A Closer Look at Global Water Quality Standards
Water isn’t just about quenching thirst or basic hygiene. Entire societies and economies face immense challenges without safe and reliable access to water. But that doesn’t mean that any water will do for the sake of meeting the rising demand. Global, regional, and local authorities all have a say on where that water comes from and how it’s treated. To truly, fully address the crisis, all solutions need to meet widely agreed-upon water quality standards.
What do water quality standards look like?
The United Nations offers vital guidance for the determination of global water quality standards. The international body has developed three metrics for determining water quality. These indices monitor the drinkability, health, and acceptability of the water quality on a scale of zero to 100. The closer to 100 the metric, the higher-quality the water in question. To determine the values of these metrics, water samples are tested for the presence of acceptable substances such as iron, sodium, and zinc (and for proper pH levels); fecal bacteria; and health-affecting elements such as chromium and fluoride.
The U.N. crafts its standards based on scientific research into the levels past which the materials present in water can harm people and marine life. The water-related portions of its Millennium Development Goals list are based on this body of research, and their achievements have already been remarkable: five years earlier than planned, goal 7.C, nearly three billion people gained more immediate access to safe, potable water between 1990 and 2015.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are of particular concern in index testing. The industrial era has seen steady increases in the quantity of these elements found in water due to agricultural and fertilizer-related runoff. Their presence in water can endanger marine life and affect global economies.
Not only does the U.N. offer its own guidelines, but regional governments hold their own standards as well. Essential minerals and other substances are added into the water to assure its continued safety, as well as deliver nutrients to the population at large. Sodium, potassium and fluoride are some of the common minerals required in many regions throughout the world.
The global water crisis and water quality standards
At our current water consumption rates, nearly two billion people will struggle to access water by 2025. Five years after, the amount by which the global population’s yearly water needs exceeds its access to water is expected to cross 40 percent. By this point in 2030, the world’s middle class will have nearly tripled in size to five billion, greatly expanding the demand for clean water.
Atmospheric water generation (AWG) has shown some promise for solving the global water crisis, but not enough. AWG machines transform humidity from the air into clean, potable water, but this generated water does not contain the mineral content required by most regional authorities. What’s more, AWG machines also don’t guarantee contaminate-free water, as the water drawn into the machines does not go through a filtration system. Since these essential minerals are vital to the health of people across the world, over-dependence on AWG-generated water could lead to a long-term public health crisis -- and solving one crisis shouldn’t lead to another.
How an AWG factory complies with every region’s prescribed water quality standards
At Oxydus, we wanted to ensure that our solutions to the global water crisis addressed these major issues. We also wanted our solution to be fully compliant with the law. Here’s what we did to our AWG factory model to make much-needed improvements.
Oxydus AWG factory adds minerals back into the water. No matter how much water is generated or when it’s generated, Oxydus can add back the minerals and other substances as required by the regional water authority
Oxydus adds water quality testing to the generation process. A quality assurance process ensures that the water is tested for contaminates and that it passes the UN’s required standards with flying colors. Each batch is thoroughly tested before it’s allowed to be bottled and distributed to the public.
Oxydus filters both air and water at every stage of the process. Unlike standard AWG machines, our factory creates contaminate-free water with its state-of-the-art filtration system. Our factory eliminates the quality control issues of AWG by filtering the air used for AWG through a series of devices that trap all possible contaminants. We use methods such as ultraviolet light exposure, pre-carbon and post-carbon filtration, TCR carbon purification, and reverse osmosis purifiers to ensure the cleanest AWG-generated water possible.
This global water crisis affects everyone -- contribute to the solution now
Decreasing access to clean water affects every single person alive. If we don’t take drastic action to improve the availability and quality of water across the globe, humanity will struggle to meet its fundamental needs, and societies will crumble.
A future so dire calls for restless innovation and invention, not to mention the resources to transform an idea into a reality. That’s why we are reaching out on Wefunder to help make this factory a reality. Click here to visit the Oxydus Wefunder page and learn how you can contribute to a permanent infrastructure that could help to provide clean water for all.