Did you know that about 3.1% of deaths in the world occur due to unsafe and unhygienic water? For something that contributes mainly to human beings’ survival, drinking contaminated water can have disastrous results.
Furthermore, in march 2019, UNICEF stated that unsafe water is far deadlier than a war in more than a dozen conflict-affected countries worldwide. 85,000+ children die due to a lack of clean water and poor sanitation every year.
Clearly, we can’t possibly undermine the importance of clean water. It’s essential than anything else right now.
Currently, In India, the water, although available to some extent, is not so secure that you can directly consume it from the tap. This is because tap water isn’t truly contaminant free and might contain water-borne diseases.
What are water-borne diseases?
Water-Borne diseases are predominantly the health issues caused by microscopic organisms via contaminated water. These organisms include viruses and harmful bacteria.
There’s a good chance that unsafe water contains viruses such as Hepatitis A and E, bacteria E.coli which leads to dangerous illnesses like typhoid fever and cholera. Other major water-borne diseases include diarrhea, dysentery, and meningitis.
However, all of these diseases spread when you ‘drink’ unclean water. So, you can also catch water-borne diseases if you’re using contaminated water for washing/cleaning purposes. Contaminated water is also capable of causing skin and infectious eye disease- Trachoma, which can lead to visual impairment or, even worse, losing eyesight altogether.
So how do you prevent yourself from these water-borne diseases? Here’s a list of preventive measures to be taken for the same!
Ten ways to keep water-borne illness out of your home!
1) Sticking to purified water is the best way to prevent any water-borne disease! So you must only drink purified/ filtered water at all times.
2) Make sure that your water containers are clean and germ-free. Also, don’t forget to wash them daily.
3) Fruits and vegetables are often covered with certain chemicals to ensure that they look fresh and fruity for an extended period. So, it’s crucial to wash them thoroughly before cooking or consuming them.
4) Try not to eat out frequently, and stick to home-cooked meals as much as you can!
5) Make sure that the water tanks and pipes at your house are regularly cleaned and well maintained.
6) Get a water purifier with multiple purification stages- RO, UV, UF, and Alkaline to ensure maximum purity.
7) As stated by WHO, Vaccines can prevent up to 3 million deaths worldwide. Hence it’s an effective way to control the outcome of water-borne diseases. Moreover, vaccines for Typhoid, Hepatitis A, and Polio are available in almost all the clinics, so get vaccinated as early as possible.
8) Before taking a bath, add an antiseptic like Savlon or Dettol to level up your hygiene game!
9) Get your water purifiers regularly serviced and keep them properly maintained.
10) If in case you do catch a water-borne disease, don’t go out until you’re fully recovered.
Drink Clean, Stay Safe!
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