How did humans survive before filtered water?

In ancient times, some people harvested rain in big containers, but many more people used water that had collected naturally in streams, rivers, and in the ground. They could find groundwater rushing by in rivers, or bubbling up from underground through a spring. They could also dig deep into the earth to find water.

askdruniverse.wsu.edu - Dr. Universe: How did people in ancient times filter water?

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Every day people around the world get their water in different ways. Some get water from a well, others turn on a tap, go to the store, and some walk many miles to a river. But no matter how we get our drinking water, it almost always starts with rain. Rainwater is really clean, said my friend Julie Padowski. She’s a scientist at the State of Washington Water Research Center at Washington State University. In ancient times, some people harvested rain in big containers, but many more people used water that had collected naturally in streams, rivers, and in the ground. They could find groundwater rushing by in rivers, or bubbling up from underground through a spring. They could also dig deep into the earth to find water. “What people did way back in ancient times is they looked for water that was flowing or they used groundwater,” Padowski said. “Groundwater from deep down in the earth is often safer to drink because it’s more protected from contamination.” As cities grew up around the world, people had some new ideas for getting water. The Romans built big, bridge-like structures called aqueducts, which helped bring water from distant springs or mountains into the city. They also had different ways to filter the water. Padowski said we still use some of these ancient techniques. For example, we let water sit, or settle, so particles fall to the bottom. Then we can strain off the particle-free water. We boil water to kill any bacteria. We also filter water through soil or sand. In ancient times, people actually built sand filtration columns. As the water slowly trickled through the column, it cleaned the water. When using soil or sand as a filter, particles that might be bad for you get stuck in the little gaps, or pores. This small stuff gets trapped as the water continues to flow down. Tiny bacteria in the soil also eat up some of the particles. By the time the water moves through the soil, we have some very clean water. We live on a wet planet—about 70 percent of the surface is covered in water. But only about one to two percent of that is water we can actually drink. These days we have new technology and creative ways to filter some of the dirtiest water on our planet and transform it into clean drinking water. It allows us to tap into new techniques people in ancient times may not have been able to use, Padowski said. Who knows, maybe one day you will also help us come up with innovative ways to make sure everyone has clean drinking water and that no one goes thirsty. Water is a precious resource and we can all do our part to take care of it.

Sincerely,

Dr. Universe

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Is it safe to drink Rain water?

cdc.gov - Rainwater Collection | Private Water Systems | Drinking Water - CDC

Collecting and using rainwater can be a great way to conserve resources. Some people use rainwater for watering plants, cleaning, bathing, or drinking. However, it is important that the rainwater system is maintained properly and the water quality is appropriate for the intended use.

Germs and other contaminants are found in rainwater.

While useful for many things, rainwater is not as pure as you might think, so you cannot assume it is safe to drink. Rain can wash different types of contaminants into the water you collect (for example, bird poop on your roof could end up in your water barrel or tank). Rainwater can carry bacteria, parasites, viruses, and chemicals that could make you sick, and it has been linked to disease outbreaks. The risk of getting sick from rainwater may be different depending on your location, how frequently it rains, the season, and how you collect and store the rainwater. Dust, smoke, and particles from the air can contaminate rainwater before it lands on your roof. Roofing materials, gutters, piping, and storage materials can introduce harmful substances such as asbestos, lead, and copper into the water. Dirt and germs can be washed into collected rainwater from the roof, especially when rain follows several days of dry weather.