To most of us, accessing water is as simple as turning on the tap and having it available to us immediately. But the process that comes before having instantaneous drinking water isn’t as simple as turning on the tap.
So what is the water cycle and how does it become drinkable through our tap?
EvaporationThe water we drink originates from lakes, rivers, and oceans that evaporates from the heat of the sun, and turns into water vapour and rises into the sky.
CondensationAs the water vapour cools, it turns into tiny droplets of rainwater, forming clouds.
PrecipitationAs more water vapour is turned into water droplets, the clouds become heavy and they fall, resulting in rain, sleet or snow, depending on the air temperature.
RainwaterThe rain falls back into rivers, lakes, oceans, and into the ground. This water is sufficient enough to support a variety of wildlife, however it is not safe for humans to drink until it has been treated.
Treating waterThe water is then collected from rivers, lakes and oceans, by water companies, and is taken through a multi step process to treat the water, making it available and safe for humans to drink.
DistributionThe water is then pumped into your taps through water pipes where it is available through our taps.
We often take for granted how easy we can access safe drinking water, but knowing the long process of how we get water to our tap makes you realise just how important it is to protect the water that we have.
Every Drop Counts!
