The SARS-Cov-2 sewage water samples of 20 August in Netherlands

Since the end of February, KWR has been monitoring concentrations of the genetic material of the coronavirus, so-called SARS-COV-2 RNA, in the sewage water in seven cities, at Schiphol Airport and in Terschelling. The concentration is a measure of the infection rate among the population that is connected to the analysed sewage system. The KWR microbiologists were one of the first research groups in the world to publish their research method, so that colleagues in other countries could also monitor sewage water in a standardised fashion. This page presents the current analysis of the sewage water samples collected on Thursday, 20 August. We do not observe any great shifts in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Amersfoort, Tilburg, Schiphol or Franeker. Rotterdam, in turn, shows an increase for the second week in a row. In Apeldoorn, a signal can again be observed for the first time after a long period, and Terschelling has again fallen below the detection limit. We did not receive any monitoring data for The Hague.

How Much Water Is on Earth?

Earth has a lot of water. It's one of the things that makes our big, blue planet so special. Learn more about Earth's water in this video! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZK2xTNzgq8&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=NASASpacePlace

Bacteria and viruses commonly found in drinking water

Both bacteria and viruses are microorganisms regulated by EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) criteria. Viruses are the smallest form of microorganisms capable of causing disease, particularly those of a fecal origin infectious to humans by waterborne transmission; bacteria are typically single-celled microorganisms that can also cause health problems in humans, animals or plants, despite many form’s ability to aid in water pollution control.

https://www.watertechonline.com/wastewater/article/15545721/bacteria-and-viruses-commonly-found-in-drinking-water

To filter or not to filter?

While it isn’t essential to have a water pitcher filter in your refrigerator, these carbon filters can help purify and remove a host of contaminants that affect the taste and smell of your water.

However, they won’t kill bacteria and if too much gets trapped in an unchanged filter, those microbes can multiply to levels that can make you sick.

So, if you can’t remember the last time you changed out your filter, it’s definitely time to do so. And if you love drinking from the tap, keep doing you.

iBATHWATER project

iBATHWATER is a real-scale demonstration project for a new integrated management system for the urban sewerage network. Its application is expected to reduce the impact of discharged untreated rainwater on the natural environment, thereby improving the quality of bathing water during and after episodes of intense rainfall. The two cities where the pilot tests are being carried out are Barcelona – coastal waters – and Berlin – river water.

https://www.ibathwater.eu/?lang=en

Are we running out of clean water? - Balsher Singh Sidhu / TED-Ed

 

3 types of water: Mineral Water, Spring Water, Table Water

 

1)      Mineral Water: It is exclusively of underground origin and is bottled on site at its source, which must be recognized and protected. It is prohibited, by law, any process of disinfection or chemical treatment.

·         From deep subterranean reservoirs

·         From pure verified sources

·         Has nutritional properties

·         Naturally contains minerals

·         Bottled at the source

·         Internationally regulated

 

2)      Spring Water: It has essentially underground origins, is bottled at its source and is not subject to any disinfection process, like natural mineral water.

·         Does not have to contain a constant amount of minerals

·         Can be bottled from multiple sources

·         Limited official regulations

 

3)      Table water: It goes through any disinfection or treatment process deemed necessary for the safety of the consumer. Its physicochemical parameters are in line with those of ordinary drinking water.

·         Combination of water from different sources and can have other ingredients   added, for example, sodium.

·         Physically and chemically purified

·         Can be produced and bottled everywhere

·         May also be served using a tap system

·         Limited official regulations

What does water mean?

Water is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms. It is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients. Its chemical formula is H2O, meaning that each of its molecules contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, connected by covalent bonds.

"Water" is the name of the liquid state of H2O at standard ambient temperature and pressure. It forms precipitation in the form of rain and aerosols in the form of fog. Clouds are formed from suspended droplets of water and ice, its solid state. When finely divided, crystalline ice may precipitate in the form of snow. The gaseous state of water is steam or water vapor. Water moves continually through the water cycle of evaporation, transpiration (evapotranspiration), condensation, precipitation, and runoff, usually reaching the sea.

Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface, mostly in seas and oceans. Small portions of water occur as groundwater (1.7%), in the glaciers and the ice caps of Antarctica and Greenland (1.7%), and in the air as vapor, clouds (formed of ice and liquid water suspended in air), and precipitation (0.001%).

Water plays an important role in the world economy. Approximately 70% of the freshwater used by humans goes to agriculture. Fishing in salt and fresh water bodies is a major source of food for many parts of the world. Much of the long-distance trade of commodities (such as oil, natural gas, and manufactured products) is transported by boats through seas, rivers, lakes, and canals. Large quantities of water, ice, and steam are used for cooling and heating, in industry and homes. Water is an excellent solvent for a wide variety of substances both mineral and organic; as such it is widely used in industrial processes, and in cooking and washing. Water, ice and snow are also central to many sports and other forms of entertainment, such as swimming, pleasure boating, boat racing, surfing, sport fishing, diving, ice skating and skiing.