WHO statistics reveals 0.007% of world’s water is safe for human consumption. This water is to be shared among 7 billion people on this planet. Water is scarce only because it is unevenly distributed on earth’s surface. The water that is available for human consumption is not safe because of varied types of discharge are made by industries into our water sources without proper treatment and recycling. In other cases, water in rural areas is made unhealthy by the agricultural waste, bathing and bio waste generated by the cattle. On an average 1 in 8 people in the world don’t have access to safe drinking water and this number reduces to 1 in 4 in cities.
But The Biggest Consumers are the Biggest Sufferers– The Farmers.
Why Should We Care ? We stay in cities, we pay our taxes and get as much water as needed. There is no reason for us to be worried or be a part of any such initiative which saves water or water sources.
We need not go far to search for the answer. Singapore is all ready to provide 30% for their water needs by desalination of sea water. Cape town, the most affluent city in South Africa, is going to see Day Zero in July.
For years, a shutdown of this magnitude in such a cosmopolitan city had been almost inconceivable. But as overdevelopment, population growth, and climate change upset the balance between water use and supply, urban centers from North America to South America and from Australia to Asia increasingly face threats of severe drinking-water shortages.
What can we do ? – Government, Non Govt Organizations and other agencies are taking initiatives to revive our water sources, replenish the water table and cleanse them to keep them healthy. Many agencies are pursuing research on how used water can be purified and made fit for human consumption. But this problem cannot be solved by them alone. It is for each one of us to be aware and do our bit in contributing to solve this monster problem glaring at us in the face.
What we can do is more than just a drop in the bucket, especially when everyone does the same. Lets start by conserving what is visible.
- Fix Leaks – It is said that 30% of New York’s water consumption – 36 mn gallons – is leaked due to old leaking pipes every day. We can at least fix our leaking taps. 1 drop per second makes it to 30,000 gallons per year. Would you not like to contribute to that?
- Curb Bad Habits –A bath tub uses 70 gallons and a shower 10-25 gallons of water. Running taps, bathing in shower for more than few mins are all luxury which we humans cannot afford anymore.
What is important is that we bring awareness in each activity that we do. Along with that we need to make others around us aware. Do your Bit. Act responsibly. By your actions and words, educate your family, educate your domestic help so that abuse of water stops. Just because we get it easily does not mean the world gets it too. Doesn’t mean that we will keep getting it for the times to come.
Water, water, everywhere. But not a drop to drink! – true to this paradox, this single crisis can hit us the hardest in the near future.
April 2018