





PILES of dishes left undone, toilets needing to be flushed, stale laundry in overflowing baskets, parched crops in the field are just a few of the signs of a chronic water problem. You probably have not had water in your pipe for a while or you may only have water because of the recent rainfall. Whenever there is a drought Jamaica has a big problem as not only do households go without water but crops and the livelihood of many individuals are affected. There is also an increase in water-borne illnesses such as gastroenteritis. As Mother Nature changes our ideas need to evolve so that we can overcome the challenges which are inevitable. One method for overcoming the problems associated with occasions of drought in Jamaica is reclaiming water.







The Oxford English Dictionary defines reclaiming as the act of seeking to return. So one could say that water reclaiming is the process by which water whose quality has been negatively impacted can be converted to a usable form once again. Gabriel Bitton in his book Waste Water Microbiology defines reclamation of water as the treatment or processing of wastewater to make it reusable. Reclaiming water involves a primary, a secondary and a tertiary treatment. The primary methods involve the physical separation of particles while the secondary treatment involves the use of microorganisms and the tertiary method uses chlorine, ultraviolet radiation or ozone to make water suitable for human consumption. The earth has naturally recycled water for centuries through the water cycle however the earliest documented reuse of this resource was in the 16th century in Europe. In the United States, this practice began at the beginning of the 19th century in Arizona and California. The recycled water was utilized to irrigate lawns and gardens and was also used as cooling water. The benefits of recycling water are of such that many countries have embraced it in some form. Israel began using recycled water in 1965 to irrigate crops; in 1984 Tokyo used recycled water to flush toilets and in 1999 in Australia wastewater reclaimed from a treatment plant was used to irrigate vegetable crops.







The Monterey (California) Regional Water Pollution Control Agency did a study in 1987 which they updated in 1998 which showed that recycled water from a nearby waste water treatment plant was as safe as well water when used to irrigate food crops. Their studies further revealed that there were no viable microorganisms in the tertiary treated water. Strict regulations have been developed by countries which reuse water to ensure its safety. A Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Water Reuse: Regulatory and Safety Perspectives report in 2005 proudly stated Florida's reuse of water for over forty years without any reports of illness associated to its use. In 2009, the Water reuse Foundation conducted a study in which it was concluded that reclaimed surface and ground water were more similar than dissimilar. In 2003 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection stated at the 19th Annual Water Reuse Symposium that there was no evidence or documentation of any disease associated with water reuse systems in the United States or in other countries that have reasonable standards for reuse.







The reuse of water has been done safely and has been beneficial for many countries and can be beneficial for Jamaica as well. Reclaiming water can serve as a protection against droughts for Jamaicans who are consistently without water during periods of little or no rainfall. Reusing water will provide an additional source of water that can be used for recreational purposes or for irrigation. In California, approximately 250,000 acre feet of recycled water are used annually. Jamaican farmers consistently face challenges with the supply of water to irrigate crops, following the model to reuse water could be beneficial in this regard. This will lead to economic stability as well as many crops are lost yearly because of water problems. The process of reclaiming water can also provide more job opportunities as these waste treatment plants will require staffing. In 2002, UNICEF stated that one in six people worldwide do not have access to safe water. Reusing water can also help in maintaining the environment as sewage and waste water will be adequately treated before it is released in the environment instead of being discharged directly into the surface waters. This will decrease the risk of waterborne diseases as many Jamaican's rely on these surface waters to obtain the water they require to sustain their lives.







The process of reclaiming water has proven itself a safe and effect method of ensuring the availability of the precious commodity water throughout the world. Communities are currently struggling for water as various sources are drying up and the livelihood of many is being affected. Even our precious tourism industry is currently suffering. As a country we need to explore how we can reclaim water to solve our drought woes which based on metrological forecasts will only get worst as rainfall is expected to get less in future years.





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