In the midst of concerns about water shortages, irregular cycles of recovery, contamination caused in many cases by the hand of man and marked by drought, we celebrate, this March 22, the World Day of the so-called “liquid gold” when it has its greatest protection right.
Juan Carlos Acosta RodrÃguez, graduate in Hygiene and Epidemiology and Master in Environmental Health, is aware of this, who will look at the location in Villa Clara and in the world, when he finally opens the doors of New York to Conferences. on the Waters 2013
In the interview, he clarifies the necessary and educational message to protect this resource to which nearly 2.2 billion people on the planet do not have access.
“The Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology (CPHEM) is in charge of evaluating the bacteriological and physico-chemical quality of drinking water and establishes potability with respect to its quality, when it appears above 96.5 to 98%, from which it concludes that the supplied water, from a bacteriological point of view, for human it pleases us.”
The head of the department’s Sub-Directorate of Environmental Health in the health system of the province emphasizes that in the territory of 110 water systems are handled by the Aqueduct and Sewerage Company. These monitors are used to determine the bacteriological quality of the liquid taken at different points in the network.
Although 61% of the population of Villa Clara has water from the aqueduct, the other 39% is connected to individual sources through wells, lakes, rivers or other means of treatment, so the educational activities in this area are focused on those that emphasize the use. sodium hypochlorite, the need for cooking, if it is considered that filtration does not solve all of its bacteriological problems, then a thermal or chemical treatment is required.
Acosta RodrÃguez explained that the framework of the action transcends the monitoring of water for human consumption, because it reaches the services of Hemodialysis in four units, which is located in Caibarién, Sagua la Grande and two in Santa Clara, which requires analytical care with an appropriate check. until it offers optimal conditions suitable for testing.
The same thing happens with the waters of the sea at the time when cholera rises in the country. “Assessments in all municipalities with beaches applied from the analysis of samples in CPHEM, as well as from wells that are not chlorinated, because cholera absorbs chlorine and provide negative results without reducing the supply. work in the events that were affected during 2013, when the aforementioned epidemic situation was reported
For greater peace of mind, Juan Carlos Acosta insists that “at this time the province is oblivious to reports of cases of disease or positive evidence of cholera”.
The aspect also reaches the recreational waters of the tourist seats, beaches and swimming pools to know the certified quality through the medical services with due supervision, according to the established frequency.
sharp eyes
Juan Carlos Acosta made a detailed description of the existing conditions in the province, and mentioned that only 28% of the population has a sewage system. Hence the multiplication of several pits, so a distance of about 20 m between it and the well must be considered, in order not to encounter liquid contamination.
“Water, even if it is clear, can be dissolved, and the least treatment we can offer is disinfection using sodium hypochlorite or decoction,” he insists.
Given the turbidity that it sometimes presents, he insists that the spring is already evident with its first showers, which is extinguished by the scarcity of liquid from the mothers. In this sense, the plant can not provide a response to the treatment momentary for the situation, so it must be left alone, waiting to be composed and applied sodium hypochlorite, or otherwise, to avoid cooking diseases.
Acosta RodrÃguez mentions that the water law has been approved, and the group of the State Sanitary Inspection is visiting the supply of sources to demand their protection. “The presence of animals within 50 m is prohibited, nor the construction of houses that can cause the source, which has previously shown to stop being potable, and will have to be discarded.”
Sometimes called to trade and companies, the official emphasizes joint work with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (Citma) in favor of environmental care and the protection of natural resources.
Curiosities around the water
– Only 0.007% of that existing on earth is potable.
– 97% of water is in the oceans and 2% is frozen.
– One in four peoples of the world lack safe water.
– Man can survive without food for a month, but only seven days without water, the most important drink.
– Deficient in drinking water causes death 4500 days a day.
– Barely 2.5% of the existing water on earth is fresh. Of that amount, 0.5% appears in underground deposits, while 0.01% is in rivers and lakes.
(Source: Environment Subdelegation and the Environmental Education and Culture Project)
