The Wateroam Blog – What to expect!
The Wateroam blog is where you can learn about life-saving water filtration, disaster relief efforts, product maintenance tips and much, much more!
How many drops of water make a full glass?
Water is an integral component of human life and we need it for life, health, and survival. Over 884 million people worldwide don’t have access to clean and safe drinking water, and 2.6 billion people worldwide practice improper sanitation.
Adequate water consumption without wastage is critical for people worldwide because the lack of sufficient water during emergencies can take a massive toll on their lives and reduce their chances of survival. That’s why supplying appropriate potable and non-potable water is of utmost importance.
People consuming contaminated water are more prone to experiencing acute and chronic health conditions, especially after an emergency. A Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) response is therefore crucial during emergencies to reduce the risk of mortality and morbidity.
An accurate response protects people, increases their survival chances, and improves their life quality. We know that water is important. Now the question is: How much water is needed? Today’s article will answer this question by giving you essential details. Read on!
Cooking
Water is an integral component of food preparation. We use it for cleaning foods and ingredients, such as washing rice or vegetables. And we also use boiling water to cook.Defining water requirements for cooking is challenging because it varies based on the types of food and cooking done, but here are some estimates from the experts. |
How many times do you rinse your rice?
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According to USDA, an average of 7 liters of water is needed for cooking food and 4.2 liters for tea and coffee preparation. Your neighbour might need 0.35 liters of water per day to cook 170 grams of rice, but not everyone cooks their rice the same way!
Hygiene
Bacteria and pathogens exist in most outdoor water sources
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Non-Potable
Non-Potable water is not suitable for human consumption because it contains various contaminants. Although non-potable water is not appropriate for humans, it has a wide range of uses in people’s daily lives.For instance, people can use non-potable water for gardening, plumbing, and flushing toilets. |
They must not use them for drinking and cooking because they contain microbes, including bacteria and viruses, which can deteriorate their health. How much non-potable water is needed depends very much on an individual or household’s lifestyle.
Emergency Guidelines
The importance of water increases during emergencies because it is a matter of life and death. These guidelines are important for humanitarian agencies and governments that provide relief assistance. Adhering to these guidelines help victims survive after they’ve been temporarily displaced due to a flood, earthquake or other natural disaster or emergency.
Types of need | Quantity (L per day) | Comments |
Survival | 2.5 – 3 | Depends on climate and individual physiology |
Basic hygiene practices | 2 – 6 | Depends on social and cultural norms |
Basic cooking needs | 3 – 6 | Depends on food type, social and cultural norms |
Total | 7.5 – 15 |
Simplified planning considerations
For governments and humanitarian organizations, planning a water intervention based on needs can be simplified by just considering the number of users per well or handpump. This is a critical indicator to consider during an emergency or disaster situation. According to the UN, no more than 250 people should be using a tap, and no more than 500 people should be using a hand pump.
Since time is of the essence in an emergency, the flow rate of the water supply has to be taken into account as well. A minimum of 1.8L/h per person has to be generated by any water supply for a successful relief operation.
Use | Guideline quantity |
Health centres and hospitals |
5 litres/out-patient; 40-60 litres/in-patient/day. Additional quantities may be needed for laundry equipment, flushing toilets, etc.
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Cholera centres |
60 litres/patient/day; 15 litres/carer/day
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Therapeutic feeding centres
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30 litres/in-patient/day; 15 litres/carer/day
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Operating theatre/maternity
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100 litres/ intervention
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SARS isolation
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100 litres/ isolation
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Viral Haemorrhagic Fever isolation
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300-400 litres/ isolation
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Schools |
3 litres/pupil/day for drinking and hand washing (use for toilets not included: see below)
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Mosques
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2-5 litres/person/day for washing and drinking
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Public toilets
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1-2 litres/user/day for hand washing; 2-8 litres/cubicle/day for toilet cleaning
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All flushing toilets
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20-40 litres/user/day for conventional flushing toilets connected to a sewer; 3-5 litres/user/day for pour-flush toilets
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Livestock/day
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Cattle horses, mules: 20-30 litres per head; goats, sheep, pigs: 1020 litres per head, Chickens: 10-20 litres per 100
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Vegetable gardens
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3-6 litres per square metre per day |
Water for Non-Domestic Use During Emergency
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
Post-Emergency Guidelines for Refugee camps
Use | Guideline Quantity |
Outpatient Facilities | 10 Litres pre day |
Inpatient Facilities | 40 to 60 litres per day |
School |
3 to 3.5 litres per student per day
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Caregiving facility
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15 litres per day
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Mosques
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2 to 5 litres per day |
Water for Non-Domestic Use Post-emergency Longer-term standard
Source: UNHCR
Water quantity calculations for a post-emergency scenario can be simplified with these guidelines as well:
Are you able to meet the minimum water quantity requirements?
It cannot be stated enough that water is essential for daily life, whether in an emergency or non-emergency scenario. The water needs of each individual varies, and the requirements also vary according to the situation, but we know that safe drinking water is always important.
While we’ve written about the water quantity requirements in this blog, there is also a great need to understand water quality, which we’ve also written about here.
The biggest challenge that most people and organizations face is in meeting the drinking water quality AND quantity requirement, especially in an emergency.
And that is why we set up Wateroam, to provide honest water solutions for a better world. If you need any help in planning a water intervention for an emergency, a refugee crisis, or a long-term sustainable development project, we are here for you!
Regardless of the scale of your project or budget requirements, we have something for you. To learn more, contact us or book a free consultation, especially if you are a humanitarian or missions agency.
The Wateroam blog is where you can learn about life-saving water filtration, disaster relief efforts, product maintenance tips and much, much more!
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