Save Water Save Life Save Earth
Soft water is a funny thing, because it is really water in its purest form. All of the mineral (namely calcium and magnesium) ions are missing, making the water as close to two H"s and an O as possible. But we as humans are not accustomed to it, and it makes us realize the primary beneficial aspect the minerals give to the water "" they reduce water"s natural corrosiveness. Without those minerals, soft water will corrode the metal parts associated with the plumbing of a pool, jacuzzi hot tub or kitchen or bathroom faucet much more rapidly, making the problems associated with hard water seem benign by comparison.
Who would have thought that water, the element responsible for life on Earth, was such a dangerous thing when not properly tempered by the earth element?! Most people don"t have to worry about soft water, since balanced and hard water are much more common, in nature as well as in urban and suburban reservoirs and facilities, but there are those places that have either naturally occurring soft water or where the water has been softened to a certain extent by people. In swimming pools, hot tubs spas, or when taking showers in soft water you may feel like the sterilizer, soap or shampoo you are using is especially slimy or filmy, and it will lather up much more than usual. A normal portion of such a product could surprise you with the amount of foam is creates, and the feeling that it doesn"t want to wash off. Using less of the cleanser may be a sufficient way to respond to the soft water situation, or perhaps getting a showerhead filter that hardens the water. In the case of swimming pools and hot tubs spas, however, using less chlorine or bromine sanitizer could raise concerns about bacteria growth not being prevented as it should be. Baking soda can be added to harden the water, which is a fairly common practice with laundry, and you should be aware that some water softening agents are sometimes added to laundry detergents, so if this is the case with your detergent you may want to add the baking soda even if your water is not already soft. A washing machine (or a jacuzzi hot tub) will be the perfect place to discover the presence of soft water, because the presence of a mountain of suds will be unmistakable. If the water to the house is soft, it could be causing corrosive damage to various parts of the plumbing and it is advisable to invest in a water hardening system that can balance the water to the whole house. Of course, hard water is problematic for plumbing as well, and leaves behind the tell tale calcium deposits. Many aquarium owners are already familiar with the necessity of hardening water for the sake of fine tuning the habitat for certain marine life (namely corals, snails and tube worms), putting specialized commercially available materials like calcium chloride pellets and magnesium sulfate (commonly found in Epsom salt) directly into the tanks. They must be careful to follow the formula carefully to prevent creating a toxic underwater environment. People are much more resilient, of course, but it is true that hard water can cause skin and eye irritation, and can create a solid soap scum that covers the hair and skin and clogs the pores. Here it becomes evident that one of the best ways to tell if your water is not balanced is to ask yourself whether your skin truly feels clean after washing. If there is a residue, the frothiness of the soap will tell you that the water is soft, and the appearance of stains or scales will signify hard water.
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Water scarcity in India is widespread in all states. Even in states like Karnataka where we are proud to say that infrastructure is the best, there is water shortage affecting the school children also. Around 65% of primary schools lack basic drinking water facilities. The toilets are found in neglected condition in 75% of the schools. Though Rs 350 cr have been allotted for the improvement, lack of good implementation programs in a scheduled manner has not given good results. Meals are provided to several lakhs of children but due to lack of tap water supply, they are not up to the mark.
As the water drawn from the well, rivers, and ponds are not adequately hygienic, water borne diseases like Hepatitis B have sprung up. Rotary club and Lions club have come forward to arrange camps in various parts of India to combat this. At free of cost they give medicines, injection and medical advice in places like Neyveli Township. The common attacks due to the ill conditioned water in India are Hepatitis A, B, C and E viruses. Around 3% in India fall a prey to Hepatitis B. Around 2% are affected by Hepatitis C virus which attacks the bones. From these persons it is spread to various regions monstrously in India says the experts. A common man in India cannot bear the expenses for Hepatitis C treatment. So the philanthropists and service minded organisations like Lions club, Rotary club render their helping hands throughout India. Since proper treatment is not given to water before it enters the kitchen, hotels, hospitals and schools, many in Chennai are affected due to Hepatitis E, treacherous water borne virus. In some schools like Christian college school in Chetput, Chennai, they conduct visual education classes to teach the various ways in which water gets contaminated. In TamilNadu, an area called Nellikuppam, sugarcane is grown in abundance and a, sugar factory engages many thousands round the clock. In this area more than 50 were recently attacked due to impure water resulting in Water gets contaminated. In TamilNadu in a place called Nellikuppam sugar cane is grown abundantly and a huge sugar factory is also located. In this more than 50 were reported attacked by dysentery, vomiting etc. They suspected it to aftermaths of Tsunami and contamination of ground water. Though the health authorities assured the public that all care were taken to monitor the water contamination, the agitation shot up as more and more were admitted in government health centres and hospitals. The people suspected that municipal authorities have failed to clear the garbage, human and animal wastes in many areas of Cuddalore which had caused this calamity. More than 3 persons died due to acute cholera type of amoebasis. To fight all waterborne diseases in Tamilnadu, 20 panchayat unions have conducted medical camps in Tiruvannamalai district. ECG, blood, urine, were conducted for one and all. Immediate actions were taken to curb any virus attacks. The statistics also says that 609500 children die from poor hygiene in India which is the highest in the world. This poor hygiene emanates TB, cholera, filaria, cancer etc. in India. In Kerala a few medical practitioners and patients are reported dead due to virus in water. The National Virology Institute, Pune had taken steps to analyse the situation. The incidence had also disturbed the political leaders in Trissur, Alapuzha and Kasaragod where pollution had taken place. Hepatitis A was found and spread heavily in Trissur district. A woman was also reported dead due to attack of jaundice. Kerala is famous for Ayurveda treatment. Kottakal Ayurveda Salai has branches all over India. They have very effective medicines for all water borne diseases. They have no side effects and many VIPs including the former Prime Minister prefer this simple treatment given in Kerala. In most the cases, ground water is found over drawn by industries manufacturing artificial drinks like Kali cola, Fruitnik, Frooti, Goldspot etc. The govt. has issued several notices to such companies, but still they continue doing it to spoil the water beds. So the govt. has introduced a device which will stop the flow of water pumped out by electric motors in rural areas. Works on infiltration wells in Palar River has helped the people in Vellore, Tamil Nadu to get additional supply of drinking water. Along with various states, Chennai city is drastically affected by good water supply. The reservoirs built long back are unable to meet the demands of rising population. The residents mainly depend upon water tankers which supply 4000 trips/day. The reservoir level is very low to meet the demands of 60 lakhs in Chennai. Only selected areas get alternate day supply of water around 600 million liters. This water will be yellow in color and sometimes brown fully revealing the contamination in it. Hence all 60 lakhs residents go after mineral water only. This is a zooming industry due to water scarcity everywhere. Find more information about pure water here. |