Resource of Water
As a resource, no compound is more important to man than water. In addition to sustaining all life, water provides man with a building block for social development. It even possesses religious and legendary value.

Water is a valuable resource, and its availability is crucial to our existence. Our vast oceans alone would have us to believe water is an inexhaustible resource; after all, roughly 2/3 of our plant is submerged in oceans. For those who delight in statistics, water (as oceans, rivers, lakes, or ice-caps) covers an unbelievable 324,030,000 cubic miles of the earth's surface. Another 2,000,000 cubic miles of water exist beneath the surface of the earth. In gallons, this amount becomes a number too staggering to mention.

This total has not changed since the earth was a barren, lifeless planet, millions of years ago. Why, then, do we concern ourselves with the availability of this ever present gift? The fact is, only a little over 3/10 of one percent of this supply is fresh water available for drinking and countless other domestic and industrial purposes. You may begin to understand the meaning of "water water everywhere and not a drop to drink."

Studies show that the average American uses 70 gallons of water per day for personal uses. That GPD, multiplied by our 250, 000,000 + population, amounts to only a fraction of the water our country uses each day. Where does the rest go? To agriculture, for irrigation; to power plants, to generate electricity; and to industry, for processing. These factors increase our per capita water use more than a thousand fold.

So far we have discussed the amount of water and what it is used for, but where does this water originate, and how are our supplies replenished so inconspicuously? Just look at the sky and you'll get the answer. If it is raining, the job is being done. If it is not, you can bet that nature's forces are at work to see that it will get done sooner than some of us (at a picnic or playing golf) might appreciate.

What goes up must come down. This replenishing process is called the hydrologic cycle. Simply stated, the earth, sun and atmosphere could be thought of as a huge still. The sun, acting as a heater, warms the water on the earth's surface. This warmed water evaporates and ascends into the atmosphere where, at higher altitudes, the water is cooled and condenses to form clouds. We all realize what clouds eventually mean: rain (or snow, sleet, or any number of other things).

Chemistry of Water
There are many places we could use as a starting point in the discussion of water chemistry, but let's stay as elementary as we can. Water chemistry really begins with a simple formula: H2O. Water is H2O, roughly 11% hydrogen and 89% oxygen.

During the hydrologic cycle, water goes from pure to impure and back to pure again. The water that evaporates into water vapor and ascends into the atmosphere is the purest of naturally occurring water. It retains this purity until the condensation and precipitation cycle begins.

At the risk of oversimplifying, water picks up dissolved gases in the atmosphere, becoming acidic and very aggressive. Once on the earth, this acidic water tries to dissolve any minerals with which it finds contact. Thus it becomes hard, brackish and contaminated to varying degrees.

Treatment of Water
A chemical analysis of water supply will indicate the various types and amounts of mineral contaminants it contains. Removal of these various contaminants from water, whether present in small or large amounts, calls for proper corrective treatment.

On this page:
Chemistry of Water

Treatment of Water

Other:
- How Water Problems Originate
- Resource of Water
- Chemistry of Water
- Treatment of Water

- Water Softeners
- Care of Equipment
- Filters