Each September 18 marks World Water Quality Control Day 2024. This anniversary aims to encourage the population of all cities and towns on the planet to control, conserve and sanitize water in your locality and protect it from all possible sources of contamination.
Approximately the 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water and 99.9% of the Earth’s future depends on it. But only 2.5% is drinkable, so it is important that national and municipal governments, in addition to citizens, monitor its quality in their communities.
To raise awareness about the role of water in the worldthe American Clean Water Foundation (ACWF) invites the world’s population to, between September 18 and December 18, control and monitor its quality from a place that will be previously indicated depending on where they live and send the results to the site website of World Water Quality Control Day.
Water monitoring volunteers around the world
Participants do not need to be experts in the subject, since They receive a kit with all the necessary elements to carry out the controls and relevant instructions. Each participant must provide a series of important data, which arise from monitoring according to 4 parameters:
- Temperature
- Dissolved oxygen content
- Acidity
- Turbidity
In 2003, 24 countries participated in the first Water Monitoring Daywhich ACWF organized in collaboration with the International Water Association. But every year more people are interested in participating from practically all corners of the planet.
What happens to the water we drink?
In each country there is a certain monitoring of drinking water. In Spain this is one of the most controlled foods and is subject to permanent health monitoring from its collection in the natural environment until it reaches the consumer’s tap.
He water is constantly monitored at different points along its route, from its collection (catchment areas), through purification treatments to its distribution, whether treatment stations, distribution networks or urban and rural consumption.
The water is subject to permanent monitoring:
- Periodic monitoring of the measures adopted to protect the exploited resource.
- Control of the operation of facilities (pipes, etc.)
- Analysis carried out in different areas and according to hazards identified in water production and distribution systems.
A periodic study on the safety level of production and distribution facilities. And possible points of vulnerability in supply systems are also sought, especially in larger distribution units.
Control and protection measures must comply with the provisions of the European Directive (EU) 2020/2184 relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption and with national and municipal regulations.
- Establish sampling and analysis programs at various locations, both at production and distribution facilities.
- Guarantee the reliability of the analysis results.
- Check the physicochemical and bacteriological quality, that is, ensure that it does not contain contaminating microorganisms and that it has a sufficiently low level of substances that may be harmful to health, such as hydrocarbons, chlorine, heavy metals, nitrites, etc.
- Monitor and evaluate production, storage and distribution facilities (pipes, joints, valves, tanks, etc.).
- Put water monitoring under the responsibility of a person responsible for production and distribution.
- Make decisions related to administrative measures, such as authorizations, management of non-conformities, etc.
- Inform communities and consumers about water quality in each area in a truthful and transparent manner.