Groundwater is a common water source used for daily activities, including drinking, bathing, and washing clothes. However, groundwater should not be used carelessly, especially if its cleanliness has not been confirmed, because it can be dangerous to health.
Water is often referred to as the source of life, because living things cannot survive without water. Water can come from anywhere, such as springs, rainwater, seawater, or surface water, such as lakes and rivers.
One source that is often used is ground water. However, not all areas have good groundwater quality, especially urban areas.
Groundwater in urban and densely populated areas is at risk of contamination by human activities from industry, leakage of fuel storage tanks, or seepage from landfills.
This can cause bacteria and chemical compounds, such as arsenic, nitrate, and mercury, to more easily contaminate groundwater.
Boiling contaminated groundwater can kill bacteria, but it cannot remove other contaminants in it. In fact, when water is cooked, the volume of water will actually decrease and make the concentration of harmful substances in it become more concentrated.
Various Hazards of Contaminated Groundwater
When you use or consume groundwater that has been contaminated, there are several health problems that can arise, including:
- Bacteria can cause various health problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, dizziness, sore throat, stomach cramps, and hepatitis A infection.
- Tin contained in ground water, if consumed for a long time can cause hypertension, kidney disorders, and impaired child development.
- Parasite Cryptosporidium in ground water is a pathogen that can cause digestive disorders and be fatal if not treated immediately.
- Nitrates can block the supply of oxygen in the blood throughout the baby's body and cause blue baby syndrome.
In addition, groundwater that has been contaminated should not be consumed or used by pregnant women, chemotherapy and transplant patients, HIV sufferers, as well as for infants and children.
How to Choose Consumable Groundwater
Before determining whether the groundwater is suitable for use, know in advance some of the indicators that indicate that the water has been contaminated. The following are some of the indicators:
- Looks cloudy or colored
- Smells pungent
- Feels strange in the mouth when drunk
To prevent the occurrence of health problems due to poor groundwater quality, there are several things that you need to pay attention to, namely:
- Groundwater storage wells must be at least 250 meters from the waste disposal site or septic tank.
- Make sure the groundwater reservoir is made to a certain depth so that the water is not contaminated by pollutants from the surface.
- Avoid constructing groundwater wells near industrial areas.
- If groundwater is stored in a water holding tank, ensure that the tank is always closed to prevent the entry of animals or exposure to hazardous chemicals.
Human life can not be separated from the use of water in it. Therefore, it is important to ensure that it is clean before use. If you use unclean groundwater, this can actually cause various health problems.
If you accidentally consume contaminated water and experience complaints, such as nausea and dizziness after drinking water, immediately consult a doctor so that appropriate treatment can be carried out.
