in water infrastructure and snatiation facilities, protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems, and improving water-use efficiency as essential steps to achieving universal access to save water by 2030. It discusses the role of water in sustainable development and underlines the interconnected challenges of water scarcity, water pollution and the need for cooperation across borders to manage water resources sustainably. The article calls for greater accountability from governments, increased research and development in water management and enhanced participation from civil society to address these challenges effectively.