Importance: Water conservation, quality monitoring
The increased demand in water supply in the face of increasing pollution of surface and groundwater, which are the two primary sources of potable water worldwide, is undoubtedly impacting adversely on the environment, health and the growth of global economies.
Water demands are increasing yearly, while resources are becoming increasingly limited.
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Thus, water conservation is no longer an option, but an undisputable approach to meeting the increasing demand for water supply.
With only one per cent of the world’s water available for human consumption, water conservation and its monitoring are undeniably the two most important issues to ensuring the sustainability.
The United Nations has predicted that by the next two decades there will be 17 per cent more demand for water compared to resource availability.
The unpleasant fact is that most people remain careless and do not recognise the importance of water conservation.
Monitoring
Monitoring specialists sample the chemical condition of water, sediments, and fish tissue to determine levels of key constituents, such as, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, metals, oils, and pesticides, as well as, physical conditions, such as, temperature, flow, sediments, and the erosion potential of stream banks and lake shores.
Biological measurements of the abundance and variety of aquatic plant and animal life and the ability of test organisms to survive.
Monitoring can be conducted at regular sites on a continuous basis; at selected sites as designed by the hydro chemist in order to address the objectives of the monitoring schedule or to characterise a watershed; on a temporary or seasonal basis; at random sites in a basin or region; or on an emergency basis.
Increasingly, monitoring efforts are aimed at determining the condition of entire watersheds.
It is thus, our individual responsibility to consciously conserve water, while water managers ensure that these resources meet the demands and expectations of current and future generations.
Importance, water conservation
The importance of water conservation includes the fact that it conserves life. Life on earth cannot be possible without water.
Water supports all human, plant and animal life with every living cell containing water with the human body consisting of 70 per cent water and plant tissue 90 per cent. Water defines our environment and shapes our landscape.
Water also saves income by the utilisation of basic water conservation techniques to save thousands of gallons of water yearly, resulting in the payment of less water bills.
The oceans, streams and lakes are the habitat of eco-systems and protect them.
The pumping of water from a central facility into individual homes or offices requires energy.
Conserving water therefore means using less energy which reduces the carbon footprint and helps the country become more energy sufficient.
Hints, conserving water
Wait to run the dishwasher until it is full. Fill up the sink to wash your hands instead of letting the water run. Use water saving shower head.
Avoid long showers. Check bathroom toilets for leaks.
If the coloured water gets into the bowl, then you need to have it repaired.
Water your lawn early in the morning.
Mow lawns at a higher level of 2.5 to 3 inches. This will allow the grass to become thicker and collect more dew, which gives your lawn extra moisture.
Keep a cold container of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running water from the faucet until it is cold enough to drink.
Water is life and if not conserved and its quality monitored human health, the environment and economy suffers.
Let’s remember that “after the last drop of water the world would go into extinction”.
The writer is Principal Research Scientist, CSIR-Water Research Institute, Accra