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By Rajkamal Rao
By Rajkamal Rao
Water quality in the US is excellent. The public water supply is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the individual states. Public water is regularly tested for the presence of hundreds of impurities, and when testing indicates a problem, corrective actions are taken. Distribution systems are excellent with all households connected to the public water system getting water on a 24x7 basis.
In India, availability of safe water continues to be an issue, although the northern states are blessed with plenty of rivers. According to Water In Asia, Water Research & Reports, an estimated 75% of the nation’s residents live in water-stressed areas. Most Indian cities do not distribute water for more than a few hours per day. In some cities, water distribution occurs only a few times a week - each time for a couple of hours - despite significant investments in water infrastructure. The tremendous population growth in the country, coupled with the migration of rural workers to the big cities along with a dwindling water table has created inordinate demands on the nation’s fresh water supplies.
Returning families can manage the water issue by leveraging bore wells or other private sources of water, such as tanker supplies. In fact, most private villa and apartment communities offer continuous water supply as a key selling feature. Critics contend that private ownership of water and lack of a legal framework to govern boundaries between public and private water ownership further exacerbates the issue, but returning families are really left with no choice.
It is not generally known where these tankers get their water from. Some get water from depleting streams outside the city or from borewells. Regardless of the source of water, advanced water filtration equipment is needed in the home to consume this water. Filtration is further discussed in the section on kitchen appliances. Private water is expensive and costs up to 8 times more than municipal water.
In India, availability of safe water continues to be an issue, although the northern states are blessed with plenty of rivers. According to Water In Asia, Water Research & Reports, an estimated 75% of the nation’s residents live in water-stressed areas. Most Indian cities do not distribute water for more than a few hours per day. In some cities, water distribution occurs only a few times a week - each time for a couple of hours - despite significant investments in water infrastructure. The tremendous population growth in the country, coupled with the migration of rural workers to the big cities along with a dwindling water table has created inordinate demands on the nation’s fresh water supplies.
Returning families can manage the water issue by leveraging bore wells or other private sources of water, such as tanker supplies. In fact, most private villa and apartment communities offer continuous water supply as a key selling feature. Critics contend that private ownership of water and lack of a legal framework to govern boundaries between public and private water ownership further exacerbates the issue, but returning families are really left with no choice.
It is not generally known where these tankers get their water from. Some get water from depleting streams outside the city or from borewells. Regardless of the source of water, advanced water filtration equipment is needed in the home to consume this water. Filtration is further discussed in the section on kitchen appliances. Private water is expensive and costs up to 8 times more than municipal water.
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