On The Boil

image by http://www.wktv.com/

by Kelly Estilette



          Water is an important facet from the faucet for humans, we use it for drinking, bathing, cooking, brushing our teeth and countless other ways. Water pollution occurs when a body of water is contaminated and is a form of environmental degradation affecting the entire biosphere of plants and organisms. As if the health risks to humans, the plants, and organisms we share the planet with are not enough, water pollution and subsequent boil orders also affect education and financial gain. A boil-water advisory or boil-water order is a public health advisory or directive given by government or health authorities when a community's drinking water is, or could be, contaminated. The Centers for Disease Control  and Prevention (CDC) recommends that water be brought to a rolling boil for one minute before it is used in order to kill protozoa, bacteria and viruses. However, water pollution can take many forms including, chemical, bacterial, viral, and parasitic to name a few. These water advisories or boil-orders often result in school closures keeping parents’ home from work and business closures which in turn result in owner and employee wage loss.

Common causes for boil-advisories are water-main or water line breaks, low water pressure, flood or weather related events, power outages, over-population and climate change. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that a water main breaks in the U.S. every two minutes (HuffPost UK, 2018). Infrastructure breakdown and old water systems are major problems contributing to water system dysfunction and the resulting water pollution putting ourselves and the organisms with which we live in jeopardy.  Federal spending on water utilities has diminished since the 1980’s with a nationwide revamp of water systems being estimated at $1 trillion with no funding in sight and a growing problem.

Fighting for funding through elected officials requires time while countless communities of humans, plants and other organisms are put in a risky health situation due to water pollution. Raising public awareness and finding new funding sources is key to clean waters for the future of our Earth and its inhabitants.

References

"Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolboxdrinking Water Advisory Communications Toolbox | Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene-Related Emergencies & And Outbreaks | Healthy Water | CDC". Cdc.Gov, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/dwa-comm-toolbox/index.html. Accessed 1 Mar 2018.

 "Pennsylvania > Water Quality > What Is A Boil Water Advisory?". Amwater.Com, 2018, https://amwater.com/paaw/water-quality/what-is-a-boil-water-advisory. Accessed 1 Mar 2018.

HuffPost UK. (2018). It's Disturbingly Common For Americans To Go Days Without Safe Drinking Water. [online] Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/water-systems-health-boil-orders_us_57363feee4b060aa781a6244 [Accessed 1 Mar. 2018].