August is National Water Quality Month, a time dedicated to preserving Earth’s most valuable resource: water. Water is essential to all life on Earth, and the need for clean, accessible water is as urgent as ever as globally, around 50 percent of the world’s population are exposed to extremely high water stress at least one month a year, according to the World Resources Institute. And by 2050 that number could be closer to 60 percent.
National Water Quality Month traces its roots back to the 1970s with the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972 and the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974. These acts were pivotal in improving water quality, and in 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United Nations established National Water Quality Month to promote awareness and encourage actions to protect the nation’s water sources.
Without easy access to clean water, there would be no more drinking water straight from the tap, no more pools, and no more lakes and rivers clean enough for recreational activities. Clean water is vital not just for humans but also for the ecosystems that rely on these water sources.
The chemical industry plays a vital role in developing the products and technologies that enable clean water. Advances in technologies made possible by chemistry help enable water conservation, sanitation, reuse and the transformation of contaminated water into clean, safe drinking water for people around the world.
Chemistry plays a crucial role in helping to protect the safety and quality of our drinking water. The products of chemistry, like chlorine and water disinfecting tablets, can help provide potable water in regions around the world impacted by emergencies and environmental disasters. And PVC plastic used in pipes can help conserve energy and water through their use in water delivery systems that can minimize leaks, are not prone to corrosion and resist environmental stress.
Various chemical processes are employed to remove contaminants and make water safe for consumption:
- Coagulation and Flocculation: These processes involve adding chemicals like aluminum sulfate to water. These chemicals cause particles to clump together, making it easier to remove impurities.
- Filtration: Activated carbon filters are used to trap organic compounds and other contaminants. This process relies on the chemical properties of carbon to adsorb impurities.
- Disinfection: Chemicals such as chlorine and chloramine are used to kill harmful pathogens in water, a vital step for preventing waterborne diseases.
- pH Adjustment: Chemicals like lime or sodium hydroxide are added to adjust the pH levels of water, ensuring it is neither too acidic nor too alkaline.
National Water Quality Month serves as a reminder of the critical role water plays in our lives and the environment, and the important role that the chemical industry plays in helping provide safe, clean drinking water.
