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Concept
Raw water
Summary
Raw water is water found in the environment that has not been treated and does not have any of its minerals, ions, particles, bacteria, or parasites removed. Raw water includes rainwater, ground water, water from infiltration wells, and water from bodies like lakes and rivers.
Raw water is generally unsafe for human consumption due to the presence of contaminants. A major health problem in some developing countries is use of raw water for drinking and cooking.
Without treatment, raw water can be used for irrigation, construction, or cleaning purposes. Farmers use it for watering their crops and give it to livestock to drink, storing it in man-made lakes or reservoirs for long periods of time. Construction industries can use raw water for making cement or for damping down unsealed roads to prevent dust rising. Raw water can also be used for flushing toilets and washing cars, as well as any other purposes that do not require it to be consumed by humans. Water in this form is considered raw, as opposed to water which has been treated before consumption, such as drinking water or water which has been used in an industrial process, such as waste water.
Raw water flushing is a method of water conservation where raw water is used for flush toilets.
The composition of raw water is naturally variable, but commonly contains one or more of the following significant contaminants, in the form of dissolved ions, particles and living organisms:
Humic acid and other complex acids, produced by plant decay. These occur in peat and soil and may cause discoloration and metallic taste of water.
Minerals which make water hard. Most common are carbonates of calcium and magnesium.
Particles of clay and silt.
Pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoa and their cysts. (waterborne diseases)
Salt, which makes water brackish, having more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater.
Other, less common, contaminants of raw water include:
Natural radioactive particles.
Official source
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