According to the World Health Organization, water-borne diseases account for 1.8 million deaths annually. 88% of this is attributed to unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Realizing the need to raise urgent awareness nationally about the prevention of water borne diseases with a focus on safe water consumption, the Medical Association and Kent RO group today announced a partnership.

Some key facts released on the occasion included:

  1. 70% of the public has no access to safe drinking water.
  2. Infections transmissible by contaminated water include diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis A and E.
  3. Drinking contaminated water can lead to the transmission of parasitic infections.
  4. One should avoid consuming tap water, ice made from tap water, and raw food rinsed with tap water to avoid diseases.
  5. Chlorination kills most bacterial and viral pathogens, but protozoal cysts of Giardia, lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica and oocysts of Cryptosporidium may survive.
  6. Boiling water is feasible if other purification methods are not available.
  7. What does boiling water means: Heating it at 70°C for 30 minutes, 85°C for 5 minutes, 100°C for 1 minute, and 110°C for 1 minute
  8. The addition of iodine or chlorine to water can impart an unpleasant taste.
  9. Filtered water, RO or UV treated water is safer for human consumption.
  10. Kent RO’s technology using RO + UV treatment eliminates bacteria, dissolved impurities, cysts, pesticides, spores, and viruses. It’s a double purification process, which is more effective in purifying water, and makes water purer than boiling.