Archive for the ‘Water’ Category

Using the movement of water to create power for machinery and other applications was first discovered thousands of years ago, dating back as far as ancient Greece, and has continued to be a reliable way to produce energy throughout civilization. In ancient Greece, the Greeks created large wheels that churned through the water and powered the rods attached to the machines they used to grind wheat and flour.

By the 1700′s, developing countries around the world were making the most of water power for their energy needs. Various ways of using natural falling water to produce energy were introduced through the years. The most common process uses the water to turn a motor that is connected to a separate generator that then produces energy that can be used for a variety of applications.

A small hydro power system is very beneficial to the environment because it doesn’t contaminate the air or water with pollutants and these operations require very little space. Some small water powered generators can operate on such a small amount of water that they can be placed beside a small stream and there is never a need for a dam or a designated reservoir.

In the past few years, many people have realized how much more friendly these small hydro power systems are to the environment and several countries have set up these systems to provide some or all of their electricity. Small water powered generators can produce electricity without harming the environment and without the expense of natural fuels and dam structures. Commercialized countries, like the United States, as well as remote, populated regions of countries including Nepal, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Peru, and China, use small hydro power systems for their energy needs.

Water power, or hydro energy, is so appealing because it is a renewable resource that we can not run out of. Producing electricity with water power can be difficult, however. To use water power to generate energy, you must have rapidly flowing water. This type of waterway is not available everywhere and, in most cases, these rivers are only swift in certain seasons.

To replace an environmentally damaging nuclear power plant with a water power plant, it is typically necessary to alter the water to meet the community’s energy needs throughout the entire year. This includes incorporating water gates to keep the water level stable and creating overflow areas to hold unused water for later use. These extra expenses can create some damage to the environment as well. Altering the water flow of a natural body of water can have a significant affect on the water level underground, which can change the animal and plant life in the area.

There are three different types of hydro power systems. Fluid hydro electric units are the most simple to build, but they rely on consistently flowing water to operate. A fluid hydro power system usually doesn’t have any sort of accumulation reservoir and, if it does, the reserve water can be used within a couple hours of operation. This type of generator uses most of the energy produced by the water to generate power immediately, so without a constant flow there is no electricity. Reversible hydro power systems are typically storage plants that pump water rather than a natural flow.

Accumulative hydro power systems are the most widely used type and are more commonly known as hydro electric dams. Hydro electric dams are either near the dam, meaning the actual water powered generator is located right below the dam, or derivational, which means the construction is placed further down and pipes connect the system to the reservoir.

Generating electricity with water power can create a number of obstacles and is not always an easy task. During warmer months, the natural water flow typically decreases so hydro power plants must close their dams and build up their reservoirs. If there are any fluctuations in the water level underground, there could be even more severe problems to overcome. The benefits of using hydro power to generate our electric demands far outweigh the difficulties, however. Water power is not only clean and free of pollutants, it is a renewable natural resource that doesn’t waste other diminishing materials to generate the energy we need.

Author: Erin Hunt
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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You hear about a natural weather disaster or other emergency almost everyday. And if something happened in your area, would you know how to find water for you and your family to drink? Next to air, water is the most important substance for human life. Over 60% of the adult human body is comprised of water. Having clean drinking water is something most people take for granted but in an emergency situation, the water in your tap may be contaminated. Knowing enough to avoid contaminated water could mean the difference between life and death. Here are some water safety facts you should know.

Sources of Contamination in Water

During an emergency listen to emergency broadcasts to know if common public water systems have been contaminated. For instance, a weather disaster such as a tornado, hurricane, or even an earthquake could upset the water system. Wait until you get some directions from emergency personnel before drinking tap water after an emergency. Sources of contamination in water from outside of the home come from micro-organisms and bacteria that normally cannot be seen with the eye. Gulping water out in the open could mean taking in contaminated water that contains dangerous or even deadly diseases or bacteria. The diseases or bacteria could incubate in your body from one day and up to several weeks before symptoms occur. Sometimes there won’t be any symptoms or you could experience symptoms that include diarrhea, bloody stools, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea and vomiting, or fever.

Avoid This Water Altogether!

To avoid contracting sickness, bacteria, or disease from contaminated water do all you can to avoid drinking these sources of water.

- Waterbeds may not be in style anymore, but if you happen to have one, skip drinking the water in it. It could be filled with pesticides and other chemicals that prevent the growth of algae, fungi, and bacteria. If these chemicals are not in the water, the algae, fungi and bacteria will be so you still don’t want this in your body.

- If you find a source of water that is cloudy and full of trash, avoid drinking it.

- Whenever you are not sure about the purity of water, be cautious and sterilize or purify the water before drinking it.

- Never use contaminated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, wash your hands, make ice, or prepare baby formula. This is another way that contaminated water would get into your system.

- Totally avoid water with toxic chemicals or radioactive materials. Listen to emergency broadcasts to learn about these sources. Then avoid this source of water at all costs.

These are just some of the sources of potential contaminated water. Look for resources to give you more information. If you have a baby to care for, store an emergency supply of baby formula that does not need to have water added. To stay clean, look for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to wash your hands. Without a doubt, clean water is the most important substance you need to survive during an emergency. If you don’t get any other emergency supplies, be sure to organize your water sources and learn where to get your hands on clean, drinkable water if needed.

Author: Consuelo Meux
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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ASTM Type II is defined as water that has greater than 1 MΩ/cm2 resistivity. Lower grades are not recommended for most application and Type I water rinses (>18 MΩ/cm2 might be necessary for especially sensitive application like HPLC and mass spectrometry. While there are several different ways for water purification like filtration, different kind of filtration, sterilization by UV radiation, adsorption by activated charcoal, to achieve the resistivity required for lab-grade water, the water need either to be distilled or deionized. Distillation requires the heating of water to the boiling point and collection of the condensate form the vapor.

This method is the oldest method to produce lab-grade water, but it consumes large amounts of energy, and is unable to remove contaminants that have a lower boiling point than water. The most commonly used method today is deionization. This process uses two ion exchange resins over which the water flows. One resin exchanges cationic contaminants for an H+ and the other exchanges anionic contaminants for a OHion. Both resins can be mixed together in one container. The quality of the water depends on the lengths of the exchange column and the quality of the resin. The resin has to be replaced from time to time. It can be regenerated, and many water purification companies sell resin cartridges with regenerated resin, but new (virgin) resin has a higher cleaning capacity, and does not carry the risk of cross-contamination from other applications.

One main feature you need to be aware of when choosing a lab water purification system for your lab glassware washer is the water use of the washer. If you do not require a large cleaning capacity and you are looking for washer with a small footprint like e.g. the 24″ Miele G789, the Labconco undercounter FlaskScrubbers, the Lancer LX, or the untercounter washers from Hotpack, a low flow water system might be the right solution for you. Low flow glass washers with DI-water requirements for up to 6 liters/min can use low-flow water systems that might be a much more affordable alternative to a high-throughput-system. Most glass washer, however, require a larger water flow, and high flow system with flow capacities of 15-40 l/min will be able to fill the need. Some lab water purification system comes with pressurized storage tanks and spare DI-filter cartridges.

Another feature that should be considered when choosing a water purification system is the ease of the maintenance. Filter cartridges need to be exchanged from time to time, and some systems require a maintenance plan from the manufacturer. Other systems can be serviced easily and within a few minutes by the user.

Quick reference guide for choosing a water purification system for a lab glassware washer: The following questions should be answered before choosing a water purification system.

What water quality do I need? Water quality needs are based on the applications for which the glassware will be used. Most application will require ASTM Type II water with a resistivity of >1 MΩ/cm2

What water flow capacity is needed?âEUR¨Some small lab glassware washers have a low flow requirement and might be able to be fed by a low flow water purification system that can be more affordable alternative.

How much maintenance am I willing to do myself? Service contract for routine maintenance and cartridge exchanges can offer peace of mind, but doing cartridge exchanges yourself might be more cost efficient alternative that has potentially the additional advantage of reducing downtime of the system.

Is a point-of service DI-water source needed additionally to the glass washer feed? Is the water purification only meant to provide a source of the DI-water feed for the glassware washer, or is the possibility to obtain water for other applications also required? Some water purification systems will include a point-of service access to the DI-water. Frequently asked questions

What is ASTM Type I and Type II water? The American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM) sets standard for the amount of ionic contamination in lab-grade water. ASTM type I water has the highest purity and a resistivity of >18 MΩ/cm2, which corresponds to an ionic contamination of less than 1ppb. ASTM Type II water has a resistivity of >1 MΩ/cm2 or less than 500ppb total ionic contaminants.

Do I need a rinse with ASTM Type I water? ASTM Type II water is sufficiently pure for rinsing of laboratory glassware for most common applications. However there are certain applications that are more sensitive to ionic contaminants like e.g. most analytical chemistry, molecular biology and tissue culture applications. In these cases it might e necessary to feed ASTM Type I water to the glassware washer for rinsing.

Do I need a service contract for my DI-water system? All deionizing water purification systems require regular maintenance as the ion exchange resins have a limited capacity and need to be exchanged on a regular basis. This need to be done by trained technicians for many systems. However, there are some systems that allow exchange of the filter cartridges by the user within minutes. This might reduce down-time and costs for maintenance contracts.

Author: John Buie
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Fresh water is the most precious resource known to man – without it nothing can survive. For water is quite literally the source of life the reality is however, that we are facing a water crisis of gargantuan proportions. What we need is conservation on a global scale.

FACT: 12 per cent of the world’s population uses some 85 per cent of the world’s water!

As the earth continues to warm our polar ice caps will melt which will lead to rising sea levels and much of the worlds fresh water becoming saline and unfit for human consumption.

It may be hard for us in the developed world to grasp, but, only a mere 1 per cent of the world’s freshwater is suitable for human consumption. 97.5 per cent of the world’s water is saline!

Did You Know? The earth’s oceans can retain 1000 times more heat than the atmosphere!

Water consumption has increased six fold over the past 100 years – more than double the rate of population growth however, water is not distributed evenly and 1 in 7 people across the globe have no access to freshwater and 2.5 billion people over 40 per cent of the population have no access to sanitation!

97 per cent of all available freshwater is stored deep underground in ‘aquifers’ and a third of the world’s population depend on this ‘groundwater’ for their very survival, but the reality is that many of the world’s natural aquifers are empty, in effect we are running a groundwater overdraft of some 200 billion cubic meters per year – this overdraft will, if current trends continue spiral exponentially as the effects of industrialization and demand continue to soar.

By 1995, a total of 80 countries, home to 40 per cent of the world’s population encountered serious water shortages. By 2025 it is anticipated that over two-thirds of the world’s population some 66 per cent will be facing severe water shortages and widespread drought. In the same time frame experts predict that our demands for water would have increased by a further 40 per cent!

FACT: Bottled water may seem like the ideal fashion accessory, BUT be warned, we cannot keep taking this valuable resource from our springs and glacial regions, bottle it in plastic! and ship it across the globe without it seriously jeopardizing both the environment and the 1 billion people who have NO water.

Easy Steps To Water Efficiency:

A shower a day can help you save on the amount of water that normally goes down the plug hole – baths use 80 litres of water whilst a 8 minute shower uses just 35!

Turn them off – leaving taps running whilst you are cleaning your teeth for example wastes 5 litres a minute.

Repair – dripping taps or leaky faucets can WASTE as much as 90 litres of water per week.

Don’t waste it! – Collect water that normally goes down the plughole and water your plants!

Did You Know? One-third of the UK’s domestic water is literally being flushed away! each flush uses 10 litres of water

FACT: Garden sprinklers use an almighty 1000 litres of water every hour.

Water – Water your plants in the evening – this way the plants get maximum benefit!

If you like a clean car – wash it by hand just think of the exercise!

Only run the washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load!

Install a low-flush toilet – or put a hippo in your cistern!

Don’t waste time and money waiting for your tap water to go cold… use old bottles and keep them in the fridge.

Fit a water butt! Water your garden for FREE.

Author: Christine Farrell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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By now, we are all educated enough to know there is a serious water crisis at hand. Living in Australia the majority of the population is either living in drought stricken areas or residing where water restrictions of various levels apply. Water conservation is one way that all of us can partake in to help relieve this problem.

On a daily basis most of us have the potential to save many litres of water just around the home alone. Little or no effort at all is required when trying to conserve water therefore the combination of all of us doing ‘a little’ means ‘a lot.’ Research currently shows that we are all becoming more ‘water aware’ which is a great sign, but there is still so much more we can do.

Water Saving Ideas

Take time stop and think how you and your family can save our precious water.

For example:

Is the tap left running when you brush your teeth? This is a definite no no. Thousands of litres of water are wasted every day just by this practise alone. Only turn on the tap when you need to.

How much water do you waste running down the sink whilst waiting for the cold water to run hot. Many of us a guilty of this but there are ways around it. Use the cold water to refill water jugs in fridge, pour on plants or fill the dog bowl!

Check your water metre count and do not use any water for about three hours. Re- check the water metre to determine if the count has gone up. If this occurs you know you have water leaks. All it probably is are leaking taps that may only need a washer replaced to resolve the problem.

Most water that can be recycled comes from the family bathroom. Keep buckets in the shower to catch excess water that would normally just run down the drain. Water collected in the buckets can be used for cleaning your bathroom or for watering your garden.

Essential Tips

The current water situation is in a crisis and has been for some time now. Water is essential for the survival of ourselves and our planet. There is much information out there on water conservation and water recycling. All it takes is a little reading to become more educated and excited to fight for the cause.

Many products are available to help save water such as slow flow shower heads, water-free car cleaning products and shower timers which are provided by your local council. One of the best Water Saving products on the market is the Rainwater Tank. The tanks come in all shapes and sizes to suit all homes. Many local councils offer rebates on the purchase of rainwater tanks. This is to help encourage us all to install water tanks on our properties which will save us water and hundreds of dollars.

Author: Nicky Price
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The headline seems outrageous and alarming at the same time; the first answer that many might give is a laugh. When one considers the value of water and the source of many historic conflicts, however, the question is anything but funny. Fresh water is second only to oxygen in terms of importance to human life and though our planet is covered by almost 1,400,000,000 km 3 of water, only 2.8% of that is fresh water, and of that, the vast majority is locked in the polar ice caps . The remaining 11 million km 3 sustains the entire population of Earth – over 6.5 billion humans and countless plants and animals.

Without drinking water, a human being can survive for approximately one week . Compare that need to the ‘need’ for oil, land or physical wealth – all sources for conflict in the 20th and 21st centuries. There are many in our world that do not possess great amounts of these commodities and, while that does make their lives decidedly more difficult, their lives continue and they manage to cope. Yet if the wealthy were denied water for one week, they would be dead or dying, despite their wealth.

Beyond the obvious extreme example, above, is a far more likely case and that is water shortages and rationing. Fresh water is a commodity used by humans for many purposes: drinking, irrigation and waste disposal, to name just a few. These competing demands tug at the supply of available fresh water on our planet. In 2001, the World Resources Institute and the University of New Hampshire proposed a threshold of 1700 m 3 of renewable fresh water per person . When available supplies fell below this level, the authors noted that water shortages occurred with predictable frequency; above this level no trend of shortages was apparent.

On the surface, it would seem that Earth is flush with potable water supplies; currently there exists more than 1,700,000 m 3 of fresh water per person. When one examines the distribution of the renewable fresh water on the planet, however, a different picture emerges.

Looking at historic conflicts, specifically the World Wars of the 20th century, poor availability of food and general economic stress were two primary conditions that facilitated the rise of Facism and ultra-nationalism in Europe. While other social and cultural factors clearly played an important role, it must be realized that today, humans everywhere have significant cultural, religious and political differences with their neighbors. During times of peace and prosperity, we embrace our neighbors and refer to these differences as ‘diversity’ and ‘multi-culturalism’. During times of stress, when resources are limited, these differences often become dividing lines, dividing the ‘haves’ from the ‘have nots’ as those in control of the resources seek to take care of their families, friends and those most like themselves, first. This in turn creates more shortages for those on the outside as resources are stripped from them and distributed to the privileged.

History has shown that during times of severe stress, leaders who play to the divisions among people are more likely to emerge. These leaders often offer blame instead of pragmatic solutions and compromise and it is in this environment that wars develop. It is conceivable that a time will come where water is in scarce supply in a region of severe ethnic and cultural tension – the Middle East being a prime candidate. The region as a whole has all of the ingredients for a water-war: a large population, many ethnic and religious factions, a history of colonialism that has arbitrarily installed a few in power and highly concentrated and localized fresh water sources.

While this view is pessimistic, it is plausible. To reinforce this, consider that over half of Israel’s water demands are currently being met outside of its internationally recognised borders; and as a result, water has become a major factor in all disputes, especially over the Golan Heights . The Golan water-shed is the source for more than 55% of Israel’s fresh water needs and forms part of the main aquifer-system that supplies Israel with most of their water supply. Additionally, the headwaters of the Jordan River and Sea of Galilee are located in the Golan. While the strategic military importance of the Golan Heights is significant, the strategic importance of the Golan watershed is primary in all parties’ minds.

To guard against these pessimistic outcomes, there must be a focus on delivering clean water to populations around the globe. With water, peoples everywhere can grow crops and feed their families; only after meeting these basics, can populations realistically take the time to seek education and self-betterment. While the current global water conditions warrant concern, there is room for optimism. One of the major hurdles in bringing fresh water to undeserved populations is power. While there is some fresh water above ground, the vast majority, 10,500,000 m3 in fact, is in the form of ground water; to fully utilize this resource, electrical and mechanical power to run pumps and water distribution systems is necessary.

Often, the regions most in need have been regions far from power generation facilities and national electrical grids. With the increasing availability of affordable, locally-generated power from wind, solar and fuel-cell technologies, there is reason to hope. When power is produced locally, it does not require a transport grid and it is not disrupted when disasters or conflict strike other nearby regions; this means that not only do the lights stay on, but that water continues to flow and crops continue to grow.

Water, like oxygen, is a basic requirement for human life; therefore, when we hear that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person,” we should also hear that they have a right to clean water supplies.

Checkout http://h2bid.com/wordpress/ , the Water Blog

Author: Michael Sheppard
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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More than half of all Americans will drink some brand of bottled water during the course of an average year. With the cost of water as much as $2.50 per liter – translating to over $10 per gallon – the big question is why would someone pay this much for something that can easily be obtained from the nearest tap?

When questioned, over a third of people that drink bottled water do so because of concerns about the safety of tap water. Another third drink it as a substitute for other beverages – like coke, juices, lemonade, etc. The remainder, drink it for convenience, taste, peer pressure, prestige, or a combination of other reasons.

Much of the increase in the number of people drinking bottled water is due to aggressive marketing by the bottled water industry which promotes the perception that bottled water is safer and more pure than tap water.

It is true that most bottled water contains no detectable level of contaminants, but that is also true of most tap water found in major cities. Not only that, but we’ve also seen scams in the past where some bottled waters have been filled with tap water. So we can’t just assume that because water is bottled that it is safer than tap water.

California is the largest consumer of bottle water in the nation. California also has the most stringent water standards in the country. Other states have little or no standards on bottled water testing. Therefore, the quality of the bottled water that you have access to, largely depends on where you live.

The most common contaminants tested for are:

Coliform bacteria – while not dangerous by themselves, their presence often indicates the presence of other more serious bacteria.

Synthetic chemicals – with more and more companies dumping their waste into public waters, synthetic chemicals are showing up in water tests. Many of these synthetic chemicals are so new that no one knows what long-term effects they may have on the human body.

Fluoride – especially important for women concerned about bone loss. Excessive fluoride levels can cause adverse effects on bones.

Arsenic contamination – this is a well known human carcinogen. If the water is from communities near mining companies or other industrial companies, the groundwater may be contaminated with arsenic.

Chloroform – another human carcinogen. Also thought to poison the liver and have adverse effects on the heart.

Nitrates – the controversy still rages over whether this is or is not a carcinogen. Many health nutritionists believe that it is a cancer trigger.

Next to oxygen, water is the most important and essential element necessary to life. But regardless of what the bottled water ads may lead you to believe, this does not mean that all bottled water is superior or even as good as the tap water in your city.

Author: Jim E. Allen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Secure, plentiful water is often taken for granted by most guests, employees, and managers in food service-which is ironic when you think about what a really scarce resource it’s. In fact, salt drinking water makes up about 97% of all the water on earth. An additional 2 percent is inaccessible, frozen in remote ice caps and glaciers.

A lot more than half of the single percentage that remains worldwide is now diverted for human use, and yet the combination of increased population, industrial technology, and irrigation have pushed individuals to use an incredible 35 times more water than our ancestors did just three centuries ago. In 2003, the United Nations Population Fund estimated that if drinking water consumption rates continue to rise at their existing rates, humans will be utilizing more than 90 % of all obtainable fresh water within 25 years, and 5 billion from the world’s 7.9 billion people will live in areas where safe water is scarce.

According towards the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans use nearly 100 gallons of drinking water per person per day. Since the 1990s, you’ve most likely noticed the menu text or table tents at some eateries reminding guests that they is going to be given a glass of drinking water only if they request it. After all, for each glass of water on their table, it takes as numerous as five more gallons to wash, dry, and sanitize it.

Hotels are notorious water-guzzlers too-according to a study through the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, the average hotel room requires 144 gallons per day. Now numerous hotels have installed low-flow shower heads and water-saving toilets; they don’t alter bed linens or replenish towels as frequently to cut down on laundry volume. The EPA began its “Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency” program (WAVE) for hotels, restaurants and other businesses within the 1990s, promising conservation of up to 30 percent for undertaking a series of water-saving measures.

Overall, nevertheless, we still appear to be playing catch-up being a species when it comes to drinking water conservation. The other main water-related issue, at least in the United States, may be the delivery system itself. Many of our water mains and pipes are a lot more than a century old and, long neglected, are reaching the end of their useful life.

There are a lot more than 237,000 drinking water primary breaks in the nation annually. When pipes break, drinking water pressure drops and dirt and debris are sucked into the program and jeopardize drinking water quality. At this writing, there is widespread agreement among experts that the nation’s drinking water system is in need of an enormous and expensive overhaul, and fixing it might alter the way Americans use, and pay for, water.

In recent years, desalination (removal of salt from salt water to make it drinkable) has received significantly attention. Most current plants employ a technique known as multistage flash distillation, which removes contaminants from seawater by boiling it, then condensing (distilling) the steam. Another technique is known as reverse osmosis (RO). Extremely pressurized seawater is pumped via a semipermeable membrane that allows only the freshwater molecules to flow via, leaving the mineral ions behind.

In food service, reverse osmosis gear is getting well-liked as a method to purify water for steam, drinking, cooking, and humidification. RO technology can address the difficulties of both hard-water scaling (caused by calcium, magnesium and manganese salts) and soft-water scaling (triggered by sodium and potassium chloride) in water pipes. Because it can remove solids much better than normal filtration, RO offers the advantages of reduced water related maintenance and much better gear life in addition to improvements in water quality.

Water is really a major expense, and water in food service establishments is given significantly more scrutiny than you’d most likely ever give your house tap drinking water. Samples are checked for bacteria, pesticides, trace metals, alkalinity, and chemicals. Prior to you lease or buy a website, a drinking water test is in order. And before the water is inspected in a laboratory setting, your own senses can provide clues to a few important basics.

Taste or odor:

Occasionally you just happen to live in an region where-there’s no other method to put it-the drinking water tastes or smells funny. The locals might be accustomed to it, but visitors to the area notice it correct away. It can affect the flavor of coffee, hot or iced tea, and any beverage in which you place ice cubes.

Taste and odor difficulties are typically triggered by the presence of organic materials in the drinking water. You might need to discover an outside source of ice to purchase, make ice and beverages with (more expensive) bottled water, or install crushed carbon filters to minimize customer contact with off-tasting water.

Color:

Expert water quality advice is required for this one. Iron or manganese within the water supply can result in odd colors, which, through clear water glasses, look unpalatable. Filtering might help, but getting rid of this condition is a surprisingly technical issue.

Turbidity:

When solids are suspended in water, it looks cloudy or murky-a definite turnoff in food service. Filtration, with a water-softening system, is a reasonably priced, low-maintenance alternative. You will find two other typical drinking water high quality concerns:

Corrosion:

This situation may be the result of oxygen or carbon dioxide getting trapped inside the drinking water supply, and is frequently caused through the level of acidity within the water system. It affects the helpful life of pipes and gear, and could be corrected by installing a filtration system. What kind, and how extensive the problem is, could be determined by a drinking water high quality specialist.

Water hardness.

“Hard” water contains a high proportion of minerals and/or salts. As you’re learned, this condition causes an eventual buildup of scales on gear, which demands constant preventive maintenance to prevent clogging of tanks and water lines and malfunction from the equipment. One-half inch of scale within the interior linings of a restaurant’s hot-water heater can improve the appliance’s energy consumption by as significantly as 70 %. Scale also attacks ice machines, coffee makers, dish machines, and more.

Author: Franco Zinzi
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable pressure cooker

Water has always been an essential and defining element of our landscapes and gardens. It’s a symbol of wealth and power, personified in the great European houses of le Notre’s Versailles and Vaux le Vicomte and the great English parks such as Lord Carlisle’s heroic Castle Howard. It’s an expression of the art of garden design seen in the 20th Century modernism of Thomas Church in California and Louis Barragan in Brazil. And it’s a defining feature of architecture that so often sets a building in the context of the landscape. Aesthetically water creates reflection; it often calms the spirit but can also create dramatic force and vitality. It brings stillness and movement, cooling and focus to a space. It is essential to the life of a garden, for plants and wildlife.

But for much of the past 100 years we have taken the availability of a ready supply of water for granted, particularly in the western world where we have become increasingly detached from where our resources come from. This is particularly true of the supply of fresh water and food. In our gardens we have had a ready supply of water with only moderate climatic changes that cause a little discomfort. Why worry about a brown lawn when there is a ready supply of irrigated water to keep it green? Indeed we have become so complacent about water that the ‘water feature’ has become a derided element of the contemporary garden.

In modern times our relationship with water, as individuals, communities and nations, is changing quite dramatically. We are quite rapidly moving from an emphasis on the aesthetic nature of water to a concentration on the practical power of water. Biodiversity has become a watchword in the future battle to save the planet from the destructive way in which we live our lives. Crucially it has been identified that the five major ecosystems; forest, coastal, agricultural, grassland and fresh water are all seriously threatened and leading thinkers and bodies believe that the single issue of water will increase the likelihood of global conflict between countries. Water demand in the majority of European cities is now exceeding the rate at which it can be replenished. Major cities such as Mexico City, Bangkok, Manila and Shanghai are all reported to be at potential risk of major supply challenges and it has been predicted that by 2025 two out of every three people on the planet will live in water-stressed areas.

Most importantly we are starting to understand this on an individual level because we are experiencing the impacts of climate change on our own lives. In the past 10 years climate change is characterised for most of us by extreme weather. As a garden designer with offices in the UK, Mediterranean and the Caribbean I am experiencing these rapid, diverse changes in weather and water supply everywhere. In the UK we have moved from a drought in 2006 where hosepipes were banned in the south of England to one of the wettest winters on record in 2007. At the same time we are battling to establish plants and trees in Cyprus because there has been no rain for 12 months. And in the Caribbean, we are experiencing increased hurricane activity and sporadic rainfall.

Regionally we are experiencing extremes of flooding and drought within very short periods of time where one year we are banned from using hosepipes and cleaning cars and the next we are experiencing the destruction of homes and property from flood waters. It is this impact on our lives that has started to change our view of water as a limitless supply that arrives at the turn of the tap.

If we are going to take individual responsibility then the place to start is in our homes and gardens. Essentially this means catchment and conservation. Harnessing the water we have and then conserving and using this water in the most efficient ways.

We are only just starting to recognise the need to harness water in our homes. Whilst water companies struggle to replace worn out pipes we are preserving our own supplies by storing rainwater in systems as simple as water butts supplied from downpipes and as sophisticated as large underground filter systems. Commercially the latter has been going on for many years but it only now that a combination of lower costs, awareness and planning directives are causing us to install large storage systems within residential gardens. Ten years ago a client of mine, a water company executive, installed a 1,000 cubic metre tank beneath his lawn and we could not understand his reasoning. Now we get it.

Of course water catchment is only part of the story. We need to use the water and in most part that stored water has been used for gardens in periods of drought, and where metered, as an alternative to paying for supplies. However, we are increasingly seeing a wider use of that water, not just for plants and lawns but also for secondary uses, taken into the home to flush toilets etc. What this means is that we are being asked to accommodate larger underground tanks within gardens.

In contrast to recent developments in water harnessing we have been aware of using water wisely since the 1970s. Efficient toilet systems are widely used throughout Europe but this alone is too little for today’s challenges. In the garden our most important use of water is for plants, and of course plants are part of the solution to climate change but the use of water for plants is a primary target for the water companies and politicians. Irrigation companies have been fighting a rear guard action for many years as they are often accused of inefficient use of water. As designers we actually find that our clients do not know how to water a plant properly and irrigation systems use water much more wisely than someone with a hosepipe.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the UK does much to encourage efficient watering. Garden water use is estimated at less than 3% of the annual water consumption of an average household but at peak times as much as 70% of water supplied is used in gardens. Water supply records indicate that peak demand begins in the evening after two weeks without rain in summer. This surge in demand can lead to water companies being forced to deplete groundwater and streams, which can cause serious environmental harm. As the RHS says “The cost of this peak demand has to be born by water users. In the wider interests of the environment and for the use of water in the garden to be acceptable to other water users, gardeners should use mains water as sparingly as they can.” The RHS urges gardeners to make economical use of water by understanding the needs of plants and taking steps to reduce the loss from plants and the soil.

The politics of water within different regions varies widely. In the UK there has been an ongoing debate about hosepipe bans for two years now. Promised reforms have led to a relaxed system but no actual legal framework which leaves planners and gardeners in limbo. More encouragingly garden designers and gardeners are taking the concept of water conservation and use into their own hands and using water wisely. Garden designers in particular are counteracting the lack of water and the cost of water supply by specifying alternative measures within their designs. At a basic level this includes mulching the soil around plants to conserve water in the soil. At a creative level there has been a surge in the design of dry gardens and waterwise planting.

Dry gardens use plants efficiently to reduce, or often remove, the need for artificial irrigation. They rely solely on rainfall and good examples are Mediterranean aromatic gardens. Waterwise planting is a concept that is taking on more importance in the conservation of our water and soil. If you visit a South African garden you will notice much denser planting that encourages stronger root systems and retention of moisture in the soil.

Both of these planting methods are essentially for ornamental plantings. Forest gardening on the other hand has many of the same principles but is a method of planting on different levels from low growing ground cover to tall trees capable of providing a sustainable, low maintenance environment for food production. It is essentially a great source of food, a sustainable method of conserving resources including water and whilst used for centuries in countries such as Indonesia it is relatively new to the western world. In a time when we are all worried about the supply of food it is predicted that this system of gardening will become wider spread.

We should not forget that there is still a place for the aesthetic use of water in our gardens and landscapes. Ponds and water fountains, swimming pools and spas will still have a role to play. And whilst we are swapping the outdoor patio heater for a sweater as a necessary contribution to halting global warming we are not prepared to give up all the pleasures of the garden in the name of climate change. We are, however, changing the way in which we design these elements. Most notably natural ponds and pools have become the latest must have for those wanting the ubiquitous trophy garden. Natural pools harness the power of plants to clean their water without chemicals. In a world where we are more aware of the toxic effect of chemicals we are seeing clients moving towards natural pools in increasing numbers and, in some cases, converting existing pools to natural systems.

Water is essential to life in a garden. We cannot expect to enjoy birds and wildlife in our gardens without it. Our gardens are the largest free wildlife sanctuary we have in many countries, especially crowded countries such as the UK where we are steadily losing space and greenbelt agricultural land provides too few wildlife habitats. We are finding that demand for formal ponds is starting to fall but conversely natural wildlife-friendly ponds are in great demand accompanied by wild, often native plants and local varieties of plants that encourage insects and wildlife.

One area that is still vastly unexploited however is the use of reed bed systems in conjunction with natural ponds and pools. Reed bed systems are designed for the treatment of sewage and polluting wastewater effluents to create recyclable water. A secondary advantage is that they can provide wildlife habitats and natural swimming pools and, using a combination of horizontal and vertical plantings, they look great. They do however, need larger gardens and a challenge for the future will be to see how we can all harness this natural power in our small gardens.

On a global scale the supply of fresh water will define the security of nations. On a local scale the reality for our gardens wherever we are in the world is that there will likely be long-term water shortages. How we cope with these shortages as individuals will be a defining issue. Principally we need a new relationship with water and how we value it. For our gardens we need to harvest, conserve and use efficient systems. As designers we already give good advice on planting effectively to minimize our impact but we now need to take a holistic view of the issues of harvesting not only rainwater but also wastewater and build these into our schemes, creatively and realistically.

Education is key. We need to understand the issues and take personal responsibility. We cannot all afford reed beds and green water systems but we can take small steps by mulching soil, planting drought resistant plants and recycling water. There is a huge opportunity for new homes builders to act on these issues but they are caught between profitability, the limited requirements of planners and the need to provide affordable homes. In many countries there is no long term planning by our politicians and so we are learning how we can help ourselves. That’s where community ties, whether physically in the form of allotments, community gardens and front garden food growing schemes or through shared values where a wider audience can meet via organizations such as the RHS or over the Internet, become important.

We have short memories. My UK clients have forgotten the drought of just 24 months ago because of the wet winter of 6 months ago. Many cannot see the use for the simplest water harvesting methods yet they will be crying out for them when the next dry summer arrives. Meanwhile my Mediterranean clients are worried that their boreholes will dry up.

It can be depressing to feel that we can only ultimately solve this crisis by the will of politicians and global leaders, knowing that their short-term visions will not solve long-term challenges. However, I have faith in the individual, I see the influence of their beliefs everyday in how we design their gardens and support their efforts to create a better solution to future water shortages and climate change. With the support of garden professionals like us we can educate and disseminate the best solutions to make a difference and help solve the water crisis garden by garden.

Author: Andrew Fisher Tomlin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Most communities are trying to proactively plan for future water supplies as well as promoting public conservation. Water is one of our most precious resources and population growth and industry expansion continues to put a strain on good economical water supplies. The public is finding that personal water consumption is becoming more expensive as each year passes.

There are some who call out for dramatic changes in life style to the point of abandoning all modern conveniences and go back to the time of horse and buggy. Not only is this pragmatically impossible, but it is missing the valuable role technology can play in water conservation.

Hand washing dishes vs. the dishwasher: The latest studies shows that a fully loaded energy star rated dishwasher uses 4 gallons of water per cycle, more traditional dishwashers use 6 gallons. According to Tree Hugger, for some one to even come close to that usage by hand washing, they would have to be able to wash and rinse a soiled plate in a little over a cup of water. I think when you consider the variability of hand washing being done by millions of people and compare that to a highly controlled automated system like a dishwasher; the hands down best way to conserve water washing dishes is technology. Thumbs up to energy star rated dishwashers.

Washing machines vs. hand washing clothes: I can’t image anyone realistically thinking about hand washing all clothes, but there are legitimate reasons for hand washing. Some fabrics are simply too delicate to chance an automated wash. Traditional clothes washers use approximately 41 gallons per load (GPL) while high efficiency machines use only 23 GPL. I was not able to find any reliable comparison studies on hand washing consumption, except that it is widely believed that machine washing (even traditional) uses less water. Automated washing systems offer much more control and the spinning system is much more effective than hand ringing to get the soapy water out. Thumbs up to efficient automatic washing machines.

Automated sprinkler systems vs. manual lawn watering: I guess the first question is what kind of lawn do you have and how “green” do you need your lawn to be. Not watering is an option that’s hard to beat from a water conservation standpoint, but for keeping and maintaining a showcase lawn, automated sprinkling can do optimal watering day in and day out. What is optimal watering? According to the experts optimal watering means that you water enough to get water deep into the roots, water uniformly, water early in the day, water as infrequently as possible and only water grass and shrubs. Watering driveways, patios and sidewalks wastes a lot of water. With automated sprinkler systems you can meet all of those criteria precisely. Moving manual sprinklers around the lawn tends to promote over watering. Concerns that I have about some automated systems are:

1. If they are not set up properly you can have a built-in over watering system.
2. If it rains, turn your automated system off, I have seen many occasions when it is poring rain out and someone has their automated sprinkling system on. So automated systems must also have water or moisture sensing systems to have full optimization. Thumbs up to a properly installed and controlled automated sprinkler system.

Washing car by hand vs. automated carwash systems: What technique is used when hand washing? Typical washing in the driveway can waste a tremendous amount of water. Sprayed water can hit the driveway with out taking any soap off the car, over rinsing is very possible as this is a judgment. A hose set on the ground running while the person is attending to something else, using leaky nozzles and hoses are all variables that can cause high water usage. On the other hand automated carwash systems are controlled and consistent. Each year, better carwash equipment is being developed that more effectively uses water. Also many carwashes now recycle water.

Additional consideration is water run off, if you are washing a car in your drive way, untreated soapy contaminated water is draining off into sewer systems; carwash systems are required to treat water before disposing.

So who wins, well in my opinion, hand car washing can beat automated carwash systems if the washer takes water conservation very seriously. If they wash with rags and buckets, use extreme care when rinsing and wash the car on the lawn to eliminate run off, I find it hard to believe that even the automated carwash systems that recycle water can beat them. However, just take a drive around your neighbor hood and watch how people wash their cars. I see lots of hoses with continuously running water, leaky old spray nozzles and hoses, over rinsing and water run off. I give qualified thumbs up to automated systems because the variability with manual hand washes.

Conclusions

It would seem that in each case the more expensive option was given the thumbs up. Does the investment really pay off economically? Prices per gallon of water even in some of the more expensive areas in the US are still less than $.008. So if you just look at investing in an energy star dishwasher, according to energy star, an average household would save 5000 gallons of water per year which would result in a savings of around $40.00. This turns out to be about a 10 year payback.

The automated lawn sprinkler systems save a lot more water perhaps as much as 200 gallons on a ¼ acre lot per watering. So if you water 3 times per week during a typical 12 week season, you can save over 7000 gallons of water per year. The $60.00 per year savings is not much return for a $1500.00 investment.

While cost savings may not give you much incentive, the time savings and convenience are major considerations as well. If you factor your time into most of these equations, the economics come out strongly in favor of the automated system. Water conservation will continue to rise in importance as the population grows, we may not have to undergo dramatic lifestyle changes, but continued investment in water conservation and simply increasing awareness can go a long way to reducing water usage.

Author: Doug McLain
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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