C1 Water
Relates to Healthy Living Practices:
- washing people
- washing clothes and bedding
- removing waste water safely
- improving nutrition: the ability to store, prepare and cook food
- reducing the health impacts of dust
- controlling the temperature of the living environment
An adequate supply of water is a key resource for ensuring good health and at least six Healthy Living Practices depend directly on a reliable supply of water. However, in many rural and regional communities, it is difficult to guarantee a reliable supply of water and strategies to reduce water use need to be incorporated in every aspect of community, house and yard design. In some communities, strategies will also be required to supply potable water to the kitchen (see B4.1 Quality of drinking water).
Providing a water supply to any household involves collecting, storing, treating and distributing the water throughout the community. Important parts of the community water supply include:
- source: where the water is collected; a bore, dam, lake, river or roof that the water is taken from
- storage: a dam or tank that holds the water after it comes from the source and before it is used
- treatment: the use of chemicals (such as chlorine) or other processes, to remove contaminants and pathogens (bacteria or virus) from the water to make it safe to drink and suitable to use in the house
- reticulation: a system of pipes and valves that carries the water through the community to each house.