Examination of Water through Bacteriological Methods - Dissertation Example

This essay discusses that water is the most essential commodity for the existence of living organisms, especially man and other animals. Much like in all nations of the world, in the UK, water quality is of paramount importance. This is because the UK government and populace realize that the quality of water directly affects their lives as water is used in many processes that support human and animal life such as drinking, cooking, bathing, and gardening. Of prime importance in maintaining water quality, a focus on heterotrophs is necessary.

Heterotrophs are microorganisms that derive their nutritional requirements from organic substances considered complex. These complex substances are primarily found in larger animals such as mammals and birds. Many institutions, governments, and non-governmental organizations set measures to ensure that the world’s population does not lack this precious commodity. The UN, for example, set up the “water for life 2005-2015 initiative” with a view to ensuring all persons have access to water, which is a precondition for human health, as well as the conservation of the environment.

According to the UN, almost two in ten persons have limited supplies of safe drinking water. Each passing year millions of people die from illnesses associated with insufficient water supply and sanitation. The World Health Organization asserts that every year, at least 3,900 children die as a result of consuming dirty water, which leads to the transmission of deadly diseases considered a leading trigger of death among children. “Water sanitation is considered an integral part in ensuring safe drinking water for human consumption” (UN, 2006).

Following the environmental predicament facing the world, where global warming has become commonplace, water scarcity continues to affect people across the globe. In order to deal with water scarcity and curb water inefficiency, many people have adopted the culture of storing water, both rain and tap water. Storage Tanks Because most people want to have a steady supply of water from their taps whenever they turn them on, most people result in storing drinking water in different vessels that ensure constant supplies, as well as emergency supplies if or when mains ran short of water.

Rainwater or storm drains offer a viable water source, which allows for harvesting and storage for use at a later date. Roof water collection systems have grown popular over time, owing to their affordability and easy maintenance. The UK market has been flooded with numerous water collection systems that guarantee homeowners of effectiveness in both collections as well as storage. These systems offer a number of alternatives in terms of collection and storage, with most people preferring systems that collect rain or stormwater in tanks, either on roofs or underground.

“While storage tanks offer a viable system of water storage, it is paramount to note that the systems used in the collection, may, in fact, lead to the contamination of the same water” (Greenwood and Earnshaw, 1984). “Collection of rainwater from roofs through traditional guttering systems via a series of pipes into storage tanks is commonplace in most homes. Storage tanks refer to artificial vessels made for the purposes of mass water storage” (Williams, Gillespie, Sobral, Nordberg, Snyder, Shallom, and Dickerman, 2010).

There is a vast array of storage tanks that one can choose from. Chemical contact tanks offer a viable solution when seeking water tanks that allow for preservation time where chemical treatment solutions are afforded free contact with unclean water before treated water is produced. Groundwater tanks, as earlier mentioned are either placed on the earth's surface or sunk into the ground. These tanks receive water from the rooftop or underground sources respectively. Water towers, on the other hand, offer an elevated platform for water collection and storage by creating enough pressure for ground water to rise to the required height.