allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Watch What Water You're Drinking! (Page 1 of 2)

In a recent survey conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health, only 15 per cent of villages have adequate and potable drinking water. What they have is inadequate and a great percentage of the water sources are broken. In view of this, experts say there is still an urgent need to have a well coordinated system for provision, maintenance and operation of water sources, especially in rural areas. Agha Ibiam writes

If water does not have enemy according to a popular afro beat musician, late Fela Anikolapo-Kuti, then why are people choosy on the type of water they drink? Presently, it appears that this essential but scarce commodity has attracted a lot of enemies to itself due to the way producers' package and presents it for public consumption.

There are so many names today that are associated with table water, that buyers are confused on the one to patronise. But the question observers ask, are these table waters potable. Nutritionists have defined drinking water as water that is intended to be ingested through drinking by humans. "Not all bottled water is the same," Timothy Iheanacho, a consumer said. He said most bottled water sold in Nigeria is not necessarily cleaner or safer than tap water. Since water is key to health, one needs to be sure of its source, he said.

Experts said water must have some sufficient quality to serve as drinking water. A potable water supply is one which is drinkable. Table water or potable water is treated water that meets that quality standard for human consumption and other uses. Potable water may be packaged or unpackaged as the case may be. Most table water today includes treated water that is packaged in plastic bottles or sachets, popularly known as "pure water".

Water, according to scientists plays significant roles within the human body. It comprises 60 per cent of the human body, 75 per cent of the brain, 82 per cent of the blood, 25 per cent of the bone and more than 70 per cent of solid tissue, such as muscle, in the human body. Besides oxygen, it is said to be the most important nutrient in the body with an important role for nearly every major function, regulating body temperature, carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells, removing waste, cushioning joints and protecting organs and tissues.

Dr. Augustine Ehimen Okoruwa, head of technical, research and development division, UAC Nigeria Plc, explained that potable water must be free of pathogens (disease causing organisms), have a desirable taste, odour (smell), colour, turbidity (cloudiness) and contain no harmful chemicals.

Sparkling water also known as carbonated water, is potable water into which carbon dioxide gas has been dissolved, and is the major and defining component of most "soft drinks". The process of dissolving carbon dioxide gas in the water is called carbonation. The process can also occur naturally to produce carbonated mineral water, he said.

Today, sparkling water, Okoruwa maintained is produced by passing pressurised carbon dioxide through potable water. The pressure increases the solubility and allows more carbon dioxide to dissolve than would be possible under standard atmospheric pressure. When the bottle is opened, the pressure is released, allowing the gas to come out of the solution, thus forming the characteristic bubbles.

It is not only on food stuff that the country is challenged. However, the country is also facing drinking water scarcity, a situation that has been identified for years. "It is important to note that due to scarcity of water in most places, drinking water is often gotten from doubtful sources, which is a major potential source of water borne diseases. This is a great concern to many sectors in this present administration as they try to implement strategies to meet the health millennium development goals (MDGs) in 2015," a former minister of health said.

The minister said the problem of poor sanitary and the increase in the prevalence of water related diseases have been of great concern to the government. Then the high prevalence of water related diseases like diarrhea, cholera, malaria and a host of others are also of great concern to the government.

According to her, 2006; 3,562,065 cases and 6,004 deaths from malaria was reported, while diarrhea was 1,114,186 cases and 4,936 deaths. Cholera still occurs in epidemic proportion in most communities in Nigeria. "These problems usually bring pains and sufferings to us as a people. This is more so because there are some cost-effective measures and technologies available to avoid this sort of calamities, if the people are empowered with information and simple remedies like water disinfectant," the former minister said.

The Federal Ministry of Health in 2007 approved the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) - NIS 554, 2007 in an attempt to ensure that water meant for drinking meet the minimum quality standard as recommended. The purpose is to safeguard the public from the hazard of water pollution and contamination," the minister noted.

As it is now, it appears that most table water producers are using spring water as source. Spring water, as the name implies, is the water flowing out of the ground from a natural spring. A spring is a point where ground water flows out of the ground, and where the aquifer surface meets the ground surface. Aquifers are rock layers that permit ground water flow in appreciable quantities, Okoruwa explained.

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