[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ATER and Sanitation are among the most basic human needs. Water covers 71 % i.e. 2/3rd of the Earth’s surface. Water is the most important constitution for all living being. Water is responsible for transporting all our nutrients to different parts of our body. It also helps in removing of waste out of our body and keeps our body temperature under control. 75 % of our body is made up of water. It is said human cannot live without air for more than 5 (five) minutes, without water for more than 5 (five) days and without food for more than 5 (five) weeks- Though 2/3rd of the Earth’s surface is covered with water only about 3% of the total water available is fresh water or potable water.
With the increase in population, more human activities like irrigation, factories, industries, Power generation, rapid deforestation etc. and the advancement in science and technology the demand for water has considerably increased. Added to these, there is also a talk of global warming/green house effect etc and so experts/scientist are of the view that unless we take care of our nature, our fresh water reserve will reduce to half in the next 50 years. Water has always been an important life sustaining to all living beings but can also destroy us if our water sources are contaminated. In short we can say, there are two types of water, safe and unsafe water.
The safe water is that water free of chemical and bacteriological contamination. Regardless of where potable water comes from ‘a lake, pond/well a river/stream, underground aquifer, a public water utility and even bottled water can be contaminated by a number of impurities. Some of these contaminants include chemicals like pesticides, iron, fluoride, nitrate, copper, lead, zinc, calcium, arsenic, toxic industrial wastes and bacteriological contaminations like human and animal wastes etc.
Consuming of unsafe water can lead to several diseases like nausea, fever, diarrhea dehydration, typhoid, hepatitis A (Jaundice), worm infections and long exposure can cause rashes, a number of immune, neurological, development and reproductive problems.
The PHE department has set up Water Testing laboratories in all the eleven (11) districts of the State. Everyone can avail the opportunity to test water from the laboratories where experts like the PHED Officials and chemist are available to extent their service.
Water and sanitation are co-related. Sanitation is not only the construction of toilets for safe disposal of excreta (faces & urine) but to keep ourselves, surrounding/environment clean so that conducive condition is created for good personal and community Health there by inculcating the habit of cleanliness as a way of life. In social development, lack of toilets affects people’s dignity, privacy, status and safety. Health is definitely one of the things that we take for granted until we lose it. Then you spend all your waking time to get it back. 80 % of the diseases in the Developing Nations are due to water borne and excreta related diseases like Diarrhea, Cholera, Dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A (Jaundice) and due to unhygienic living conditions like Malaria, Filaria, and Dengue etc. It has been reported (WHO/UNICEF Survey) that in India alone 1500 persons are dying daily and about 5000 persons are dying daily across the world due to Diarrhea diseases alone mostly are children below the age 5 (five) years.
Studies have shown that washing of hands with soap before meal after defecation and safe disposal of child excreta has reduced the incident of Diarrhea Morbidity by almost 50 % and child morality by 55 %.
A shit (Excreta) is a shit whether it is a child or an adult’s. A single gram of shit can contain up to 10000000 (one crore) viruses 1000000 (ten lakh) bacteria and 1000 parasite cysts.
Unhealthy surrounding, unhygienic condition such as open defecation, stagnation of water become the breeding place of Mosquitoes and other insects which become the carriers of diseases and directly transmit to the human. There is nothing more important than your health. When you have a sound health, you will actually be more effective at work, at studies, you will have better ideas, and you will have more energy, you will even look better, you will be happier, more confident, more mental clarity. All these can happen if we can know how to keep ourselves, our villages/towns, our surroundings and our environment clean.
Preserve our Nature especially our forest as we all know that “Conservation of Forest is Conservation of Water” Treat water with respect because water is life. Remember, Pearls do not sustain life but drops of water do.
Contributed by-
Water & Sanitation Support Organization(WSSO) PHED
Nagaland
