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IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS Our own houses and activities are major contributors to water contamination. During rainfall, fertilizer from lawns, oil from cars, and paint residues from walls are often washed into the nearby freshwater bodies, and the same water is used for drinking. Water is arguably the most important ingredient of our food intake, and we cannot live without it. Therefore, one must be certain that the water used, particularly for drinking, is clean. Do not preserve water for too many days; instead, only drink fresh water, and use preserved water for other purposes like bathing.

WAYS TO REDUCE WATER POLLUTION

There are many ways you can help reduce pollution in water. For example, clean the containers in which you store water. Filter water through a clean cloth, and the clear water should be further purified. Boiling of water is the most recommended purification technique since it kills all germs and bacteria. We can also use purification tablets, which are made from chlorine or iodine, to clean water.

DID YOU KNOW?

• According to WHO (World Health Organization)/UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), 37 percent of the developing world’s population—2.5 billion people—lack improved sanitation facilities, and over 780 million people still use unsafe drinking water.

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