Access to safe water is essential in the fight against poverty and health problems. Poor people, most of whom live in rural areas, have limited access to clean water for domestic use and for crops and health use. Economic benefits can be obtained not only in a direct way but by having better health and saving the time spent struggling with the tedious tasks of carrying water for long distances. Statistics show that water-borne diseases are more common in places where people use contaminated water or do not have enough water for their daily use.
The number of these diseases is more than half of the diseases that affect people and that eighty percent of the diseases that attack Tanzanians living in rural areas
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What is clean and safe water?
Clean and safe water is water that is clean, odorless and germ-free. Clean and safe water brings good health and unclean and safe water brings harm to humans such as diarrhea and dysentery .
It is difficult and impossible to identify with the eyes whether the water is clean and safe, so it is important to boil the water before using it.
Cleanliness in water sources
Correct methods of cleaning water sources include using covered wells and making sure the wells are covered after drawing water. Because if leaves and other waste fall into the well, they will rot and spoil the water. It is also good that the wells are dug a little away from people's residences. This is to protect the well from toilet and barn waste.
Ways that can pollute water
Habits such as bathing, washing clothes and keeping animals near water sources such as lakes, rivers, ponds and wells pollute the water a lot. For example animals can leave feces in the water.
Index
Rivers-Smith, S. Health, Macmillan and Co.,Ltd. London, 1966