Drip, Drop, Drip, Drop. Did you just see a tap that was leaking and walk on by? You sure had your reasons but imagine no one has even a minute to stop by and close the tap to prevent unnecessary wastage of water. Have you ever thought of a situation when there would not be even a drop to drink for anyone on this planet just because we failed to take steps to conserve water when we could? This article on water conservation will emphasise on the need to conserve water and the impending dangers the whole human race would have to face if we do not.
Table of Contents
- Water – The Basic Life Support System
- How Can We Conserve Water?
- Initiatives to Save Water
- FAQs on Water Conservation
Water – The Basic Life Support System
Being one of the most fundamental natural resources that all living things need, water should be considered a top priority, but human beings do not really understand its significance in their lives. The Earth and the human body are so similar because of the fact that most of it is covered by water, without which survival of any kind would be impossible.
The purposes of water are manifold. Water on Earth is required to cultivate vegetation and all plant life. It is a natural habitat for all aquatic animals and sea creatures. Water serves its purpose as drinking water for animals and human beings. It is also used by human beings for cooking, cleaning and other household chores.
All living beings can be deprived of food, shelter or comfort, but they cannot survive without water. Water is required to maintain personal and domestic hygiene that would be enough to promote good health. With the increase in population, industrialisation and high living standards, the demand for water is on the increase. With this being the scenario, gaining access to clean drinking water and sanitation would turn out to be highly challenging and extremely difficult.
Through the years, we have seen the rise in water pollution due to the disposal of toxic chemicals and industrial waste into the water bodies, untreated sewage, fertilisers, pesticides, animal wastes, etc. There will definitely be more and more problems because of shortages in water supply and availability of clean drinking water if this continues.
How Can We Conserve Water?
Inadequacy and contamination of water can lead to serious health hazards. We have been witnessing in the news everyday the increasing rates of pollution that is creating a huge demand over the availability of clean water. Because of this reason, water is now becoming a luxury to the extent that people, states and countries are having feuds over the supply of water.
In order to redeem all of us from being a part of a barren land, it is necessary to start taking responsibility to conserve water as much as possible. Bringing slight changes in our daily usage of water can help us save a lot of water that is otherwise mindlessly wasted. Some of the ways in which we can control the wastage of water are as follows:
- Be mindful to use a minimum amount of water for washing vegetables and cooking.
- Take care to close any source of running water that is not being used.
- Use an adequate amount of water for soaking and rinsing clothes.
- While watering your plants, do not just let the water overflow. Water it in the morning or evening so that the moisture keeps the soil wet for a longer period of time.
- Constantly check for leaks and fix them immediately.
- Use water-efficient bathroom accessories like low-flow showerheads, dual flush toilet systems, water-saving faucets, etc.
- Do not use water to defrost any refrigerated items; instead, try keeping them outside prior to when you require it so that it defrosts by itself under room temperature.
Initiatives to Save Water
Some methods followed to conserve water include rainwater harvesting, recycling greywater, metering water to record the amount of water being used, using valves that reduce pressure in a hydraulic system and so on. Saving water is equal to saving money, saving energy and saving nature.
Various organisations and governments have been trying their best to create awareness among common people about the growing need to conserve and preserve water by taking new initiatives every now and then. The following are a few examples of the different initiatives taken so far.
- Desalination of water
- Avoiding privatisation of lakes and other small water bodies
- Maintaining daily, weekly, monthly and yearly reports of water usage and analysing them to control the usage of water
- Recycling wastewater
- Using leak detection piping, replacing faulty water metres, adjusting water pressure
- Financing various water conservation projects
- Using online databases to monitor water usage
- Installing rainwater collection systems
Frequently Asked Questions on Water Conservation
Why is it important to conserve water?
Every inhabitant of planet Earth is dependent on water for their survival and their day to day activities. Clean and safe water is essential for all living organisms to be able to live healthy and long lives, and with the increasing rate of water pollution, the conservation of water for basic needs is very important.
What are two methods to conserve water?
Recycling and redistributing water are two methods of water conservation.
What can we do to conserve water?
To start with, we can control the usage of water by closing taps whenever it is not necessary, using minimum amounts of water for cooking and other household chores.
Comments