We take water for granted
because we live in a society where water is plentiful and cheap, and remarkably
clean. The United States, among many industrialized nations, does not have to
deal with need for clean, sanitized, non-polluted drinking water that much of
the globe must contend with on a daily basis.
In his book, Clean Water for
Developing Countries, John Dracup writes:
“Protecting our water sources
from toxins and pollutants requires relentless vigilance as water itself is
uniquely vulnerable to contamination. As a universal solvent it is capable of
dissolving more substances than any other liquid on earth. It’s also why water
is so easily polluted.”
Though the book is
technically based, it gives an amazing amount of practical information for
anybody who wishes to look into providing water systems in needy areas. Dracup
has taught water resource engineering, and hydrology at both the University of
California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Berkeley. And the
author has traveled the globe installing these water systems so he knows
firsthand the challenges, and the costs associated with them. Between 2011 and
2017 he was involved with clean water projects in Kenya, Peru, Honduras and
Guatemala.
“The majority of those
impacted by unsafe water live in isolated rural areas of the developing world,”
he writes. “Cost, sustainability, cultural differences and acceptance by those
who will use the water are all important factors in providing clean drinking
water to these people. By far, the most successful water enhancements in
developing countries are tied to community organizations, particularly among
the female population.”
And if nothing else this book
shows how important it is for clean water to be made available for every person
on the face of this planet. Those of us fortunate to live in developed
countries clearly don’t comprehend the challenges faced by millions of people
on a daily basis to simply go and get water. I covered this very topic in my
book Our World of Water: The Good, the Bad
& the Ugly of Earth’s Most Critical Resource but the need is constant
and will not go away. Clean Water provides
detailed information, and case studies about the success of various modest
water installation projects, which help bring water to rural areas affected by
not only pollution, but urban development and expansion. If it doesn’t inspire
you, then hopefully it will edify your understanding of water.
Clean Water for Developing Countries
By John A. Dracup, PhD
302 Pages
Clean Water Press, Santa Monica
$36.95
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