a Roman aquaduct |
History of drinking
water treatment
.
Humans have been storing and distributing water for centuries. Before, when people lived as hunters/collectors, river water was applied for drinking water purposes.
When people permanently stayed in one place
for a long period of time, this was usually near a river or lake. When there
were no rivers or lakes in an area, people used groundwater for drinking water
purposes. This was pumped up through wells.
When the human population started growing
extensively, the water supply was no longer sufficient. Drinking water needed
to be extracted from a different source.
About 7000 years ago, Jericho (Israƫl, figure 1) stored
water in wells that were used as sources. People also started to develop
drinking water transport systems. The transport took place through simple
channels, dug in the sand or in rocks.
Later on one also started using hollow tubes.
Egypt used hollow palm trees and China and Japan used bamboo trunks.
Eventually one started using clay, wood and
even metal.
In Persia people searched for underground
rivers and lakes. The water went through holes in rocks into the wells on the plains.
Around 3000 B.C., the city of Mohenjo-Daro
(Pakistan) used a very extensive water supply. In this city there were public
bathing facilities with water boiler installations and bathrooms.
In ancient Greece spring water, well water,
and rainwater were used very early on. Because of a fast increase in urban
population, Greece was forced to store water in wells and transport it to the
people through a distribution network.
The water that was used was carried away
through sewers, along with the rainwater. When valleys were reached, the water
was led through hills under pressure.
The Greek were among the first to gain an
interest in water quality. They used aeration basins for water purification.
The Romans were the greatest architects and constructors
of water distribution networks in history. They used river, spring or
groundwater for provisioning.
The Romans built dams in rivers, causing
lakes to form. The lake water was aerated and then supplied. Mountain water was
the most popular type of water, because of its quality.
For water transport, the aqueducts were
built. Through these aqueducts water was transported for tens of miles. Plumbing
in the city was made of concrete, rock, bronze, silver, wood or lead. Water winnings were protected
from foreign pollutants.
After the fall of the Roman empire, the aqueducts
were no longer used. From 500 to 1500 A.D. there was little development in the
water treatment area.
In the Middle Ages countless cities were
manifested. In these cities wooden plumbing was used. The water was extracted
from rivers or wells, or from outside the city.
bathing residence in Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan |
Soon, circumstances became highly unhygienic,
because waste and excrements were discharged into the water. People that drank
this water fell ill and often died.
To solve the problem people started drinking
water from outside the city, where rivers were unpolluted. This water was
carried to the city by so-called water-bearers.
The first drinking water supply that supplied
an entire city was built in Paisley, Scotland in 1804 by John Gibb, in order to
supply his bleachery and the entire city with water.
Within three years, filtered water was
transported to Glasgow.
In 1806 Paris operated a large water
treatment plant. The water settled for 12 hours, before it was filtered.
Filters consisted of sand and charcoal and were replaced every six hours.
In 1827, the Englishman James Simpson built a
sand filter for drinking water purification. Today, we still call this the
number one tribute to public health.
http://www.lenntech.com/processes/disinfection/history/history-drinking-water-treatment.htm.
http://www.lenntech.com/processes/disinfection/history/history-drinking-water-treatment.htm.
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