WATER ABLAZE - Patagonia Sin Represas

as E.coli bacteria or faecal streptococci. Apparently, they are
even able to filter out medicinal drugs – and hormones, in
particular. How effective natural and simple methods can be,
is demonstrated by the example of the sand filter, which holds
back viruses and bacteria, even with grains as small as 0·1 mm
in size. People should check whether or not the laws in a particular
country permit the use of biological sewage plants. We
can assume that EU bureaucracy and big companies, working
hand in hand with affiliated politicians, will endeavour to liberalise
and privatise the sewerage sector, which up to now has
been regarded as a matter for local authorities alone.
• The Swiss Institute of Water Research at the College of
Technology in Zurich is working on a new method of purifying
drinking water: the process known as “Solar Drinking Water
Disinfection” (SODIS) involves heating the water naturally,
using solar energy to kill off cholera-causing agents, viruses
and faecal bacteria. The Swiss have their eye on developing
countries, above all, where every 15 seconds, a child dies as a
result of poor water hygiene.
• Mention should be made here of one of a series of very promising
ideas, intended to counteract rising water consumption:
the concept of a dry toilet which is “flushed” using sawdust.
The Swedish engineer Uno Winblad opposes the use of waterflushed
toilets because of the wastage of water involved. Every
human being produces around 50 litres of faeces and 500 litres
of urine a year and these are flushed into the sewerage
system, using up to 30,000 litres of valuable drinking water.
Since it would be neither possible nor advisable to equip the
whole world with water closets, Winblad argues in favour of
drying faeces, whereby phosphate, potassium and ammonia
can be extracted for use in agriculture. Hans Huber, head of
Huber Technology, an innovative German company based in
Berching in the Upper Palatinate, is working along similar
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