How does water get to your tap?

It seems magic when water begin to flow. However, is technology that always must be watched out to achieve perfect purification. It is often believed that if you are not going to cook or drink water does not have to be drinkable ... False. If we shower ourselves with unclean water, we would suffer skin diseases. But, for WC cisterns we recommend using recycled 'gray water'.

'Water is vital' It is a true statement? Let's see it with data: in the human body water is equivalent, on average, to 60% of the weight of a man and 55% of that of a woman. Regarding this the recommended daily intake is: 2.1 liters for boys, 1.9 for girls, 2.5 for men and 2.1 for women (although if you are pregnant you should drink between 2, 3-2.7 liters). Do you want to know more about how important this substance is for vital functions to be carried out? click here Hydration for health enriches this point.

'Water is scarce'. Another common sentence, is the data supporting it? Apparently not, it covers about 70% of the globe. However, the statement is perfectly correct: only 0.025% is drinkable in the state of nature. The challenge is not only to have access to water (although some 750 million people lack it according to UNICEF) but to make it suitable for human consumption. How it can be done?

The water that reaches Barcelona is found in the Ter and Llobregat rivers, in the Besós river aquifer and in 90 wells distributed throughout the province. The first step to get it out of the tap is its catchment. Alert! at this time there are contaminants in the water that make its consumption impossible. Therefore, the second step must be started in a treatment plant: purification. This process consists of 6 steps as explained by Acciona:

1. Pretreatment: a screen prevents large solids from floating and separates sand from water. Without further delay, a first disinfection is done.

2. Coagulation and Flocculation: by means of pumps, the liquid is transported to the mixing chamber where the PH is adjusted and the elements for the purification are incorporated.

3. Decantation: the law of gravity separates the elements in suspension while the most harmful remain at the bottom and are eliminated.

4. Filtration: in it the less dense elements that had been left in the water in the decantation are retained by the filters.

5.  Disinfection in depth: it is carried out thanks to chlorine, ozone or ultraviolet rays  By the way, swimming pools should be disinfected using thesame techniques.

6. Analysis: we  are searching perfect potabilization. The process must end by ensuring that the water is: tasteless, colorless and colorless and meets established health standards.

After the purification comes the last step: distribution that is carried out thanks to pipes that transport water to each municipality and from there to our houses, premises, industries, etc. Now operate the faucet handle with awareness, smoothness and ... Don't forget to save it.