Water
Experts say that about 1.1 billion people has no access to drinking water, 2.5 billion does not even possess elementary sanitary conditions (mainly in Africa and South Asia), and more than five million people a year die from diseases that are caused by polluted water. Climate changes strongly affect the reserves of drinking water in some parts of our planet. In many areas, especially in developing countries, there has been lesser and lesser drinking water. In a two-year study entitled "Water in the world" it is said that the most serious situation was in Asia and Africa, while China was facing with the "water disaster". Serbia is on the 47 place of 180 countries ranked according to the amount of water resources. Our country is rich with more than 20% of world fresh water reserves. We are among the European countries that are the richest in sources of mineral water, but regardless of the statistics, every third drain in Serbia is highly risky because its water that microbiologically and chemically below the allowed level of quality. One third of the Serbian population uses the water from springs, wells and rural networks which have never been controlled. Last results of medical acceptability of drinking water from 155 water supply systems in Serbia show that only 47.75 per cent of water is satisfactory. On the other hand, our country not only fails in using the great potential of underground water, but wastes the true wealth. A special problem is the pollution of underground water. Partly this pollution is caused by agriculture – due to the use of artificial fertilizers and waste water in rural settlements. Large problem are consequences of water pollution due to unorganized landfills. Water and waste are tightly and fatally related. Each waste sooner or later reaches the underground water polluting it. It is possible to protect water from the waste only by construction of landfills with controlled drainage. In Serbia there is less and less of healthy spring water. Experts believe that the main reason is uncontrolled cutting of forests and that the salvation is in forestation, surface accumulation, small dams and river source protection. TIPS:
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Water is the foundation of life and the basic ingredient of every human being. Population on the planet is rapidly increasing. Though the need for water is growing, its quantity stays the same. By 2025 two thirds of humanity will suffer a serious lack of water.