The impact of public utilities on the quality of drinking water. Drinking water quality and human health

Quality issue drinking water affects many aspects of the life of human society throughout the history of its existence. At present, drinking water is a social, political, medical, geographical, as well as engineering and economic problem. The concept of "drinking water" has been formed relatively recently and can be found in laws and regulations on drinking water supply.

Drinking water - water that meets the established regulatory requirements in terms of its quality in its natural state or after treatment (purification, disinfection) and is intended for drinking and domestic needs of a person or for the production of food products. It's about on the requirements for the combination of properties and composition of water, under which it does not adversely affect human health, both when ingested and when used for hygienic purposes, as well as in the production of food products.

Drinking water is the most important factor in human health. Almost all of its sources are subject to anthropogenic and technogenic impacts of varying intensity. The sanitary condition of most of the open water bodies of Russia in last years has improved due to reduced industrial effluent discharges, but is still worrisome.

Drinking water: sources, physical and chemical characteristics of drinking water

Fresh water resources exist thanks to the eternal water cycle. As a result of evaporation, a gigantic volume of water is formed, reaching 525 thousand km 3 per year. 86% of this amount falls on the salt waters of the World Ocean and inland seas - the Caspian. Aralsky and others; the rest evaporates on land, half of which is due to the transpiration of moisture by plants. Every year, a layer of water about 1250 mm thick evaporates. Part of it again falls with precipitation into the ocean, and part is carried by winds to land and here feeds rivers and lakes, glaciers and groundwater. The natural distiller feeds on the energy of the Sun and takes away about 20% of this energy. Only 2% of the hydrosphere is fresh water, but they are constantly renewed. The rate of renewal determines the resources available to mankind. Most of the fresh water - 85% - is concentrated in the ice of the polar zones and glaciers. The rate of water exchange here is less than in the ocean, and is 8000 years.

Surface water on land is renewed about 500 times faster than in the ocean. Even faster, in about 10 - 12 days, the waters of the rivers are renewed. Fresh waters of the rivers have the greatest practical value for mankind. Rivers have always been a source of fresh water. But in the modern era, they began to transport waste. Waste in the catchment area flows down the riverbeds into the seas and oceans. Most of the used river water is returned to rivers and reservoirs in the form of Wastewater. So far, the growth of wastewater treatment plants has lagged behind the growth in water consumption. And at first glance, this is the root of evil. In fact, everything is much more serious. Even with the most advanced treatment, including biological treatment, all dissolved inorganic substances and up to 10% of organic pollutants remain in the treated wastewater. Such water can again become suitable for consumption only after repeated dilution of pure water. natural water. And here, for a person, the ratio of the absolute amount of wastewater, even if it is purified, and the water flow of rivers is important.

Mankind will have to change the strategy of water use. Necessity forces us to isolate the anthropogenic water cycle from the natural one. In practice, this means a transition to a recirculating water supply, to a low-water or low-waste, and then to a “dry” or waste-free technology, accompanied by a sharp decrease in the volume of water consumption and treated wastewater.

As the first sanitary and hygienic characteristics of fresh water, organoleptic indicators were used, which were based on the intensity of perception by the senses. physical properties water. Currently in this group as normative characteristics includes:

Smell at 20 o C and heating up to 60 o C,

Score, color scale, degree

Transparency on a scale,

Turbidity on a standard scale, mg / dm 3

Coloration of the painted column (no aquatic organisms and film)

The concept of the threshold effect of toxicants on the body is used as a fundamental basis for the development of MPCs for all types of pollutants.

When conducting systematic biogeochemical studies, it was found that there are three areas on the curve of the functional relationship between the dose (concentration of a toxic substance) and the effect (negative consequences on the body):

With small amounts of consumption of a toxicant, it is either harmless to the body or stimulates its vital activity

In the region of average concentrations, there is an optimal range in which the body is able to regulate interaction with the environment

A further increase in the concentration of a substance in water can cause suppression of the body's vital functions

To ensure the quality of water in water sources and water consumption systems, a number of regulatory documents based on MPC values are used, of which the main ones are the following:

· GOST 2874-82 “Drinking water. Hygienic requirements and quality control”.

· GOST 2761-84 “Sources of centralized utility and drinking water supply. Hygienic, technical requirements and selection rules.

· “Sanitary norms for the maximum permissible content of harmful substances in the water of water bodies for household and cultural use” SanPiN 42-121-4130-88.

· “Sanitary rules and norms for the protection of surface waters from pollution”. SanPiN 4630-88

“Water Code of the Russian Federation”, 1997

A direct criterion for the epidemic safety of drinking water is the absence of pathogenic microorganisms in it. However, the direct determination of pathogenic flora in water is a technically difficult task; therefore, indirect indicators of its quality are used. They are based on the relationship established during epidemiological observations between the number of saprophytic microorganisms and V.'s contamination with causative agents of intestinal diseases. These indicators include the total number of microorganisms determined in 1 ml of water when grown on a nutrient medium (should not exceed 100 in 1 ml), as well as the number of Escherichia coli: coli-index - the number of Escherichia coli in 1 liter of water (no more than 3), or coli-titer, i.e. the amount of water in milliliters, which contains only 1 Escherichia coli (at least 300 ml). However, E. coli may not always serve sanitary indicator when monitoring the effectiveness of water purification, in particular from viral contamination, therefore, depending on the sanitary and epidemic situation, a direct determination of the viral microflora can be carried out.

Problems related to drinking water

In Russia, the problem of providing the population with good-quality drinking water remains unresolved, and in a number of regions it has become a crisis. Of the volume of water supplied to the population, 68% is occupied by surface water sources, only 1% of which corresponds to the quality that provides drinking water with existing technologies (in accordance with the limits of SanPiN 2.1.4.559-96 "Drinking water. Hygienic requirements for water quality"). According to the State Statistics Committee of Russia, 1078 cities (99% of the total) and 1686 urban-type settlements (83%), about 34 thousand settlements (22%) have centralized water supply systems. The total length of pipeline networks in Russia is 456,000 km. With an average level of specific consumption in the Russian Federation for household and domestic needs, equal to 272 l / day per 1 inhabitant, in Moscow this figure is 539 l / day, in the Chelyabinsk region - 369, Saratov - 367, Novosibirsk - 364, Magadan - 359, Kamchatka - 353 l / day.

In recent years, there has been a trend of contamination of almost all surface waters - sources of centralized water supply. In some areas, there was an increase in the number of sites with high (10 MPC) and extremely high (100 MPC) levels of pollution of water bodies. The quality of groundwater used for water supply (32% of the total water intake) generally meets the regulatory requirements, but their pollution is also increasing. As a result, about 90% of surface water and 30% of groundwater withdrawn for water supply needs are treated. Due to the increased technogenic pollution of water sources with oil products, salts of heavy metals, pesticides, nitrates, and other harmful substances, the technologies used to prepare drinking water are in most cases ineffective. As a rule, this leads to the consumption of non-potable water by the population.

The receipt and supply of conditioned drinking water to the population depends on a number of factors: the state of water supply sources, sanitary zones, the compliance of water treatment technology with the quality of source water, the sanitary and technical condition of water supply networks.

The operating water treatment facilities, built 25-30 years ago according to traditional technologies, were designed to condition natural waters with a small anthropogenic load. Currently, they are not able to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of high-quality water to consumers, since their barrier functions in relation to certain types of pollution (especially chemical ones) are extremely small. In addition, in the process of water treatment during its primary chlorination, up to 40 types of carcinogenic contaminants are usually formed in it, including chloroform, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, and other chlorinated hydrocarbons. It was found that 28 identified compounds have mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. In addition, chlorine disinfection of water containing chromium leads to the oxidation of trivalent chromium to hexavalent, which is known to have a carcinogenic effect.

High pollution of water sources and inefficient water treatment technologies are the main reasons for the poor quality of drinking water in the Volga region, where surface water sources provide 85% of drinking water needs. In all subjects of the Russian Federation, cases of violation of the requirements of GOST for physical, chemical and microbiological indicators were noted. A difficult situation with the supply of the population with high-quality drinking water is noted in the republics of Karelia, Dagestan, Yakutia, Primorsky Krai, Arkhangelsk, Kemerovo and Murmansk regions. More than 90% of the total volume of wastewater entering surface water bodies through utility networks is discharged contaminated. Thus, one of the main sources of anthropogenic impact on water sources is the discharge of insufficiently treated or simply untreated wastewater from the housing and communal complex.

In addition to technogenic pressures on surface sources of drinking water supply, anthropogenic pollution from public utilities appears. Pollution entering the body with drinking water provokes the occurrence of many diseases.

Existing water treatment technologies do not meet the current level of pollution of water sources. To improve the quality of water, it is necessary to abandon its preliminary chlorination, use strong oxidizing agents (hydrogen peroxide, ozone), new coagulants and flocculants, and new filter materials.

Main sources of drinking water pollution

Municipal drains - contain both chemical and microbiological contamination and pose a serious hazard. The bacteria and viruses they contain cause dangerous diseases: typhus and paratyphoid, salmonellosis, bacterial rubella, cholera embryos, viruses that cause inflammation of the pericerebral membrane and intestinal diseases. Such water can be a carrier of worm eggs (tapeworms, roundworms and whipworms). Municipal drains also contain toxic detergents ( detergents), complex aromatic hydrocarbons (ACH), nitrates and nitrites.

Industrial drains.

Depending on the industry, industries can contain almost all existing chemicals: heavy metals, phenols, formaldehyde, organic solvents (xylene, benzene, toluene), mentioned above (SAU) and so-called. highly toxic effluents. The latter variety causes mutagenic (genetic), teratogenic (damaging the fetus) and carcinogenic (cancerous) changes.

The main sources of especially toxic effluents:

metallurgical industry, mechanical engineering

production of fertilizers

pulp and paper industry

cement and asbestos production

lacquer industry.

Paradoxically, the process of purification and water treatment itself is also a source of pollution (!).

municipal waste

Of course, all the listed components are filtered through upper layer soil, but some of them (viruses, water-soluble and fluid substances) are able to penetrate into groundwater almost without loss. The fact that cesspools and local sewerage are located at some distance from the wells does not mean anything. It has been proven that groundwater can, under certain conditions (e.g. a slight slope), move in a horizontal plane for several kilometers!!!

Industrial waste

V groundwater are present in slightly smaller amounts than in surface waters. Most of this waste goes straight to the rivers. In addition, industrial dust and gases settle directly or in combination with atmospheric precipitation and accumulate on the surface of the soil, plants, dissolve and penetrate deep into. Therefore, no one who is professionally engaged in water purification will be surprised by the content of heavy metals and radioactive compounds in wells located far from metallurgical centers - in the Carpathians.

Industrial dust and gases are transported by air streams hundreds of kilometers away from the emission source. Industrial soil pollution also includes organic compounds, formed during the processing of vegetables and fruits, meat and milk, waste from breweries, livestock complexes. Metals and their compounds penetrate into body tissues in the form of aqueous solution. The penetrating power is very high: all internal organs and the fetus are affected. Removal from the body through the intestines, lungs and kidneys leads to disruption of the activity of these organs.

Accumulation in the body of the following elements leads to:

Kidney damage - mercury, lead, copper.

Liver damage - zinc, cobalt, nickel.

Capillary damage - arsenic, bismuth, iron, manganese.

Damage to the heart muscle - copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury, thallium.

The emergence of cancer - cadmium, cobalt, nickel, arsenic, radioactive isotopes.

Introduction.

Water is vital. It is needed everywhere - in everyday life, agriculture and industry. Water is essential for the body more than anything else except oxygen. A well-fed person can live without food for 3-4 weeks, and without water - only a few days.

A living cell needs water both to maintain its structure and to function normally; it is about 2/3 of body weight. Water helps to regulate body temperature and serves as a lubricant that facilitates joint movement. It plays an important role in building and repairing body tissues.

With a sharp reduction in water consumption, a person becomes ill or his body begins to function worse. But water is needed, of course, not only for drinking: it also helps a person to keep his body, dwelling and habitat in good hygienic condition.

Without water, personal hygiene is impossible, that is, a set of practical actions and skills that protect the body from diseases and maintain human health at all times. high level. washing, warm bath and swimming bring a feeling of cheerfulness and calmness.

Importance of water in human life.

Water is the most important component of our habitat. After air, water is the second most important component necessary for human life. How important water is is evidenced by the fact that its content in various organs is 70 - 90%. With age, the amount of water in the body changes. A three-month-old fetus contains 90% water, a newborn 80%, an adult - 70%. Water is present in all tissues of our body, although it is unevenly distributed:

The brain contains - 75%

Heart - 75%

Lungs - 85%

Liver - 86%

Kidneys - 83%

Muscles - 75%

· Blood - 83%.

Today, more than ever, it is very important for our body to receive clean water with a balanced mineral composition.

It carries our body's waste, delivers lubrication to our joints, stabilizes our temperature, and is the lifeblood of the cell.

Water is necessary to maintain all metabolic processes, it takes part in the absorption nutrients cells. Digestion becomes possible only when food becomes water-soluble. Crushed tiny food particles acquire the ability to penetrate through the intestinal tissue into the blood and intracellular fluid. More than 85% of all metabolic processes in our body occur in aquatic environment, so the disadvantage pure water inevitably leads to the formation of free radicals in human blood, which leads to premature aging of the skin and, as a result, the formation of wrinkles.

Consumption of clean water ensures the normal functioning of internal organs. It keeps your body flexible, lubricates your joints and aids in the absorption of nutrients. A good supply of clean water to the body helps fight excess weight. This is expressed not only in a decrease in excessive appetite, but also in the fact that a sufficient amount of pure water contributes to the processing of already accumulated fat. These fat cells, with the help of a good water balance, become able to leave your body.

Water is a heat carrier and thermostat. It absorbs excess heat and removes it by evaporating through the skin and respiratory tract. Water moisturizes the mucous membranes and the eyeball. In the heat and during physical exercises, intensive evaporation of water from the surface of the body occurs. Consumption of cool clean water, which is absorbed into the blood from the stomach, provides timely cooling of your body, protecting it from overheating. During training, for the normal functioning of the body, it is necessary to drink in small portions of about 1 liter per hour.

Even if you do not bother yourself with physical exercises, you still need to constantly replenish the lack of water. Atmosphere in modern buildings often overheated and air conditioned. This dries the air and dehydrates the body. The same thing happens when traveling by train, plane and car. Coffee, tea, alcohol - all these joys of life contribute to the removal of water from the body. An adult is able to live without food for more than a month, without water for several days. Dehydration of the body by 10% leads to physical and mental incapacity. Loss of 20% of water leads to death. During the day, from 3 to 6% of the water contained in the body is exchanged. Half of the water contained in the body is exchanged within 10 days.

The amount of water required to maintain water balance depends on age, physical activity, ambient temperature and humidity. The daily requirement of an adult is about 2.5 liters.

Clean drinking water also increases the body's defense against stress. It thins the blood, fights fatigue, helps the cardiovascular system, fights stress. healthy image life is based on proper nutrition, activity and consumption of clean water.

With such a large value of water for humans, the water must be of the appropriate quality, if the water contains any harmful substances, then they will inevitably be distributed throughout the body.

Influence water resources on human health.

The water we consume must be clean. Diseases transmitted through contaminated water cause ill health, disability and death in large numbers of people, especially children, mostly in less developed countries, the usual for which is low level personal and communal hygiene. Diseases such as typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera, hookworm are transmitted primarily to humans as a result of contamination of water sources with excrement excreted from the body of patients.

Success in the fight against these diseases or the achievement of their complete elimination depends on how the system for removing all metabolic products excreted from the human body is organized, how the matter of providing clean water to the entire population is set.

The quality of water is also determined by the presence of chemical inclusions in it, which are the first to be detected by our senses: smell, sight. So, microparticles of copper give the water some turbidity, iron - redness.

There are basic indicators of drinking water quality. They can be conditionally divided into groups:

1. Organoleptic indicators (smell, taste, color, turbidity)

2. Toxicological indicators (aluminum, lead, arsenic, phenols, pesticides)

3. Indicators affecting the organoleptic properties of water (pH, total hardness, petroleum products, iron, manganese, nitrates, calcium, magnesium, permanganate oxidizability, sulfides)

4. Chemicals generated during water treatment (residual free chlorine, chloroform, silver)

5. Microbiological indicators (thermotolerant coliforms or E. coli, TMC).

The experience of the laboratory for the analysis of water quality has shown that the most common water pollutants (the content of components exceeds the standards) include iron, manganese, sulfides, fluorides, calcium and magnesium salts, organic compounds, etc.

What negative properties can certain components impart to water if they are contained above the standards?

Presence in water gland does not threaten our health. However, an increased content of iron in water (more than 0.3 mg/l) in the form of bicarbonates, sulfates, chlorides, organic complex compounds or in the form of a highly dispersed suspension gives the water an unpleasant red-brown color, worsens its taste, causes the development of iron bacteria, sedimentation in pipes and clogging. If you wash clothes in such water, it will remain rust spots. Similar stains appear on dishes, sinks and bathtubs. When drinking water with an iron content above the norm, a person runs the risk of acquiring various liver diseases, allergic reactions, etc.

Increased content manganese in water has a mutagenic effect on humans. At levels in the water supply exceeding 0.1 mg/l, manganese causes spots on the plumbing equipment and linen, as well as the unpleasant aftertaste of drinks. The presence of manganese in drinking water can cause deposits to build up in the distribution system. Even at a concentration of 0.02 mg/l, manganese often forms a film on pipes, which flakes off as a black deposit.

Sometimes in drinking water there are many salts of hydrochloric and sulfuric acids ( chlorides and sulfates). They give the water a salty and bitter-salty taste. The use of such water leads to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. Water, in 1 liter of which there are more than 350 mg of chlorides and more than 500 mg of sulfates, is considered unfavorable for health.

Content in water cations calcium and magnesium gives water the so-called hardness. Water hardness is expressed in mg-eq / l (= mol / m3), in German degrees (1 mol / m3 = 2.804 German degrees), French degrees (1 mol / m3 = 5.005 French degrees), American degrees (1 mol / m3 = 50.050 US degrees). The optimal physiological level of hardness is 3.0-3.5 mg-eq/l. Highly salt-saturated water causes a lot of inconvenience: vegetables and meat are more difficult to boil in it, soap consumption increases during washing, scale spoils teapots and boilers. Hardness above 4.5 mg-eq / l leads to intensive accumulation of sediment in the water supply system and plumbing, interferes with work household appliances. According to the instruction manual household appliances water hardness should not exceed 1.5-2.0 mg-eq / l. Constant ingestion of water with increased hardness leads to the accumulation of salts in the body and, ultimately, to diseases of the joints (arthritis, polyarthritis), to the formation of stones in the kidneys, gall bladder and bladder.

Water is also responsible for human teeth. From how much fluorine contained in water depends on the incidence of caries. Water fluoridation is believed to be effective in preventing caries, especially in children. Fluoride content in drinking water is higher sanitary norms(no more than 1.5 mg / l) has harmful effect on human health. Fluorine is a biologically active trace element, the content of which in drinking water should be in the range of 0.7-1.5 mg/l in order to avoid caries or dental fluorosis.

But in addition to useful impurities in the water, there are others that are dangerous to the human body.

Presence in water sulfides(hydrogen sulfide) gives water bad smell, intensifies the corrosion process of pipelines and causes their overgrowth due to the development of sulfur bacteria. Sulfides have a toxic effect on humans and cause skin irritation. Hydrogen sulfide is poisonous to living organisms.

According to domestic researchers, the use of mine water containing 0.2-1 mg/l arsenic, causes a disorder of the central, and especially peripheral, nervous system with the subsequent development of polyneuritis. Arsenic concentration of 0.05 mg/l was recognized as harmless.

About the health hazards of being in water lead hygienists first spoke in connection with the mass intoxication that arose when lead pipes were used on water pipes. However, elevated lead concentrations can occur in groundwater. Water is considered harmless if the lead content in it is not more than 0.03 mg/l.

Strontium widely distributed in natural waters, while its concentrations vary widely (from 0.1 to 45 mg/l). Its prolonged entry into large quantities into the body leads to functional changes in the liver. At the same time, prolonged use of drinking water containing strontium at a level of 7 mg/l does not cause functional and morphological changes in tissues, organs and in the whole human body. This value is accepted as a standard for the content of strontium for drinking water.

According to modern scientific data, nitrates in the human intestine are reduced to nitrites under the influence of bacteria living there. The absorption of nitrates leads to the formation of methemoglobin and to a partial loss of hemoglobin activity in oxygen transport.

Thus, methemoglobinemia is based on one or another degree of oxygen starvation, the symptoms of which are manifested primarily in children, especially infants. They get sick mainly during artificial feeding, when dry milk formulas are diluted with water containing nitrates, or when this water is used for drinking. Older children are less susceptible to this disease, and if they get sick, it is less severe, since they have more developed compensatory mechanisms. The use of water containing 2–11 mg/l of nitrates does not cause an increase in the level of methemoglobin in the blood, while the use of water with a concentration of 50–100 mg/l sharply increases this level. Methemoglobinemia is manifested by cyanosis, an increase in the content of methemoglobin in the blood, and a decrease in blood pressure. These symptoms were registered not only in children, but also in adults. The content of nitrates in drinking water at the level of 10 mg/l is harmless.

Uranus - a radioactive element widely distributed in natural waters. Especially high concentrations can be found in groundwater. The rationing of uranium is based not on its radioactive properties, but on its toxic effect as chemical element. The permissible content of uranium in drinking water is 1.7 mg/l.

Cadmium accumulating in the kidneys, causes hypertension, weakens the body's immunity, has a negative impact on the mental abilities of a person, because. displaces the necessary normal operation brain zinc.

Aluminum, accumulating in the body, can cause senile dementia, increased excitability, cause impaired motor reactions in children, anemia, headaches, kidney disease, liver disease, colitis, neurological changes associated with Parkinson's disease.

The maximum permissible concentration in water of some additives used to clarify water (for example, polyacrylamide , aluminum sulfate).

There is such an indicator as permanganate oxidizability(standard 5 mg O2 / l, not more than, this is the total oxygen concentration corresponding to the amount of permanganate ion (MnO4-) consumed during the treatment of a water sample with this oxidizing agent), which characterizes the measure of the presence of organics in water (gasoline, kerosene, phenols, pesticides, herbicides, xylenes, benzene, toluene) and oxidizable inorganic substances (iron salts (2+), nitrites, hydrogen sulfide).

organic matter, causing an increased value of permanganate oxidizability, adversely affect the liver, kidneys, reproductive function, as well as the central nervous and immune systems of a person. Water with a permanganate oxidizability higher than 2 mg O2/l is not recommended for drinking.

The toxicity of the above components is not so great as to cause acute poisoning, but with prolonged use of water containing the above substances in concentrations above the norm, chronic intoxication may develop, eventually leading to one or another pathology. It should also be taken into account that the toxic effects of substances can manifest themselves not only when they are taken orally (through the mouth) with water, but also when absorbed through the skin during hygiene (shower, bath) or health-improving (swimming pools) procedures.

Thus, in order to answer the question about the suitability of water for drinking, it is necessary to evaluate the sample at least according to the above parameters.

According to sanitary standards, any water that flows from a tap must meet drinking water standards. However, how far these standards are from the quality of hot water. At the time of hot water supply from the station, the temperature is 130 degrees. Naturally, not a single microbe can withstand such heat. However, on its way, along rusty and demolished heating networks, the liquid is not only saturated with living and very harmful microorganisms, but also with chemically hazardous substances. First of all, it is iron, lead, arsenic, chromium, mercury. The main threat, primarily to the health of hair and skin, is active chlorine, which at high temperatures forms an extremely toxic substance in water - dioxin. The microbes and microelements accumulated in hot water are detrimental to damaged areas of the skin and hairline. Skin diseases and hair diseases in many ways become a serious problem due to the ingress of pathogenic substances into the affected areas.

Water pollution.

Few people today doubt that the water that we drink and use in everyday life needs additional purification, no matter where it comes from - from a well, artesian well or water supply. According to the statistics of the Gosstroy of Russia, about 40% of the city's water supply network is now in disrepair, not to mention country cottages and

holiday villages, where the quality of natural water often goes beyond sanitary standards. In their reports at scientific conferences, scientists are increasingly stating that not only non-drinking, but even “domestic” water flows from our tap.

In recent decades, surface and underground water sources in Russia have been subjected to intense anthropogenic pollution. The deterioration of the water quality of water sources has led to the fact that in many regions drinking water does not meet hygiene requirements both in terms of sanitary-chemical and sanitary-biological indicators. According to the Ministry of Health of Russia, about half of the country's population is forced to use poor-quality drinking water. The unfavorable regions include the Caucasian republics, Kalmykia, Smolensk, Arkhangelsk, Kurgan regions, Dagestan, Karelia, Astrakhan, Omsk, Volgograd regions, the Far East. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, although the quality of drinking water is criticized by residents, it continues to hold the leader's bar in terms of organoleptic and chemical indicators.

The problem of providing the population Russian Federation drinking water of standard quality has become one of the most acute problems of modern society - the problem of national security.

The main sources of pollution of drinking water.

Communal drains- contain both chemical and microbiological contamination and present a serious hazard. The bacteria and viruses contained in them are the cause of dangerous diseases: typhus and paratyphoid, salmonellosis, bacterial rubella, cholera embryos, viruses that cause inflammation of the pericerebral membrane and intestinal diseases. Such water can be a carrier of worm eggs (tapeworms, roundworms and whipworms). Municipal drains also contain toxic detergents (detergents), complex aromatic hydrocarbons (ACH), nitrates and nitrites.

Industrial waste

Depending on the industry, they can contain almost all existing chemicals: heavy metals, phenols, formaldehyde, organic solvents (xylene, benzene, toluene), mentioned above (SAU) and the so-called. highly toxic effluents. The latter variety causes mutagenic (genetic), teratogenic (damaging the fetus) and carcinogenic (cancerous) changes. The main sources of especially toxic effluents are the metallurgical industry and machine building, the production of fertilizers, the pulp and paper industry, the cement and asbestos production, and the paint and varnish industry. Paradoxically, the process of purification and water treatment itself is also a source of pollution (!).

municipal waste

In most cases, where there is no water supply network, there is no sewerage, and if there is, then it (sewerage) cannot completely prevent the penetration of waste into the soil and, consequently, into groundwater. Since the upper groundwater horizon is located at a depth of 3 to 20 m (the depth of ordinary wells), it is at this depth that the "products" of human activity accumulate in much more serious concentrations than in surface waters: detergents from our washing machines and bathtubs, kitchen waste (food leftovers), human and animal feces. Of course, all of the listed components are filtered through the top layer of the soil, but some of them (viruses, water-soluble and fluid substances) are able to penetrate into the groundwater almost without loss. The fact that cesspools and local sewerage are located at some distance from the wells does not mean anything. It has been proven that groundwater can, under certain conditions (e.g. a slight slope), move in a horizontal plane for several kilometers!!!

Industrial waste

In groundwater, they are present in slightly smaller quantities than in surface waters. Most of this waste goes straight to the rivers. In addition, industrial dust and gases settle directly or in combination with atmospheric precipitation and accumulate on the soil surface. plants, dissolve and penetrate deep into. Therefore, no one who is professionally engaged in water purification will be surprised by the content of heavy metals and radioactive compounds in wells located far from metallurgical centers - in the Carpathians. Industrial dust and gases are transported by air streams hundreds of kilometers from the emission source. Industrial soil pollution also includes organic compounds formed during the processing of vegetables and fruits, meat and milk, waste from beer factories, livestock complexes.

Metals and their compounds penetrate into the tissues of the body in the form of an aqueous solution. The penetrating power is very high: all internal organs and the fetus are affected. Removal from the body through the intestines, lungs and kidneys leads to disruption of the activity of these organs. Accumulation in the body of the following elements leads to:

damage to the kidneys - mercury, lead, copper.

liver damage - zinc, cobalt, nickel.

damage to capillaries - arsenic, bismuth, iron, manganese.

damage to the heart muscle - copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury, thallium.

the occurrence of cancer - cadmium, cobalt, nickel, arsenic, radioactive isotopes.

Water quality in St. Petersburg.

In terms of drinking water supply, St. Petersburg is in special, one might say unique, conditions. From an ecological point of view, the Neva is not a river, but rather a short canal connecting Ladoga lake with the Gulf of Finland. The lake in this case plays the role of a giant septic tank, in which all pollution, including industrial and domestic, settle to the bottom, and in most cases are neutralized. As a result, in St. Petersburg they drink water from the surface, fairly clean layers of Ladoga. Presumably this water does not contain harmful chemical impurities.
Our water is purified well, no worse than in many European capitals, such as London or Paris, but this purified water enters the water supply network through old rusty pipes, which is also saturated with bacterial flora. Naturally, the intensity of water pollution in pipes depends on the time during which it gets to the consumer's tap. In areas located near waterworks, water does not have time to capture too many microbes and rust, but the length of pipes laid in remote areas exceeds ten kilometers. In the morning and afternoon, when residents are at work, the water in them moves slowly and is saturated with bacteria and iron. During this period, the water intake is small, and the water in the pipes stagnates.

According to the latest data, at the outlet from the water supply stations of the State Unitary Enterprise “Vodokanal of St. Petersburg”, drinking water supplied to the population of the city from January to July 2004 met the hygienic requirements.
From January to July 2004, at the control points of the distribution water supply network, institutions of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision of St. Petersburg took 3944 samples for microbiological indicators and 3514 water samples for sanitary and chemical indicators.
3.3% of water samples do not meet the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01 “Drinking water. Hygienic requirements for water quality of centralized drinking water supply systems. Quality control” for iron content and turbidity.
0.22% of water samples do not meet the requirements of the same SanPiN in terms of microbiological indicators.

In order to improve the quality of drinking water, SUE "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg" has developed a "Program of priority measures to ensure hygienic and anti-epidemic safety of water supply sources and drinking water supplied to the population of St. Petersburg." The program includes issues of monitoring, improving the protection of water sources and epidemic reliability at the stages of water transportation, issues of improving water purification technologies at waterworks, etc.

Cleaning and Filtration Methods tap water.

According to the Research Institute "Human Ecology and Hygiene environment them. A. N. Sysina" RAMS:

· On average across the country, almost every third sample of "tap" water does not meet hygienic requirements in terms of sanitary-chemical indicators and every tenth sample - in terms of sanitary-bacteriological ones;

individual urban reservoirs contain from 2 to 14 thousand synthesized chemical substances;

· Only 1 percent of surface water sources meet the first class requirements for which our traditional water treatment technologies are designed;

When choosing a water purification system for your home, you need to be aware that the water will be used both for household purposes, and for drinking and cooking. The task of bringing the quality of water to a level that is optimal for each of its applications is solved with the help of appropriate water treatment systems. Such systems are divided into those that are installed where water enters the house, and those that are installed at the point of use, for example, in the kitchen. The first make water "household": it works fine with it washing machine, you can wash the dishes, rinse in the shower. The second - prepare drinking water. The requirements for water purity in the first and second cases should be different. Otherwise, either drinking water is wasted for household needs, or water that has not been properly purified is used for drinking.

At the entrance to the apartment's water supply system, it is advisable to install a coarse filter, with a stainless steel mesh or polymer cartridges that can trap suspended matter and rust. This is necessary in order to extend the life of plumbing. You will reduce the internal corrosion of faucets, which react very poorly to particle ingress, sanitary ware ceramics will be less susceptible to rust and hardness deposits. Sometimes there is no place for a filter at the water riser. Then you can put a very small device made of brass, called a "mud collector" and getting rid of dirt and rust. However, coarse filters cannot help to eliminate unpleasant aftertastes.

By by and large, a good device should give maximum cleaning with minimal bulkiness. It is advisable to choose a filter that runs constantly to avoid the growth of bacteria in the filter itself. It is recommended to use those filters that have passed tests for compliance with state standards. A good filter does not change the natural mineral composition water that enters the human body. The purpose of installing a home filter is to return our drinking water to its original quality.

Types of water filtration

· Clearing systems of bulk type.

· Mesh and disc mechanical filters that remove undissolved mechanical particles, sand, rust, suspensions and colloids.

· Ultraviolet sterilizers that remove germs, bacteria and other microorganisms.

· The oxidizing filters removing iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide.

Compact household softeners and ion exchange filters softening and removing iron, manganese, nitrates, nitrites, sulfates, salts of heavy metals, organic compounds

Adsorption filters that improve organoleptic characteristics (taste, color, smell) and remove residual chlorine, dissolved gases, organic compounds

· Combined filters - complex multistage systems.

· Membrane systems - reverse osmosis systems for the preparation of drinking water, the highest degree of purification.

There is an opinion that water is very high degree cleaning is "not useful". Someone believes that the water should contain the optimal amount of trace elements. Others argue that the human body absorbs only substances of organic origin, that is, from food of animal and vegetable origin, and water serves as a solvent and should be as pure as possible. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Speaking of drinking water, it is probably correct to operate not in the categories "dangerous - safe."

It is easier and cheaper to purify water to a state close to distilled than to ensure that it contains a number of substances in a certain "optimal" concentration. So, abroad, in the production of beer, the water is purified precisely to this stage, and then a strictly dosed amount of substances is added to it, making it optimal for further use. In addition, an elementary calculation shows that in order to receive an optimal set of macro- and microelements from water, a person should drink at least 30-50 liters of water per day. In other words, even if we get useful substances from water, they make up no more than 10-15% of the daily dose. Solving the problem of "to clean or not to clean" for themselves, people face a dilemma: either knowingly remove harmful components from the water by donating 10-15% useful substances, or leave in the water along with useful and part of the harmful impurities. Everyone makes their choice.

How much and when should you drink?

When consuming water, it is necessary to remember that not only insufficient, but also excessive drinking is harmful. With a sharp restriction of the amount of fluid introduced into the body, the excretion of decay products with urine decreases, thirst appears, health worsens, efficiency and intensity of digestion processes decrease. Excessive drinking, especially in large portions, also brings undoubted harm: sweating increases, “diluted” blood copes worse with the role of an oxygen carrier, and its increased volume creates an additional burden on the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys.

The emergence and quenching of thirst is associated with the circulation of water in the body. Thirst appears when the water-salt balance shifts towards an increase in salt concentration and activates the system of self-regulation of osmotic pressure, which determines the permeability of cell membranes, that is, the speed of movement of all substances dissolved in water through them. In the brain (in the region of the hypothalamus, which is involved in the regulation of the functioning of the kidneys, lungs, and other organs and systems), there are nerve cells that are extremely sensitive to osmotic pressure, and when it rises, they cause the body to quench thirst. Often we feel the desire to drink, not so much because there is not enough water in the body, but because of the signals that the osmotic pressure can still increase.

In cases where we have a lot of salty and spicy food, quenching the emerging thirst leads to the restoration of the water-salt balance and osmotic pressure. It would seem that everything is in order. But there is too much fluid in the body, and then not only the organs that pump blood, but also the metabolism suffer from its excess.

By regulating your drinking regimen, you can achieve a change in the function of some organs. So, drinking water on an empty stomach, especially cold, carbonated, as well as sweet juices, increase intestinal motility and thereby have a laxative effect. Very hot drinks, on the contrary, should not be drunk on an empty stomach, they adversely affect the gastric mucosa. It is harmful to drink cold water after a heavy fatty meal. Such food lingers in the stomach longer, and if you drink a lot of water, it will overflow even more and stretch, there will be an unpleasant feeling of discomfort, fullness. In addition, a full stomach reflexively increases intestinal motility, causing diarrhea. After fatty foods, it is better to drink a small amount of hot tea.

People struggling with fullness are not recommended to drink during meals, since food diluted with liquid becomes mushy, and in this form it leaves the stomach faster, a feeling of hunger appears, forcing to break the diet. It is better for obese people not to drink food, but to drink before meals or some time after meals.

You should not drink immediately after eating fruits or berries - this can cause severe bloating. It is recommended to drink only dry food: sandwiches, pies, crackers, dry cookies, that is, everything that is difficult to swallow dry.

The volume of liquid you drink, along with the water that comes with food, should average 2000-2400 ml per day. excessive fluid intake is undesirable and even harmful: it contributes to the leaching of nutrients from the body, including mineral salts and vitamins. In addition, drinking plenty of water creates unfavourable conditions for work of cardio-vascular system and digestive organs.

It must be borne in mind that hot and warm drinks are absorbed and quench their thirst faster than cold ones. If you are often thirsty, for example in the heat, it is better to drink some hot tea, moreover, green. You should not drink a lot of liquid at one time: you will not quench your thirst, and most of what you drink will be excreted within two hours. In addition, massive fluid loads cause unpleasant subjective sensations. But a sharp restriction of water without special reasons is also not desirable. Modes with high or low fluid content are prescribed by a doctor for medical reasons.

Conclusion.

Without any exaggeration, we can say that high-quality water that meets sanitary, hygienic and epidemiological requirements is one of the indispensable conditions for maintaining people's health. But in order for it to be useful, it must be purified from all harmful impurities and delivered clean to a person.

In recent years, the view of water has changed. Not only hygienists, but also biologists, engineers, builders, economists, and politicians began to talk about it more and more often. And it's understandable - the rapid development of social production and urban planning, the growth of material well-being, the cultural level of the population constantly increase the need for water, make it more rational to use it.

Who is responsible for water in Moscow?

The organization responsible for water quality in the capital is JSC Mosvodokanal. However, not all water is under its control: for example, Mosvodokanal controls the quality of water only in cold water supply systems. This means that everything you read on the Mosvodokanal website applies only to cold water from your faucet because hot water and heat supply is the responsibility of MOEK OJSC or the operating organization in charge of your house.

In Moscow, there are nine areas where the water supply network is located - in nine main districts of the capital (Central Administrative Okrug, ZAO, SZAO, SAO, SVAO, VAO, YuVAO, YuAO and YuZAO). According to the official website of the organization, Mosvodokanal regularly takes water samples directly from taps in public institutions (schools, shops, pharmacies, etc.) at more than 250 points in all of the above areas throughout the city of Moscow, including Zelenograd.

Drinking water quality control in the water distribution network is carried out by taking water samples and assessing them for microbiological and organoleptic (i.e. taste, smell, color) indicators. Such checks are carried out with a certain frequency, depending on the number of people in the settlement served by this water supply network:

<10 тыс.чел. – 2 пробы/месяц;
10-20 thousand people – 10 samples/month;
20-50 thousand people – 30 samples/month;
50-100 thousand people – 100 samples/month;
>100 thousand people – 100+1 samples/month. for every 5 thousand population.

Plus, there are mandatory checks after repairs and other technical work in the water supply network.

What parameters are used to evaluate tap water in Moscow?

There are a lot of them, the main ones are pH, color, turbidity, residual chlorine, smell at 20 and 60 degrees, bacteria levels. The extended list contains hardness, the level of nitrites, nitrates, chlorides, fluorides and other substances. Full list indicators you can find in the text SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01 (SanPiN - Sanitary Rules and Norms).

To make it easier for you to navigate the terminology in the future, let's look at the characteristics of water that we often use in our speech - hardness and alkalinity.

Alkalinity is the ability of water to neutralize hydrogen ions. This indicator often appears as pH - a value that characterizes the concentration of hydrogen ions in solutions. Those. pH is a measure of the acid-base (i.e. acid-base) properties of water. According to SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01, the pH value for drinking water in Russia should be in the range of 6.0-9.0 (7.0 is a neutral pH, anything over 7 is alkaline, anything less is acidic) .

Hardness of water is a property due to the content of calcium and magnesium ions in water. Water is divided by hardness into:

very soft -<1,5
Soft<3
medium hardness<5,4
Rigid<10,7
Very hard >10.7

Do not confuse hardness with mineralization!

Mineralization water- this is the amount of salts that will remain after heating the water to +100 C, evaporating it and heating the dry residue to +105 C to a stable weight. The indicator is expressed in mg/l or g/l. According to the level of mineralization, the following types of waters are distinguished:

Fresh: 0.2 - 0.5 g/l
With a relatively high mineralization: 0.5 - 1 g/l
Brackish: 1 – 3 g/l
Salty: 3 – 10 g/l
With high salinity: 10-35 g/l
Transitional to brines: 35-50 g/l
Pickles: 50-400 g/l

It is important to understand that there is no 100% pure water on Earth, it is always a solution some elements. Distilled water is a product of human activity, and in no case should you drink it instead of ordinary water - this will lead to leaching of vital salts, minerals and trace elements from the body.

Where do they get water for Moscow?

Muscovites drink, wash, wash and water flowers with water from two sources, depending on the area of residence: In ZAO, SZAO, SZAO and SAO, as well as in the nearest suburbs (for example, in Odintsovo) Rublevskaya and Zapadnaya water treatment stations located on the left bank of Moscow - rivers, they take water, in fact, from the Moscow River and from the reservoirs of the Moscow Canal - Klyazminsky and Uchinsky. In the SAO, SVAO, VAO and SVAO, the Northern and Eastern water treatment stations on the right bank of the Moskva River take water from the Volga. There is a layout of water treatment stations.

What is the quality of water in Moscow?

According to Greenpeace, there are four wastewater treatment plants in Moscow: Luberetskiye, Yuzhnoye Butovo, Zelenogradskiye and Kuryanovskiye. All of them are different and differently equipped, incl. The quality of your tap water is highly dependent on the area you live in. For example, the author of these lines lives in the South-West, in the area of Prospect Vernadsky, and everything is fine here (according to Mosvodokanal, again). All indicators are significantly below the maximum permissible levels specified in SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01, which is good news. You can check the water quality and find out its main indicators here by entering your address.

Which way the water passes from the sewer through the treatment plant back to the river is well described, for example, in the LiveJournal blog of Greenpeace Igor Podgorny. All stages of treatment are described and illustrated using the example of the Kuryanovsk treatment facilities, and even a mini-thermal power plant operating on biogas obtained from the sewage treatment plant sludge is described.

In conclusion, I would like to say that Moscow has good water! We have heard this more than once from many experts, other experts publicly declare that in Moscow you can drink tap water. And yet, they say, the Lyubertsy treatment facilities are so advanced that foreign delegations even come there with excursions. Maybe the editors of LookBio will somehow be taken to one of them.

"Now anyone can get information about water quality. For example, here you can get data on water hardness, which is useful for housewives who will know what detergents to add when washing. But I can say that in Moscow the water is not very hard to to spend people's money on additional funds, so there is enough washing powder," said Stanislav Khramenkov, general director of the MGUP Mosvodokanal enterprise.

You can get information about your home on the Mosvodokanal website:
http://www.mosvodokanal.ru/index.php?do=cat&category=kach_munic

When performing water quality control in the city water supply network, water samples for analysis are taken directly from consumer taps (in schools, shops, pharmacies, hospitals, and other institutions) at more than 250 points throughout the city of Moscow, including Zelenograd. It is on the basis of the results of these analyzes that the quality of drinking water supplied to residents in their homes is assessed.

MGUP Mosvodokanal monitors water quality only in cold water systems, being responsible for the quality of the services provided on the border of the balance sheet ownership of centralized water supply networks and in-house water supply systems. JSC "MOEK" or your operating organization is responsible for the quality of hot water supply and heat supply services.

The organization that manages your residential building (DEZ, HOA, ZhSK, etc.) is responsible for ensuring the proper operation of the in-house water supply system, with which MGUP Mosvodokanal enters into an agreement for the supply of drinking water and the receipt of sewage into the city sewer.

Please send your wishes and comments related to the operation of this service to the following e-mail address: [email protected] indicating the subject of the letter "Remarks on the operation of the Water Quality service".

Reference information from MGUP "Mosvodokanal".

We live on a planet three-quarters of which is covered in water. And yet there is not enough water. There is a lack of clean, fresh water, and, first of all, for drinking. At least a billion people around the world drink dirty water, and more than three million people, mostly children, die every year due to diseases associated with bad water. According to the World Health Organization, 80% of diseases are transmitted through water. Therefore, before reaching consumers, the water is purified and disinfected.

Water intake for water supply needs is carried out from two main water sources: Moskvoretsky and Volzhsky. In the first case - directly from the Moskva River, regulated by the Rublyovskaya dam specially created for this purpose, and in the second - from the reservoirs of the watershed pool of the Moscow Canal - Klyazminsky and Uchinsky. The Vazuz hydrotechnical system serves as a kind of reserve tank, from which water is supplied to the Volga River, and, if necessary, through the watershed through a system of canals and pumping stations to the Moskvoretsky slope.

Water disinfection can be done in various ways: using strong oxidizing agents, which include chlorine, ozone, chlorine dioxide, or by physical methods, such as ultraviolet irradiation. But only water treatment with chlorine provides a long-term bactericidal effect and allows you to save epidemic water safety during its transportation to the consumer's crane.

In addition to the main function of disinfection, due to the unique oxidizing properties and the preservative aftereffect, chlorine serves other purposes - controlling taste and smell, preventing algae growth, keeping filters clean, removing iron and manganese, destroying hydrogen sulfide, discoloration, etc. . In this sense, none of the alternatives to chlorine can compare with it in terms of versatility and ease of use. In the world, 99 out of 100 cases use either pure chlorine or chlorine-containing products for disinfection.

We encounter chlorine all the time in our daily lives. In the form of various compounds, it is part of more than 100 minerals. Chlorine is found in water in the form of chlorides. The human body receives the main amount of chlorides (up to 90%) with table salt. In the human stomach, chloride ions create a favorable environment for the action of gastric juice enzymes.

A bit of history:

The earliest proposal to chlorinate water was made by Dr. Robley Dunlingsen in 1835, before it was discovered that water could be a carrier of disease-causing bacteria.

The first mention of the use of chlorine as a bactericidal agent dates back to 1846. Dr. Semmelweis at the Vienna General Hospital used chlorine water to wash his hands before examining patients.

1870 - Chlorine applied for the first time after the cholera epidemic in London. And in 1881, the German bacteriologist Robert Koch demonstrated that pure cultures of bacteria can be destroyed by a chlorine-containing solution - sodium hypochlorite.

Currently:

Chlorine or chlorine-containing products are widely used in water treatment in all countries of the world (in 99 cases out of 100!), Especially in large metropolitan areas with a long and extensive network, such as Paris, London, New York, Madrid and Tokyo.
Moscow, which has over 11,000 kilometers of water supply, also uses chlorination.

This length of water pipes is comparable
with the distance from Moscow to the Far East.

We can say that chlorination is the price of living in a big city.

The use of chlorine in the process of water treatment is a solid guarantee of its safety!

The introduction of chlorine into the water treatment process is a guarantee of its safety. Disinfection of Moscow water is carried out in 2 stages - before treatment at water treatment stations and before being supplied to the city - to maintain its safety all the way to the consumer. After such disinfection, neither putrefactive nor pathogenic bacteria that can cause gastric diseases remain in drinking water.

World Health Organization - the content of residual chlorine in drinking water should not exceed 5 mg/l.
Russian standard SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01 before water is supplied to the distribution network, the content of bound chlorine (chlorine that has combined with other substances in water) is from 0.8 to 1.2 mg / l, and free chlorine - from 0.3 to 0.5 mg / l

In Moscow tap water, the concentration of chlorine compounds meets the requirements of the developed countries of the world. Automatic equipment constantly monitors the dosing of chlorine and controls its content in the water.

As water moves from the water treatment plant to the consumer, the concentration of chlorine in the water gradually decreases, so in different parts of the city this smell in tap water can be felt differently. Also, the concentration of residual chlorine is affected by the temperature of the water: the lower it is, the longer the chlorine remains in it, so the smell of chlorine in summer is less than in winter.

At present, Moscow water treatment plants switch to sodium hypochlorite, whose bactericidal properties and mechanism of action are similar to chlorine. But, unlike chlorine, sodium hypochlorite is not flammable or explosive. When using it, the risk of emergencies and their consequences is incommensurably lower than when using liquid chlorine, which is especially important for the Moscow metropolis, whose residential areas are getting closer to water treatment plants. Switching to the use of sodium hypochlorite does not affect the quality of drinking water. Technological processes for the reception, storage and dosing of the reagent are fully automated: the specified parameters are maintained in a continuous mode, including the control of the residual chlorine content in the water.

Drinking water supplied to the taps of Muscovites fully complies with the requirements of regulatory documents of the Russian Federation and does not contain harmful impurities.

What to do to eliminate the taste and smell of chlorine?

Gaseous chlorine completely evaporates from an open vessel. Therefore, it is enough to hold water in an open container for an hour and a half before drinking.

Boil the water.

You can pour water into a tightly sealed glass decanter and cool it in the refrigerator - lowering the temperature neutralizes the taste of chlorine.

It is not bad to put a slice of lemon, orange or add citrus juice into the decanter, drop a mint leaf or drip a few drops of orange blossom tincture.