Drinking water

Drinking water that is supplied through a tap (tap water).

Drinking water or potable water is water that is safe for ingestion, either when drunk directly in liquid form or consumed indirectly through food preparation. It is often (but not always) supplied through taps, in that case, it is also called tap water. Typically in developed countries, tap water meets drinking water quality standards, even though only a small proportion is actually consumed or used in food preparation. Other typical uses for tap water include washing, toilets, and irrigation. Greywater may also be used for toilets or irrigation. Its use for irrigation however may be associated with risks.[1]

The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, age, health-related issues, and environmental conditions.[2][3] For those who work in a hot climate, up to 16 litres (4.2 US gal) a day may be required.[2]

Globally, by 2015, 89% of people had access to water from a source that is suitable for drinking – called improved water sources.[1] In sub-Saharan Africa, access to potable water ranged from 40% to 80% of the population. Nearly 4.2 billion people worldwide had access to tap water, while another 2.4 billion had access to wells or public taps.[1] The World Health Organization considers access to safe drinking-water a basic human right.

About 1 to 2 billion people lack safe drinking water.[4] Water can carry vectors of disease. More people die from unsafe water than from war, then-U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said in 2010.[5] Developing countries are most affected by unsafe drinking water.

  1. ^ a b c "Water Fact sheet N°391". July 2014. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b Ann C. Grandjean (August 2004). "3" (PDF). Water Requirements, Impinging Factors, & Recommended Intakes. World Health Organization. pp. 25–34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 February 2016. This 2004 article focuses on the USA context and uses data collected from the US military.
  3. ^ Exposure Factors Handbook: 2011 Edition (PDF). National Center for Environmental Assessment. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Drinking-water". World Health Organization. March 2018. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Unsafe water kills more people than war, Ban says on World Day". UN News. 22 March 2010. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · View on Wikipedia

Developed by Nelliwinne