Water is necessary!
It is the origin of everything, without this there is no life... It’s blue gold, the raw essence of our being that gives us life, quenches thirst, nourishes and cleanses, produces and creates. Are we not 70% water?We only open
the source to access it, which may have depreciated it, and we forget how scarce and vulnerable it is. The water is in danger here and there.
Enrique is a farmer from Murcia. From these orchards in the southeast of the Iberian peninsula comes 20% of the fruit and vegetable production in Spain. But it's dry land. It only rains 300 mm a year!Enrique, however, needs 15,000 m3
of water to irrigate the crop every year, so one of his main sources of concern is water. ANTONIO
MORENO; Spanish Association of Small Farmers: In order to optimize our resources, we have not been using the traditional flood region of yesteryear for years; we use drip irrigation, which saves 30% of the water.
In addition to this more efficient use of water, farmers need to look for more ways to get water. In fact, the water that they have saved by changing the technique is not enough in view of the extent of the region, the water needs are constantly increasing. The problem is really big, because farmers are not the only ones with high water needs: the tourism industry also consumes an enormous amount of water, and both sectors have jeopardized the minimum amount of water needed to sustain the local flora and fauna. Several water purification plants have been
built in this territory. This water treatment plant is located in Los Alcázares and treats 4,000 to 10,000 m3 of water per day here. There are two phases of the first biological treatment, among which are the removal of
solids. JULIÁN ESCUDERO; DRINKING Los Alcázares: This is a tertiary treatment for depuration: the lamella is a physico-chemical treatment of decantation, in addition to the are-decantation and ultraviolet treatment. Here, chlorine and aluminum sulfate are added to disinfect the water. The ultimate goal of water purification is to obtain clean, solid-free, environmentally friendly water and European regulation. This water meets all the parameters for its transformation into drinking water.
This water can not be drunk by humans, but can be used to irrigate orchards without health
risks. ANTONIO MORENO; Association of Small Farmers: The reuse prevents the dirty water from reaching the river basin, thus preventing the river from being polluted and keeping it clean. We give a new use to the water used, which is beneficial for us because our way of life is agriculture.
However, Spain and Europe are not only facing water scarcity... Although the current European legislation has greatly improved the situation, the quality of this valuable liquid is sometimes questionable.-False
announcement: "Are you
sick? Do you have pain? Affected by depression? We have the solution: an all-in-one product with anti-inflammatory, antidepressant and contraceptive ingredients. This revolutionary product is... water!”Fortunately
that is not true. But we must be aware, however, that in Europe hundreds of tonnes of medicines arrive in the environment every day, sometimes by natural means, but by negligence in others.
We will go to Germany for instructions. This large center in the south of
Berlin is led by the Federal Environment Agency. These tubes simulate ponds and canals. The objective is to shape ecosystems to know the impact of chemicals on flora and fauna, including the presence and influence of pharmaceutical products.
ADOLF EISENTRÄGER; German Federal Environment Agency: We look at the distribution of chemical compounds in the environment, their life and sustainability and, of course, their impact on organisms.
Scientists at this center analyze the presence and effect of drugs, among other things.
ADOLF EISENTRÄGER; German Federal Environment Agency: Medicines are designed to have an effect on people or animals, but they can also have an effect on the environment. A well-documented example is the endocrine effect of contraceptives on the environment. Cases of
hermaphroditism have been documented in fish; it is the result of hormonal disruption, almost certainly caused by traces of contraceptive pills in
the water. ADOLF EISENTRÄGER; German Federal Environment Agency: So we have sewage pollution in front of our eyes and the groundwater is at risk.
This problem is not limited to Germany or Europe, it is a worldwide problem. Fortunately, the level of these substances is not enough to harm men and women, but something should be done to at least protect wildlife. Here, on
the Ruhr River, in western Germany, in 2006 they began investigating the river that was so polluted. Large-scale investigations are being carried out in this sewage treatment plant. After conventional treatment, the water is treated with ozone and activated carbon to remove chemical and pharmaceutical residues.
MARKUS RÜDEL; water management company Ruhrverband: After a year of analysis of the facilities, we have managed to eliminate 50-70%. It can’t get any better from there. New Zealanders have an old saying that water is a reflection of our way of life. I mean, everything we put in the water, if it's not biologically removed, it's gonna end up in the
wastewater. Prevention is better than cure from behind! In Germany, as in many other places, they run campaigns to make people aware of the issue. People are asked to return unused medicines to properly manage them.
That is not enough; other measures should be taken. For example, and consider the ecological impact in the process of obtaining a marketing authorization for a new drug.
In any case, the issue has been addressed in Europe. 2012 was declared the Year of Water by the European Commission. A proposal was made to include 15 new substances on the list of chemicals to be monitored and controlled, three of which are drugs for the
first time. Protecting water is not an option, it is a necessity. In two words, the survival and future of all depends on the quality of the water. This struggle is a daily task, and we all have a role to play, each on its own level.
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