The first records we have of people treating water come from the Egyptians from more than 1,600 years ago in 400 AD. Back then people treated the water by boiling it over a fire, heating it in the sun or dipping a heated piece of iron into it. They also filtered boiling water through sand and gravel then allowing it to cool.   Today we still use sand filtration to clean our drinking water. But now, thanks to modern technology our water treatment process also includes using specialised machinery to make sure we have safe, healthy drinking water.

The World is a Watery Place

Over 65% of the Earth's surface is water.   97% of this water is salt water and only 3% is fresh water. We can't drink salt water because of all of the salt and minerals it contains. We could take the salt out, but this is difficult and expensive.   Of the 3% fresh water, 2% is locked in polar ice caps, glaciers, the atmosphere and the soil.
That means that less than 1% of all water is available for us to use. We use this water for a lot of things including drinking, cooking, washing, gardening, heating, cooling and industry.

Did You Know?

Water is very important. All living things need water to live.

Although a person can live without food for several weeks, they can only live without water for a few days.

About 70% of the human body is water. The brain is made up of 70% water, blood is 83% water and our lungs are nearly 90% water.

A tomato is about 95% water. An apple, a pineapple and an ear of corn are each about 80% water.

Why Should I Drink Water?

You know that drinking water is good for you, but did you know that every system in your body depends on it?

Here are 10 reasons why you should drink 8 - 10 glasses of water every day.

1. Be energetic and alert.
   Feeling tired and grumpy? Drink more water!
   You lose 5 - 10 cups of fluid a day through sweating, breathing out and going to the toilet. And if you become dehydrated you can get headaches, lose energy and be in a bad mood.
   
   
2. Stay cool.
   Perspiration (or sweat) is your body's way of controlling temperature. And to sweat, you need plenty of water.
   
   
3. Stay healthy.
   Water keeps your body working and helps prevent some illnesses and infections.
   
   
4. Get well sooner.
   Have you ever been told to "drink plenty of fluids" when you're sick? It's true. Water can help control a fever and it replaces lost fluids, helping you get better faster.
   
   
5. Have more fun playing or exercising.
   Water helps protect your joints and muscles. Drinking water before, during and after exercise can also help reduce muscle cramping and tiredness.
   
   
6. Keep your skin healthy.
   Drinking water moisturizes your skin from the inside out. Water helps keep your skin supple and helps prevent dryness.
   
   
7. Control your weight.
   Water helps your body digest food and gives you the energy you need for exercise. And sometimes if you are thirsty you think you are hungry - so you eat more than your body really needs.
   
   
8. Reduce your risk of a heart attack.
   Researchers in California found that people who drink more than five glasses of water a day were less likely to die from a heart attack or heart disease than those who drank fewer than two glasses a day.
   
   
9. Flush toxins from your body.
   Water flushes toxins (impurities) out of your system - which makes life easier for your kidneys and liver.
   
   
10. Look after your teeth.
    Drinking water is better for your teeth than drinks with sugar in them - which means fewer trips to the dentist.

What is water made of?

Water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Its chemical description is H2O. A single drop of water contains billions of water molecules
Water exists in three states - liquid, solid and gas.
You see liquid water in a river, when you turn on the tap or when it rains. This is the form of water we are most familiar with.
Ice, snow and frost are examples of water in its solid state. Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius. When water freezes, the molecules move further apart, making it less dense and therefore lighter than the same volume of water. That is why ice floats in water.
Water becomes a gas (vapour) when it evaporates. There is water all around us in the air - we just can't see it. If you boil water, it changes from a liquid to a gas. Steam, like from a boiling kettle, is water vapour that has cooled. Steam is a mini-version of the clouds we see in the sky.

The water cycle

Where does Auckland's water come from?

Auckland City's water comes from three main sources:

• Watercare's dams. There are 10 dams in hilly country around Auckland. Five of these are in the Waitakere Ranges to the west of Auckland and five are in the Hunua Ranges in south-east Auckland.
  
  
• The Waikato River
  
  
• The Onehunga Aquifer (An underground water source)
  

Even though our water sources are of a high quality, unlike some places in the world, the water has to be treated properly to remove any bacteria and impurities before it is safe for us to drink.

How is water cleaned?

Water is piped from Auckland's dams to the filter stations. The first stage of the treatment process is adding alum (aluminium sulphate) to the water. Any dirt in the water clings to the particles of alum. 

The water is then piped to settling tanks. Here the alum and dirt form a layer called floc. The floc, also known as sludge, is drained off, thickened and squeezed through the filter press. It is then recycled as landfill.

The clean water is piped to the sand filters. The sand traps small bits of dirt as the water passes through it. When the sand gets too dirty, it is cleaned using air jets and clean water.

After the water has been filtered, it is treated with chlorine. This kills any of the remaining bacteria. Fluoride is added (except in Onehunga) to protect our teeth. Finally tiny amounts of lime are added. This helps prevent the water pipes from corroding.

Next the water is piped to the reservoirs (large holding tanks). Watercare has 51 reservoirs, including the holding reservoirs at the filter stations.

Watercare's large pipes transport the clean drinking water to Metrowater's smaller ones. We bring it to all the homes and businesses in Auckland City.

Saving water

Saving water is good for the environment because it means that we don't need to build more dams. It also means you don't have to pay as much, because we only charge you for what you use. There are a lot of thing you can do to help your family save water. If you can think of other ways people can help, send us an email.

• Make sure that your taps are turned off properly. Dripping taps can waste a lot of water. If your taps are leaking, make sure you tell a grownup so they can get them fixed
  
  
• Have a short shower. If you have a bath, don't fill the tub all the way to the top
  
  
• Use the half-flush button when you can
  
  
• Water the garden in the morning or evening. It's cooler then and less water will evaporate
  
  
• When you water your plants, make sure you water the roots and the soil around the plants rather than the leaves and flowers
  
  
• Use a broom to clean your driveway or footpath instead of the hose
  
  
• Use a bucket of water to wash your bike or the family car and rinse it quickly with a hose. Remember to wash them on the lawn so that the detergents don't get into the stormwater drains and harm the environment
  
  
• Put the plug in the sink when you wash fruit and vegetables
  
  
• Make sure the dishwasher or washing machine has a full load before you turn it on.