Bad Water

Water is considered unsafe when it contains worms, germs, and toxic chemicals. Without
access to safe water, households, schools, workplaces, farms, and factories are struggling to
survive and thrive. Some of the major problems of unsanitary water go on to cause problems
beyond the illnesses, such as problems within society. Water is an indispensable element to
human life but about 11% of the world’s population do not have access to clean water. The
estimate is that about half of the world’s hospital beds are filled with people suffering from a
water-related disease. Beyond the safety concerns, many marginalized groups are often
overlooked and be discriminated against, preventing them from gaining the access to the safe
water they need to survive.

Women’s Burden
Women are affected by the water crisis disproportionately as they are often responsible for
carrying water - it takes away the time they could be in school, at work, or in general caring for
themselves and their family. The water crisis looks women in a cycle of poverty. When females
have to go to remote or dangerous areas to relieve themselves, the risk of sexual violence
increases. The chances of physical injury from constantly carrying heavy loads of water also
increase.

Putting Things Into Perspective…

Every two minutes a child dies from a water-related disease. That means by the time we get to
the same time the next day, around 720 children will have died from a preventable disease. 1
million people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related diseases. A third of all
schools lack access to basic water and sanitation.
It is also an economic crisis - about $18.5 billion of economic opportunities and benefits is lost
each year from avoided deaths if there was universal access to safe water. $260 billion is lost
globally annually due to lack of basic water and sanitation.

List of Problems
- Germs, causing serious health problems that can affect a whole community
- Chemicals that cause illnesses like skin rashes and cancers
- Diarrhea and dehydration from diarrhea
- Infections like scabies and trachoma
- Cholera
- Guinea worm
- Blood flukes (schistosomiasis, bilharzia, snail fever)
- Anemia
- Malnutrition
- Death
Rain Catchment System
Ever looked at your house from Google Maps and wondered how much rain water you can
gather from the size of your roof?

Rain catchment systems is a fantastic way to tap into one of the most untapped reserves of free
and abundant resources - rainwater that falls above us on our roofs. Even in drier locations like
Phoenix, Arizona where about an average of 8 inches falls each year, one can still harvest close
to 10 000 gallons of water each year, which offers more than enough abundance for all our
water needs. It is not that it may never rain, but rather that when it does, most of that runoff is
lost.

For Big Roofs

Rain catchment systems make the best use of what little rain there is. It is a simple system,
cost-effective, and also lasts a long time. It is great for larger-roofed structures as the efficiency
increases exponentially with size. Systems can connect gutters to a central water tank capable
of storing about 100 00 litres of water or more at a time. On average, a system will cost a total of
7-12k for skilled labour and materials.

Households
Rain barrels are also great for households. It is a popular way to begin rainwater harvesting
especially in urban areas. With relatively low costs, rain barrels can be purchased from most
home and garden retail locations and be installed beside houses, under decks, or in other
unused spaces. The first and most important step of installing any rainwater catchment system
is having a good roof and gutter system, preferably metal, bamboo, terra cotta, cedar, or
thatched roofing over shingles as shingles are made with toxic ingredients that can leach and
contaminate your water supply.

Rain Formula
To calculate how much rain you may be able to catch, follow this formula:

0.63 x (area of roof)

The 0.63 value is the quantity of water in gallons one inch deep in one square foot of space.

The final number gives the number of gallons that can be collected.
https://thewaterproject.org/rain_catchmenthttp://www.calgary.ca/UEP/Water/Pages/Water-
conservation/Lawn-and-garden/Rain-barrels/Green-Calgary-Rain-Barrel-Sales.aspx

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/flint-water-crisis-lower-fertility-rates-increased-fetal-death-rates/