Water Conservation
Water is an essential element for living organisms. Directly or indirectly water affects all aspects of life. Without it, there would be no vegetation on land, no oxygen for animals to breathe and the planet would look entirely different than it does today. Water is necessary to keep living organisms’ bodies and the environment healthy and should be valued and protected as the precious resource it is. Why is water so important, despite the fact that it is a component of the earth that can be found everywhere? Water can dissolve nearly anything and supports the survival of all the living organisms on the earth. It can exist in gas as vapour or steam, in liquid form as water, and solid as ice.
75% of the earth’s surface is covered with water, out of which 97% is ocean water which is too salty for all humans, animals, and plants to use on land. 2% is frozen at the north and south poles, in glaciers, and on snowy mountain ranges. Hence, only a small amount is fresh water is directly available for everyone to use.
This means, out of the 97% water on the earth’s surface, only 3% is fresh and usable water.
But this 3 percent is too being misused or being wasted. 22nd March is marked as World Water Day. The United Nations has marked this day to celebrate water and raise awareness about the depleting fresh water on the earth. We are facing a major water crisis and this day is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis
The theme for 2022 World Water Day was ‘Groundwater, making the invisible visible.’ This theme focused on groundwater depletion, which is a serious threat to the environment. Groundwater is water found underground in aquifers (geological formations of rocks, sands, and gravel) that hold considerable quantities of water. This water feeds springs, rivers, lakes, and wetlands, and seeps into oceans. Groundwater is recharged mainly from rain and snowfall infiltrating the ground. The groundwater can be extracted to the surface by pumps and wells; which also could be a major reason for it’s scarcity.
Did you know?
- World Water Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water.
- For at least one month each year, four billion people, which is over two-thirds of the world’s population, face extreme water scarcity.
- Looking at the current scenario, half of the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity by as early as 2025.
- Some 700 million people could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.
- By 2040, roughly 1 in 4 children worldwide will be living in areas of extremely high water stress.
These study results by UNICEF are horrifying!
Water Conservation as a Solution
As the factors causing water scarcity are complex and vary widely across countries, everyone needs to work together at multiple levels and save water for our future.
Water conservation is the practice of using water efficiently to reduce unnecessary water usage. It includes all the policies, strategies, and activities to sustainably manage the natural resource of fresh water.
Ways to conserve water:
- Rain Water Harvesting. Rainwater harvesting is a very effective method of conserving natural water and replenishing the groundwater level. In this method of conservation of water, the rainwater is collected and allowed to percolate into a deep pit or a reservoir, so that it seeps down and improves the groundwater table.
- Water metering. Another efficient way of cutting down water wastage is to install water meters and measure the amount of water that is being used in residential and commercial buildings. The volume of water that is used, is calculated and charged according to the price of water. Always monitor the water bills for unusually high usage. It can help detect any leakage.
- Greywater recycling. This is a method of saving used and wastewater from kitchen sinks, washing machines, and showers, which is then recycled for usage in toilets, for watering plants, etc. Unlike rainwater harvesting which relies on rainwater, greywater is surplus in volume. Environmentalists have demonstrated that the usage of this recycling system has reduced almost 70% of domestic water usage.
- Water efficient bathroom accessories. Many water-efficient toilet tanks, taps, and shower heads are available that can cut water consumption by up to 60%. Innovations, such as a change in spray pattern in taps and showers and increased pressure for flushing in toilets, are pushing the boundaries of water conservation, without compromising on usage habits.
A few other ways to conserve water on a daily basis are:
- Avoid using running water for cleaning vegetables. Instead, soak the vegetables in a bowl of water for some time and wash them later.
- If you have to wash a few vessels by hand, turn off the water while you are not rinsing.
- Do not drain the leftover water in water bottles. It can be used for watering plants or filling up water bowls for birds.
- Reuse the wastewater from the water purifiers for washing cars or watering your plants. This water can also be used for mopping.
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
- Frequently check for leakages in the toilet flushing systems.
All these steps need to be taken for the long term and not just for a few days. With the governments and global organizations running programs to preserve water, it is our duty as well to take initiatives and save this precious element on earth called water. Preserve water, preserve life!