Drinking Water

Water is an essential natural resource for life on our planet. The human body, like the Earth's layer, is composed of approximately 70% of water.

Drinking water is natural water obtained from a reservoir or body of water that, after undergoing a rigorous, regulated, and examined filtration or purification process, is suitable for human consumption.

Considering this terrestrial layer as a whole, it is attested that 97% of it is composed of salt water in seas and oceans and 2% is frozen water at the North and South Poles. So it is water that we cannot use. So, we have only 1% of fresh water for consumption found in rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, aquifers, and springs.

The water that reaches the Earth through the hydrological cycle is deposited and stored on the surface of the earth and also below it by infiltration or percolation of rain in the subsoil. For this reason, we classify supplies or bodies of water into two categories:

‍Surface water: Rivers, lakes, reservoirs, streams, and oceans.
‍Groundwater: Aquifers and springs.
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Spring is water that emerges naturally to the surface of the earth while the water contained in the aquifers is extracted to the surface artificially through the driving of deep wells.

The hydrological (water) cycle is the continuous movement of water from the atmosphere to the earth through condensation and precipitation and its return to the atmosphere through transpiration and evaporation.

‍Condensation is the process by which a substance changes from a vapor (gaseous) state to a liquid or solid state.

‍Evaporation is the process by which liquids are converted into gases.

‍Perspiration is the process by which plants pass water vapor into the atmosphere.

‍Precipitation It is the process by which the water vapor that forms clouds is discharged to the earth in the form of rain, snow or hail.

The drinking water purification process takes place in a filtration plant. This process consists of the following seven steps:

• Intake of raw water in the natural water supply: Natural or raw water from the reservoirs is lead to the filtration plant. The sieve or grill removes solids found in the water.
• Ventilation: It consists of exposing water to air in the form of a spray so that oxygen enters and removes iron and manganese minerals that produce color, smell, and flavor to the water.
• Application of chemicals: Polymer is a chemical agent that coagulates (traps) solids in water. Lime controls the acidity or alkalinity of water and diluted chlorine gas disinfects it.
• Sedimentation: It is the physical separation by gravity of solids from water (flocs or masses of clots). They sit at the bottom of a sedimentation tank to obtain clear water on the surface.
• Filtering: It consists of passing the clear water obtained on the surface of the sedimentation tank through a filter made of stones, gravel, sand, and charcoal. In this way, all the solids present in the water are removed.
• Disinfection: The filtered water is disinfected with diluted chlorine gas to destroy microorganisms present. A residual of chlorine remains in the water as it travels down the pipe to reach the community. This waste is a protection and a guarantee of quality.
• Distribution: Filtered and chlorinated water is suitable for human consumption and reaches the community through a network of pipes, pumping stations to propel it, pressure regulators, quality sampling stations, and storage tanks (distribution tanks).

The chemical and bacteriological quality of Puerto Rico's drinking water is guaranteed through tests performed in our certified laboratories. In addition, it is regulated and inspected respectively by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act and the Department of Health's Drinking Water Program through the Puerto Rico Drinking Water Purity Act.

It is essential for our survival to conserve water...

• Keeping water supplies free from pollution.
• Saving the drinking water that reaches our community.