The Alarming Loss of an Important Resource

The Southeastern United States are finding themselves a little dryer then usual. In Atlanta, there is just enough water in the reserves for a few months. The governor of Georgia has invited its 4 million residents to participate in a period of public prayer to “make the rain fall”. This may seem ridiculous to some, but there isn’t much else that can be done.

The United-States aren’t the only country feeling the effects of a drought. Alarming statistics indicate that 1 person on 5 is missing water. But how can this be when the resource is found on 70% of the planets surface. Well 97% earth’s water is too saturated to consume and 2% is locked in icecaps. If you do the simple math, you will find that only 1% of all water is consumable to humans, animals and most plants. Other problems rise when you consider that 60% of water is shared by only nine countries.

Obviously, potable water is very important. If you’re looking to live, it must be consumed frequently; experts suggest 8 glasses a day. If one were stop drinking it, they would die in less then three days. The resource is also used in the irrigation (watering if you want to be more simple) of our agricultural products. It takes 3000 liters of potable water to produce the daily food ration of a human being.

Currently, irrigation uses almost 70% of possible drinking water but with the growing human population that number will have to rise. Another problem arises when you consider that the food industries are a lot richer then the populations they feed. Therefore they can spend a bit more money purchasing water to irrigate there plants while poorer citizens get thirstier. Another use for our most valuable resource is in creating the most use product; electricity. Water plays a huge role in making electricity. Be it nuclear, wind powered or hydro, it can’t be done without a little H2O.

So how do we stop the ever growing demand for this necessary resource? Well governments across the globe have been stepping up to the plate. Whether it be by introducing laws or recycling solutions our leaders are not ignoring the problem. Take Japan for example; they have developed a system to recycle the water used domestically in big apartments They then collect it and re use it in the heating of the apartment. This cuts usage almost in half. Or in Israel where 70% of domestic water is recycled and after being treated it is used for irrigation. It waters 20 000 acres of farm land.

A few communities in the states have even adopted recycling programs. Saint Petersburg, in Florida, recycles all of its water without throwing any of it into lakes or rivers. The recycled resource is used in city parks and other land. If you want to do something to help the problem it’s simple: Use less water. Little things such as stopping the faucet while you brush your teeth, taking showers rather then baths and stopping a leaky faucet immediately. Everything and anything can help your community conserve its precious water supply.