Water Quality In First World Countries

In today’s society water quality and the possibility of contamination is a major concern. Humans use water to conduct daily activities and it is an essential resource. The world relies on a safe water supply that is potable and pathogen-free. Many countries, like the United States, have made a large effort to make water safe to drink with complex filtration and purification systems. These systems seem to be a given in many first world countries and people don’t have to worry as much as those in developing countries. Water quality issues are constantly causing epidemics in those areas, threatening the survival of the population.

Water has many unique properties that allow it to serve many purposes. Water is the universal solvent, which gives

This encourages the growth of pathogenic microorganisms that cause fatal diseases. Many people do not have access to clean tap water and their source of water is most likely polluted. The majority of sewage in these countries is discharged into waters untreated, which causes contamination in rivers, lakes and the ocean. Due to a lack of financial resources, the use of groundwater is difficult for many reasons. Groundwater requires lots of maintenance and there is a high cost to drill for the water. Often times wells are set up in villages to provide clean water, but because of limited financial resources the wells are not monitored and the water quality is rarely tested. Pathogens begin to grow in the wells and people continue to believe the water is safe due to the lack of education on how the system works (Awuah, Nyarko, Owusu, & Osei-Bonsu,

Vibrio Cholera is a bacterial infectious agent and is transmitted through the consumption of contaminated water. The bacteria have been known to thrive in freshwater and ocean water. For the most part, Cholera affects people in developing countries, which usually have poor sanitation and improper filtration of water. (Kuhl, 2013) Signature symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. Some strains of the bacteria may have no symptoms but the majority of people infected have severe symptoms. Symptoms usually appear 24-72 hours after the ingestion of contaminated water. The bacteria enter the body, and the ones that survive and aren’t killed by stomach acid, travel to the small intestine. (Kuhl, 2013)They then produce a toxin that causes the diarrhea and vomiting.

In most cases, antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria and prevent further spread of it. It is important to stay hydrated if there is severe diarrhea or vomiting. Prevention of cholera is done by drinking clean water, or water that has been disinfected or boiled. People should avoid raw food as well because the bacteria can also be present