[October free report] Can we drink rainwater?by Heidy Michell Albor Vargas | 19-10-2022 12:39 |
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 Can we use rainwater? We can't drink it. We must not consume it. But there are other applications. Rainwater can be used for washing cars, watering plants, or cleaning clothes. It can also be utilised for flushing toilets, washing floors or fire-fighting tanks. Many usages give us alternatives and opportunities to avoid wasting or polluting. Why can't we drink it? Rain has harmful bacteria and chemical elements, which can enter our organisms dermally or by ingestion. To put it crudely, rainfall contains nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, which react with water to form nitric acid and sulfuric acid, giving rise to acid rain. Rain acid is both harmful and toxic. It dissolves nutrients such as magnesium and calcium, making it difficult for trees to catch water. Acid rain affects ecosystems and harms habitats and the species living on them. The ecological impact of acid rain is seen in aquatic environments, such as lakes, streams and marshes where it can be damaging to fish and other wildlife. Acid rain also contains an excess of nitrogen which produce pollutants such as ammonia and ozone which impair our capacity to breathe, restrict our visibility and alter plant growth. Numerous scientific studies have shown a link between nitrogen and sulfur on heart function, leading to death in people at increased risk of heart disease and negative consequences on the lungs rendering to breathing complications. Pollution causes acid rain. We cause pollution. Under this situation, we can recycle rainwater and try to reduce our pollution habits. Good news! We can do both. We may not be able to drink it anymore but our cars, plants, floors and cisterns would be delighted if we take advantage of it. Mexico and other countries are facing up to a water crisis so we should find new ways of supplying our needs, saving money and helping the environment. Water is the resource. Recycling and collecting water are our alternatives. So, I will end this report with a paraphrase of a quote said in the film "Knight Without a Sword" (1939) that says: "Trying to change the world is a lost cause, but lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for." Let's fight for a clean world. We can recycle water. We should start today. |
