Space exploration and search for water run parallel. NASA’s motto for the search of extraterrestrial life is simple, “Follow the water”. Whenever they find traces of water on any planet, they start searching for possibilities of life. The reason for this connection is the fact that life and water go hand in hand. No form of life is known to have exist without water. This can also be supported by the fact that the very first of living organisms were aquatic species and even the very first of human civilization were along rivers.
Water forms the base of our society, without which no city or town can flourish. It is the basic need for sustenance of life in any form. It is required for anything to everything. Water covers around 70% of Earth’s surface. Freshwater accounts for around 2.5% of total available resources. Almost 65% of the total freshwater is in the form of ice in glaciers and at poles. Based upon usage, agriculture amounts for around 65% of total consumption, 10% is consumed domestically and rest 25% is used in industries.
Water forms a major part of our body, around 60% of our body weight and 80% of our brain is made up of water. An average person can survive maximum of about 3 days without drinking water. It is not possible to sustain our body properly without it. Water also helps maintain proper body temperature and acts as a lubricant in various processes inside our body. It forms a major component of blood, which distributes oxygen and nutrients and minerals to various body organs. It also helps in waste disposal of the body and helps remove toxins in the form of urine. Water also helps in digestion by helping in breakdown of food we eat.
Major part of water required by humans is for agricultural use which forms the backbone of human society. It also has a unique property that it dissolves almost everything, therefore it is also called as universal solvent. This property enables it to be the base of almost all industries. All industries be it manufacturing or production sector require water at some stage or the other. It is also used in generation of electricity which is one of the very basic requirements today.
Water with low concentration of dissolved salt is called as freshwater. Freshwater is available on earth in the form of Ice caps, Ice sheets, glaciers, ponds, lakes, underground streams and aquifers and rivers. Major source of freshwater is precipitation from in the form of rain and snow. It is not necessary that freshwater is always fit for consumption. It also needs to be purified before it can be declared fit for human use.
Most of the water is in Oceans and Seas, but this water is not fit for human use. Large amount of salt dissolved in seawater makes its direct consumption harmful for our body. It can effect both body and brain causing hallucinations and can even cause permanent organ damage..
As mentioned, only 2.5% of the earth’s total water is suitable for human use. Therefore, there is a need to use the available resources in a sustainable manner. Due to global warming and increasing pollution, even these available resources are getting depleted and polluted. This depletion of freshwater is taking place at a very fast rate and there is a serious need for some hard steps to be taken to curb with the issue.
According to a survey conducted by the United Nations, if we continue to use the available resources at the current pace, then by 2030 we will be left with only 60% of the total potable water required globally. Global warming trends suggest that poles and glaciers, which are major freshwater sources are depleting at a very fast rate. Global warming has also affected rain pattern in many areas, which in turn has affected water replenishment in local water-bodies.
All these climate change patterns suggest that we need to take water-conservation seriously and some serious measures must be taken unitedly and progressively to deal with the situation. Rigid steps ensuring water conservation include implementation of water harvesting techniques for better utilization, reduction in wastage and ensuring proper ecosystem maintainance in water-bodies.
Steps are required not only at government or administrative levels, but also at personal level because sometimes smal steps makes big difference. We can do our part to conserve water, like we can reduce wastage of water at homes. Even if a person can save a single litre of water, then overall we would be saving billions of litres.
Leakage during supply and at homes consume more than half of our total water supply. If we somehow reduce this wastage then it would make a big difference. Car washing, brushing and shaving with running water is also a major contributor to water wastage. Flush tanks in toilets also waste a lot of water, every time we flush around 5 to 6 liters of water is released.
Apart from this, we also need to focus on recycling water. Recycling water means reusing the water after proper purification. Currently it is not economical to purify recycled water to the extent that it could become fit for drinking, but it can easily be used for various tasks such as gardening, car washing and even agriculture. We need to improve our existing structure of water distribution so that we can have separate supply for drinking and other uses.
Wash vegetables and fruit in a bowl, not under the tap – then use the leftover water to water house plants.
Do not keep the tap running while brushing, soaping or shaving.
Use left over water after washing clothes to wash vehicles and floor.
Use tank overflow alarms for storage tanks.
While bathing use buckets rather than using showers.
Use dish wash and washing machines with full load.
Fix any leaks in supply line. Leaks account for more than half of the total wastage.
Do not wash vehicles with running water.
Now it is up to us to take initiatives to protect water from being wasted. Because if there is no water, probably there would also be no life.
