Recycled Water: Would You Drink It?

[RestoreGore]

Recycled Water Rejected Out Of Fear, Say Critics

In the video I will link below, the people in it claim they wouldn't mind drinking recycled water... well, that is because they can still go in a store and buy a bottle of Evian if they so desire. They can say they would drink it only because they really don't have to drink it. And also notice in this video that not one person stated that they would work on conserving the water they use now for showers, etc. Just give them the quick fix so they don't have to bother about changing the way they live their lives. I don't know, perhaps they will change their tunes when their new water bills come in and they see how much those recycling plants are going to cost them, especially when they waste as much of that now as they are wasting the water they already have. The Howard government sure will be making out on this drought, won't they?

In my view, recycled water is a good proposal for industrial/commercial use, but for agriculture and drinking, no way. However, if the people in Australia really do wish to have it, then how about shipping all of the Evian that is making corporations billions in profits to the people in Africa and other under developed countries who could really use it because all they have to drink is feces infected toxic water that is not treated? Let's see how many people change their minds about putting their lips to a glass of it when they have no other choice.

Video/Recycled Drinking Water, Anyone?

About Reclaimed Water

The reason this type of water is now going to be pumped into faucets is clear: It is cheaper and in the case of Australia in an election year it makes Howard look good. However, the longterm health effects of drinking recycled water must be taken into account as well as viruses and organisms that can get into the water even with a filtration process. As always, conservation is the best answer now as is addressing the burning of fossil fuels that is in part causing the conditions for drought. However again, it doesn't seem as though human nature is yet ready to admit that it has any responsibility in what it is reaping by its own actions.

[burythehatchet]

1. Better learn to like it

You will be drinking it in your lifetime.

[RestoreGore]

4. We wouldn't have to if people cared to conserve

But as always profit trumps all even regarding water.

[Porcupine]

2. Out West we already are.

The water for much of Contra Costa county California comes from an inlet in the Sacremento river delta. It's downstream from a number of cities sewage treatment plants and farm wastewater discharge outlets. Likewise the city of Santa Rosa gets downstream water from the Russian River.

In many towns the aquifer is not seperated from surface water enough that waste dumped into septic systems doesnt end up in the municipal wells. In my town several wells had to be closed due to dry cleaning fluid plumes.

So unless you live in San Francisco or New York city where the water comes from granite mountain valleys check your water supply.

[RestoreGore]

3. Is that why so many e -coli outbreaks?

Spinach, tomatoes, and now peanut butter?

[NNadir]

7. No.

Probably most of these outbreaks have to do with recycled animal waste used as fertilizer.

Almost every major river in the world contains almost exclusively recycled water. I have read figures that indicate that all of the water in the Colorado is used more than twenty times before it finally evaporates on the lettuce fields of the Imperial Valley.

[RestoreGore]

9. Well, that would make the water pretty polluted, no? n/t

[NNadir]

13. Most city wastes are processed extensively, but yes, rivers

become inreasingly concentrated in metals, phosphates, salts, fertilziers and other pollutants as they flow past cities.

[kestrel91316]

5. This is the 21st century, not the 19th. Wastewater treatment is

serious science. I studied it in college 25-30 years ago. Wastewater CAN be treated to drinking standards.

YES. IT CAN.

The denialists and fearmongers are simply ignorant of scientific facts.

People are way too pampered and spoiled. We want to be able to pee and poop into DRINKING-QUALITY water, but we don't want to drink anything we think might be ICKY. Nevermind that the "ick" is long gone.

Prima donas make me sick.

[RestoreGore]

6. Caring about health is not being a prima donna

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2006/10/e_coli_why_mont.html

[kestrel91316]

17. Wastewater CAN AND SHOULD be treated to drinking water

standards, and used as such. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.

My beef is with people who reflexively refuse to even consider such a thing, while having absolutely no knowledge base in the microbiologyand treatment of water and sewage. They just run off screaming, "NO! NO! NO!" and won't listen to reason.

We have the technology to clean up water. We should use it. The link you posted shows what happens when somebody tries to cut corners somewhere.

[Uben]

8. We've been drinkin it for 1000 yrs

Where do you think it goes?

[RestoreGore]

10. What do you think about Australia doing it now?

After Howard allowed this drought to get a severe as it did? The point I am making is that we may be drinking it but that doesn't make it right or safe or get us off the hook for why it is so. But I suppose people will always take shortcuts to save money and not take other factors into consideration like the health of others or this planet, and people who post here out of sincerity and concern will always be made to look as if they are stupid for asking a question.

Recycled water like desalinization are just BAND-AIDs over a much more crucial crisis surrounding our global fresh water resources. With population expanding and our resources becoming more and more in demand, I merely asked if people would be willing to settle for drinking water of less quality at a higher price simply because human beings don't seem to have the capacity to conserve but most certainly have the capacity for greed and indifference. But of course, spoiled Americans can simply go to their local store and stock up on bottled water put out by corporations that exploit others without batting an eye, so why should they care what is coming out of their taps or how much others exploited them. I'm obviously asking this in the wrong country.

[Nihil]

11. Millions drink it every day and have done for years

Taking London as an example, the drinking water coming out of the
(mains) water fountain in the office will have been through an average
of seven people between landing as rain and ending up in my glass.

That's the beauty of modern water treatment plants: it's safer than
many brands of "bottled spring water".

Maybe that's why I can't see the big deal that some people are making
about this ... it's obvious to me that this is the natural thing to do.

Where do you think *your* drinking water comes from?
Unless you are fortunate enough to live out in the wilderness and have
a catchment pool and your own filters, odds are that you've been doing
the same thing for most of your life.

:shrug:

[depakid]

12. Where do you think *your* drinking water comes from?

The pristine Bull Run watershed! :9





I reckon I'd filter water in many other places though- including mountain clear streams (no one wants Giardia). I saw a couple once while backpacking in NoCal who had it. They were looking (and feeling) pretty sorry....

[Nihil]

14. I'm not jealous ...

... just lying ... looks pretty good there!

:bounce:

[mainegreen]

15. Here:

:D

[Javaman]

16. If astronauts do, so can I. nt