Drinkable water

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What is the ratio of Potable water to water that is not fit for drinking?

-- Danielle Sadkin (sadkin@oswego.edu), April 29, 2001

Answers

As of currently I'm not sure what the ratio of potable to unpotable water is, and I'm not really sure it can be measured. Water is used up, and replenished, and contaminated everyday, so I'm sure the ratio fluctuates. As our book states, "the global hydrologic cycle wields ultimate control over water supplies." Also, "human activities constitute a massive interference in the operations of the hydrologic cycle", which can also fluctuate the ratio of potable to unpotable water. Another reason why its difficult to measure the ratio of unpotable and potable water is the fact that other countries have different levels at which they claim the water is drinkable.....other countries allow higher levels at which which the water can be contaminated with certain chemicals, which the US would consider undrinkable, or unpotable.

-- Joel Bouchard (jboucha1@oswego.edu), May 03, 2001.

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