It would make sense that we all take our water treatment process for granted. For a couple of generations, now we have had running water as a given in our households across the country. This, obviously, hasn’t always been the case and still is not the case for many around the world.

Fresh water makes up only 3% of the water supply on the Earth. Since we drink fresh water, we might hope to have all of that 3% available to us for drinking. Sadly, only 1% of the Earth’s water is able to be drunk, as is.

When we consider the 1% of the Earth’s water that we can drink, we might be happy with what is available to us. One might think because there is so little that we would protect it all. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Even the small amount of water we have is always in danger of being contaminated by any number of forces. Waste sights around the country impact our drinking water every day.

To put some numbers to it, the quality of nearby ground water has been detrimentally affected by over 80% of the most serious hazardous waste sights. This means that the need for groundwater management and groundwater remediation has increased greatly over the last century. What is needed everywhere there is groundwater pollution is a water treatment process that is effective and long lasting.

A water treatment process is one that makes any kind of water acceptable for any kind of specific use. This doesn’t necessarily mean drinking, although that is often the case. It could mean treating water for irrigation, watering animals, river flow maintenance or even water recreation.

A water treatment process takes out all contaminants that are undesirable or significantly reduces their concentration so that the water is able to be used safely for its end use.

Throughout the last 100 years, technology has grown to a point where we can rely on it to give us so much. So many things that were only grandiose dreams of those living in the early 20th century have been brought to life in our world today. At the same time, we haven’t evolved to a place where we do not need water to live. In that respect, we are the same as our great grandfathers.

As we move forward through time on a planet that already gives us so much only to be polluted in return, it is easy to see how we will destroy all of our life-giving water sources if we do not concern ourselves with what it means to be stewards of our environment.

One place to start is in the development and implementation of a water treatment process that will restore the 1% of the Earth’s water to us in healthy, sustainable ways. Be active in your neighborhood and town and find out what you need to know about the water that keeps you alive.