Water water everywhere.

This was a great read.

About 40 houses in Ndolela are using solar purification. "I fill the plastic bottles, put the lids on, then put them on my black-painted roof where they stay for a whole day."

The sun heats the water, helped by the black roof, which helps to absorb the heat. Solar radiation means a combination of ultra-violet rays and heat destroys the bacteria which cause common water-borne diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery and diarrhoea.

After eight hours in the sun, it is ready to drink. If the water reaches more than 50C, it is safe in just one hour.

Cheap, affordable water. I wonder if we think about it when we have it on command. Granted, it might only work in areas where there's massive amounts of sunlight, but by gods it's a wonderful thing.

Yes, I do happen to think that water is one of those things we all take for granted. Nudge of a fingertip, flick of the wrist. And out comes forth clean potable water. Does anyone think about it, really?

At the very end of the article, there was a footnote. World Water Day is on 22 March. Eh? World Water Day? Who the hell knew? And why is my govt, so trigger happy when it comes to weird public education campaigns, passing up on this?


Oh well.