Researchers believe that about 140 million people, mainly in developing countries are being poisoned by arsenic in their drinking water. This is no doubt due to a lack of water quality testing in these countries as there is not enough awareness about the effects of bad drinking water.
South and East Asia account for more than half of the known cases globally which has raised many concerns. Scientists believe arsenic in drinking water can lead to higher rates of cancer in the future. Arsenic consumption leads to higher rates of some cancers, including tumours of the lung, bladder and skin. Some of these effects don't show up until decades after the first exposure which makes it difficult to track. The only way you can monitor this problem is to do regular water quality testing so that experts can immediately recognise problem areas.
In the long term, one in every 10 people with high concentrations of arsenic in their water will die from it. This is the highest known increase in mortality from any environmental exposure yet no government agencies have given this the priority it deserves. There are areas in Indonesia and the Philippines with very little evidence of water quality testing yet where there has been some testing dine, there have been signs of arsenic.
If water quality testing is conducted regularly and a problem is identifies, then there are remedies for the problems. For example, deeper wells can be dug, purification can be completed and safe water supplies can be identified.
It has also been found that eating large amounts of rice which has been grown in the affected areas could also be a health risk. It's a global problem which is present in 70, maybe more countries. Rice is often grown in fields which are often flooded with water from the same wells. Arsenic is then drawn up into the grains which are used for food. Research has shown that arsenic transfers from soil to rice about 10 times more efficiently than to other grain crops. This is clearly a problem in countries such as Bangladesh where rice is the staple food. Although some people feel that it could be an issue even in the UK among communities who eat rice frequently.
The most important thing is to have regular water quality testing as this is the best and most effective way of testing water.
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