In observance of UN World Water Day 2017, HomePure sponsored a roundtable discussion that was attended by notable professionals and experts. The roundtable was hosted to address issues related to the importance of clean water and its impact on the lives of the Egyptian population. Sanitation and hygiene and their impact on overall human health and development were also topics of discussion.
Egypt has been listed among the top ten countries that will be threatened by a lack of water by the year 2025 due to its rapidly increasing population. The core discussions at the roundtable, therefore, revolved around the government’s position on water safety and hygiene, solutions to common water problems, and the importance of clean and safe water.
Giving a voice to the Egyptian Government’s stance on water safety and providing their opinions as experts regarding the matter, Dr Mahmoud Abu Zeid and Dr Hussein Elatfy, both former Ministers of Water Resources and Irrigation in Egypt, were present at the event. The former ministers gave insightful speeches on the importance of water health and sanitation and how they play a key role in national development.
Dr Abu Zeid, currently the President of the Arab Water Council, Honourary President of the World Water Council and a Member of the UN Advisory Board on Water Supply and Sanitation stated: “Despite the tireless endeavours towards public awareness campaigns through the Government and Media, the prevalence of diseases validates the lack of rural sanitation and the traditional contamination of surface water with human waste.”
Also commenting on the issue, Dr Hussein ELATFY, presently a member of the Executive Council and Secretary-General of the Arab Water Council, stated: “Industrial waste is considered a major source of pollution in Egypt. About 350 industries are discharging their sewage-water either directly into the Nile or through the municipal system. In the rural areas that accommodate about half of the population (35 million people), 95% of the people have no access to sewer systems or wastewater treatment facilities.”
To tackle the pillar of safety and health in relation to clean water, Dr Said Shalaby, a doctor of Internal Medicine, discussed the limits placed on public health improvement efforts due to water-related diseases and the consequences of unsafe drinking water on health.
Commenting on the consequences of low quality water, Dr Said stated: “It is estimated that each year, about 17,000 children die from diarrhoea. One reason is that drinking water quality is often below standards. Some water treatment plants are not maintained properly and are thus inefficient in removing parasites, viruses, and other parasitic microorganisms.”
The HomePure 7-Stage Water Filtration System and HomePure Eaze, two of QNET’s best-selling products, have the seal of approval from NSF International, the Public Health and Safety Company™, which is an independent, global non-profit organisation committed to making the world a safer place for consumers by certifying products and writing standards for food, water, and consumer goods. Both HomePure Water Filtration systems are tested and certified by NSF International against NSF/ANSI Standard 42 and 53 for the reduction of Taste/Odour, Chlorine, Turbidity, and VOCs.
SEE ALSO: QNET Celebrates World Water Day 2017 with HomePure