March 22 is World Water Day. All over the world people need to buy bottled water, boil water, or collect water to obtain clean water. This is what Epoch Times reporters from Sweden to Brazil discovered when they asked locals, “Do you have concerns about obtaining clean water in your community?”
Islamabad, Pakistan
Sammer Abbas, 22, Reporter
Obviously, clean drinking water is a matter of concern for me, as well as, every citizen of Pakistan who cannot afford mineral water. Even in the federal capital Islamabad, the drinking water gives a slightly bitter taste, which shows that the water is contaminated. If clean drinking water is not available in the federal capital, one can imagine the situation in other parts of the country. One major reason of the sharp spread of tuberculosis in our country is contamination of the drinking water. Provision of clean drinking water is a constitutional responsibility of the government, but nobody knows where the budget goes earmarked in this regard.
Sammer Abbas, 22, Reporter
Obviously, clean drinking water is a matter of concern for me, as well as, every citizen of Pakistan who cannot afford mineral water. Even in the federal capital Islamabad, the drinking water gives a slightly bitter taste, which shows that the water is contaminated. If clean drinking water is not available in the federal capital, one can imagine the situation in other parts of the country. One major reason of the sharp spread of tuberculosis in our country is contamination of the drinking water. Provision of clean drinking water is a constitutional responsibility of the government, but nobody knows where the budget goes earmarked in this regard.
Tranås, Sweden
Bjorn Stendahl, 51, Managing Director
In our municipality, we have very good water quality. We don’t have to use lake water, we use pure groundwater. The waste water is put through a water treatment plant, and it too becomes drinkable. The whole community is continuously working on improving the water.
Bjorn Stendahl, 51, Managing Director
In our municipality, we have very good water quality. We don’t have to use lake water, we use pure groundwater. The waste water is put through a water treatment plant, and it too becomes drinkable. The whole community is continuously working on improving the water.
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland
Agnieszka Muczkowska, 30, Political Scientist
Not really, because in Poland, despite industrial and agricultural pollution, water is treated and used, filtered, and chlorinated. In big cities, water is the most polluted, but after boiling it can be drunk. In Warsaw, there are water extraction points where you can take underground water. Water from big rivers, such as the Vistula, is heavy water with sediments and stone, so it is not of a high quality. In Poland, the problem of environment pollution is made by people or companies who to save money dispose of sewage and waste in an irresponsible way.
Agnieszka Muczkowska, 30, Political Scientist
Not really, because in Poland, despite industrial and agricultural pollution, water is treated and used, filtered, and chlorinated. In big cities, water is the most polluted, but after boiling it can be drunk. In Warsaw, there are water extraction points where you can take underground water. Water from big rivers, such as the Vistula, is heavy water with sediments and stone, so it is not of a high quality. In Poland, the problem of environment pollution is made by people or companies who to save money dispose of sewage and waste in an irresponsible way.
Saltinho, Brazil
Giana Benati Falcim, 21, Biology Student
We have a lot of clean water available; the problem is the irrational use of it. In the lab where I am working, the tap is kept opened for more than 10 hours and all that clean water is wasted and not reused. The population here is not educated to avoid the wastage of water. People brush their teeth with the tap open, wash the sidewalk, the car—all wasting water. I see that it is necessary that people have more awareness, because without water there is no life. Governments have the power to encourage and educate the population.
Giana Benati Falcim, 21, Biology Student
We have a lot of clean water available; the problem is the irrational use of it. In the lab where I am working, the tap is kept opened for more than 10 hours and all that clean water is wasted and not reused. The population here is not educated to avoid the wastage of water. People brush their teeth with the tap open, wash the sidewalk, the car—all wasting water. I see that it is necessary that people have more awareness, because without water there is no life. Governments have the power to encourage and educate the population.
Canary Islands, Spain
Angela María Ballesteros Carrillo, 75, Retired Language Teacher
Well, here where I live, in the Canary Islands, tap water is purified water, and because of that, they add some products to avoid germs. And though authorities and experts say it’s safe enough, everybody buys bottled water to drink, and tap water is used for the rest of everyday necessities like cleaning, watering plants, or even cooking. The tradition to buy bottled water here is a historic one because spring water here is of high quality, so there is no comparison between water that comes directly from nature or the treated kind.
Angela María Ballesteros Carrillo, 75, Retired Language Teacher
Well, here where I live, in the Canary Islands, tap water is purified water, and because of that, they add some products to avoid germs. And though authorities and experts say it’s safe enough, everybody buys bottled water to drink, and tap water is used for the rest of everyday necessities like cleaning, watering plants, or even cooking. The tradition to buy bottled water here is a historic one because spring water here is of high quality, so there is no comparison between water that comes directly from nature or the treated kind.
Le Ville of Terranuova Bni., Italy
Bruno Guidi, 60, Retired worker on building site
Francesco Simenone, 72, Retired mine worker
The water is public water. In Le Ville, water is not 100 percent good. You can cook and wash, but it is not for drinking. When a lot of sediment is visible and dark in color, then it is bad for drinking. This is a problem with the boilers because this sediment destroys the system. For drinking we need to buy water in the supermarket.
Bruno Guidi, 60, Retired worker on building site
Francesco Simenone, 72, Retired mine worker
The water is public water. In Le Ville, water is not 100 percent good. You can cook and wash, but it is not for drinking. When a lot of sediment is visible and dark in color, then it is bad for drinking. This is a problem with the boilers because this sediment destroys the system. For drinking we need to buy water in the supermarket.
Greater London, Great Britain
Barry Cherryman, 54, fundraiser
I don’t have any concerns about clean water in my community because we have a good water system here in the U.K. The water here is very well treated and the system works well. The only criticism I have is the water in my part of the country is hard.
Barry Cherryman, 54, fundraiser
I don’t have any concerns about clean water in my community because we have a good water system here in the U.K. The water here is very well treated and the system works well. The only criticism I have is the water in my part of the country is hard.
Dunedin, New Zealand
Madeline Clark, 68, Retired Hairdresser
You bet I do! I have a big worry about the waterways and the old rusty pipes in Dunedin. I get my drinking water from the communal tap at Speights Brewery because it comes straight from the hills and has no contamination.
Madeline Clark, 68, Retired Hairdresser
You bet I do! I have a big worry about the waterways and the old rusty pipes in Dunedin. I get my drinking water from the communal tap at Speights Brewery because it comes straight from the hills and has no contamination.
Gold Coast, Australia
Margaret Devenport, 75, Retired Dressmaker
We’ve got to have clean water, or otherwise everyone will get sick. I’m not worried because we do get clean water through our taps, hopefully. The water seems to taste alright.
Margaret Devenport, 75, Retired Dressmaker
We’ve got to have clean water, or otherwise everyone will get sick. I’m not worried because we do get clean water through our taps, hopefully. The water seems to taste alright.
Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “What’s it like living as a foreigner in this country?”
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