Back in 2001 when the concept of NEWater was made known to the public, there was much skepticism about it. Cynics referred to drinking NEWater as drinking sewerage, for that was indeed the main source of NEWater, never mind that detailed descriptions have been provided about the water treatment process. Some have even reportedly complained that bottled NEWater had a strange smell, though that is more likely a psychological effect.
The news that UNICEF is distributing water generated from sweat for drinking is likely to raise some eyebrows, and perhaps some bile. But as with NEWater, the sources go through a strict treatment regimen to generate clean water that is perfectly safe to drink. According to BBC News, Engineer Andreas Hammar, who designed and built the sweat-extraction machine, a technique called membrane distillation is used, which only lets steam through, but keeps bacteria, salts and other irrelevant substances out. It works on a similar concept to what is being used on the International Space Station to treat astronaut’s urine for drinking (cue gasps, but drinking water’s got to come from somewhere!)
The machine is more a publicity stunt to promote awareness about the shortage of clean water than an actual solution to the problem. Perspiration is difficult to obtain, especially when the weather isn't sufficiently hot, and water purifying pills are much easier to utilize.
Nevertheless, this is a solemn reminder on how we should appreciate the clean water and advanced technology that we get ready access to. Many of us are accustomed to boiling water from the tap before drinking it, but in fact, under regular circumstances, boiling water is insufficient in getting rid of impurities that have a higher boiling point than water. Only the rigorous treatments that our reservoir waters are subjected to are capable of truly ridding the water of all undrinkable substances.
According to UNICEF, 780 million people lack access to clean drinking water. Thousands of children die everyday, killed by water-bourne diseases carried by contagious water, or due to contamination and poor sanitation.
Many of us are rightly concerned about the danger of unclean water to our health. It is therefore encouraged that when traveling, one should always do research on the safety of the water available in the country, and avoid drinking from the tap, even if you have habitually done so in Singapore. That is not to suggest that only Singapore has adequate water treatment technologies, but in some cases, travelers fall sick because the pathogens in the water, which locals have already adapted to, are foreign to their immune systems. In a personal example, a friend of mine from a developing country had insisted on drinking water from the tap in the US, proudly proclaiming that her immune system has been toughened by the sanitation conditions in her homeland, only to develop a diarrhea the very next day from drinking it. Even developed countries are not always risk-free as they have on occasion reported cases of water-bourne disease outbreaks from contaminated water.
In general, when traveling, stick with bottled water from sealed, tamper-proof containers. If you must drink from the tap, boil your water, as exposure to high temperatures can help to kill parasites. Tea, coffee, juice, wine and other beverages that have been processed are generally safe. Watch out for the ice as well, as freezing water does not kill bacteria. Make your own ice by boiling water before freezing it.
Aside from drinking water, you should also consider that water that you use for other vital sanitation purposes that if done poorly, can lead to serious contamination problems. Examples include brushing teeth, washing of contact lenses, dentures, vegetables and fruits. Do use bottled, boiled or purified water for these, especially if you are traveling in a country with poor reputation for water hygiene. It may be troublesome and more expensive, but it certainly beats spending your holiday at the doctor's. Water purification pills can be a real life-saver.
