The winding course of water Part II – Domestication and Actuality.

How does water get to the tap of our homes? What happens to it after washing our hands, showering or turning on a washing machine? Surely you have asked some of these questions, and if not, this is a good time for it. The simple act of turning the tap and see the water flow in our homes gives us the feeling and the assurance that we will benefit from it forever, we hardly give it a thought that it is an exhaustible resource, in fact, there are already places in the world where there is not enough water for everyone. Disquieting, right? It is also uncommon to consider the entire process that this precious liquid requires to finally get to your home, a common everyday happening for you, but that includes a process that covers everything from the channelling to the sanitation of the sewage waters. The water that comes from nature, remember? From the seas, rivers, lakes, springs, etc. …, when it is found it is considered like an uncut diamond in the rough, it is harnessed by man, to subject it to processes of purification, and quality control, and thus convert every drop, into that clean and pure liquid. By the way, do you know what drinking water is? It is one that we can consume without any risk to our health. After finding water, it is stored in large tanks, in which, through several procedures, its characteristics are evaluated, and it is treated with physicochemical and microbiological processes bringing it to its optimum quality, for use and consumption. This potable water is then stored in large reservoirs, from where the distribution begins, and here, the journey begins… The potable water is then sent through a system of pipes to rural and urban areas, supplying houses, hospitals, schools, industries, etc. Only then does the magic of turning the tap, happen in your own home, receiving a vital liquid with that characteristic of purity and abundance, which means the best of benefits. We have to understand that after this long and complicated journey which has not yet ended, we should make proper use of it, without using more than what we need, since after using it at home it becomes wastewater, and returns by travelling through the sewers towards stations where impurities are eliminated and reused for secondary tasks, such as agriculture, construction, etc. The water that is not used, returns to nature, with the certainty that it does not alter the natural system into which it flows to, that is before returning it, there must be an assurance that it does not contaminate the ecosystem. Reviewing all of the meandering journeys of how water arrives at our tap, all the conservation concerns of this natural resource arises, understanding that it is important to make the proper use of it, fostering the importance of respecting and preserving the liquid which becomes a fundamental task. Water is a gift that we all must learn to use with a lot of responsibility so as not to waste it. If we understand that it is needed by man, animals, plants and the planet, then we understand that it is essential for life to continue. When you bathe, wash your hands, or prepare something to eat, it is up to you to become a protagonist of this story, it depends on your prudence, that each drop is consciously used so that whenever you open the tap, you keep seeing how this wonderful treasure is known as “water” comes to your home. With the purpose to create consciousness about the conservation of this resource of life, millions of campaigns around the world have been created, the existence of foundations, movements, etc., with educational alternatives from schools to industries, which seek to preserve this irreplaceable natural resource. Water is life; it is a part of life. Taking care of it is taking care of yourself. “The drop likes to travel And it never tires after so much jumping, to the sky, it rises after flying and goes to the cloud from the deep sea, if by the river it flows, it is to distrust, Will it comes to my home or will it go to the sea? Sometimes I feel that in my glass it is I drink it thirstily Oh, what happiness! B.S. Hessling