Introduction

We are dependent on water for our health and prosperity yet we know surprisingly little about it. We take for granted that good quality, safe water will come out of the tap when we turn it on and our used water will go ‘away’ when we pull the plug.

This book is concerned with the water that we use inside our home and its adventures after it leaves us. We will explore what we put into water and how it is taken out again.

Importantly we will address the issue of how we can be sure that it has been taken out. Sophisticated and efficient new technologies are now available and we need to take advantage of them, understand them and learn to trust them, in order that we may make the most of the water that is currently available to us.

The Star Rating System describes the quality of water as it becomes progressively cleaner. It is a community education tool, designed to enable lay people to take an unprejudiced and informed view of this important aspect of our health and well-being — it does not quantify water quality or conflict with water quality regulations or standards.

We take for granted that good quailty, safe water will come out of the tap when we turn it on and our used water will go ‘away’ when we pull the plug.