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Water is the key to our survival. Covering more than 70% of Earth, this indispensable resource is used for everything from drinking, bathing to even cooking and washing activities. However, despite being surrounded by water, only 1% of the freshwater is actually accessible to mankind for our use as 97% of water is present in oceans, and this saltwater is of no use to us as it is not drinkable. The freshwater that is available for our use is distributed unevenly all over the world. About 2/3 of the world's population still have no access to clean water which is a valuable resource for us. This mere fact emphasizes the need to conserve water. Water conservation comprises all the ways and activities that we could save water at our homes and therefore contribute to saving water on a larger scale in order to preserve it.
What does conservation of water mean?
Water conservation refers to the preservation of water and its resources through careful planning, control, development, and management of the resource. It includes the activities and strategies undertaken to protect the water from pollution and manage freshwater so that it is evenly distributed for everyone to access.
It also includes the efficient use of water by avoiding unnecessary water wastage and usage. It focuses on using water in a sustainable manner so that the needs of the present are met while also keeping the needs of the future in consideration.
Read Also: Natural Resource Management
Reasons behind Water Scarcity
Despite our Earth being abundant with water resources, we are facing a shortage of the resource. Some of the reasons behind this scarcity are:
- Climate Change and cutting of trees and forests (deforestation)
- An increase in population has increased the water demands and thus the usage of water by people.
- Increase in pollution in the water bodies through various human activities like industrialization.
- Competition between various industries, cities, and agriculture for acquiring various water resources and water bodies.
The resources available for us help in our survival. Protecting these resources can also contribute to the betterment of our ecosystem and therefore improve our quality of life. Hence, conservation of water is highly important and we as human beings play a vital role in this process.
Need for Water Conservation
Water is one of the vital elements available for our survival on Earth. Life exists on Earth due to the presence of water. All flora and fauna flourish with water. In nature, there is a limited supply of clean and fresh water. Human activities have polluted even the little percentage of water that is available for us thus threatening our mere survival on this planet. The waste of water has a drastic consequence not only for us humans but also for the plants and animals that exist around us. It is important to practice conservation of water in order to:
- Ensure a continuous supply of water to all our future generations.
- Maintain our health as intake of contaminated water can lead to harmful implications for us.
- Ensure security of food resources as the growth of our crops and plants also depend on the water.
Ways for Conservation of Water
Some ways through which we can conserve water are:
- Use water wisely
It is not mandatory for us to have faced a shortage of water to realize the importance of water conservation. Make sure all the taps are tightly closed when they are not being used. While brushing your teeth, make sure to turn the tap off. While washing cars, clothes, utensils or hands make sure you only use the necessary amount of water and do not waste any water. Collect water and do not let any water get washed away or run down the drains.
- Take shorter showers
Reducing your shower time is one of the important ways to cut down the excess usage of water.
- Fix all the leaks
Do not let any leak be left unattended. Regularly check all the faucets, pipes, and taps for any leaks. Get them fixed as soon as possible to avoid any wastage of water. Do not let any tap remain open as the dripping of water can lead to a loss of a significant amount of water.
- Do not wash down garbage with water
Put the garbage in the bin and not wash it down as a large amount of water will be required to flush down the tiny bits of garbage.
- Do not water plants in the rainy season
Rainwater can get accumulated in the plants for a long time during the rainy season and they can also absorb the moisture present in the air during that time. Hence, they need not be watered during rain.
- Clean vegetables efficiently
Do not wash vegetables under running water. Instead, store the water in a container and wash the fruits and vegetables in it.
- Water the plants smartly
Water the plants keeping in mind the time of the day and the temperature conditions. Watering plants around 12 in the noon might cause water in the plants to evaporate quickly.
- Reusing water
Water from laundry or car cleaning can be reused for watering the plants.
- Spread Awareness
Make more and more people aware of the need to conserve water and the harmful effects of not doing so.
- Practice rainwater harvesting
Collect rainwater and then use it for household purposes.
Using efficient irrigation methods can also help in conserving water such as:
- Drip Irrigation, which includes supplying water directly to the roots of the plants.
- Sprinkler Irrigation, in which water is supplied to the plants by spraying it into the air.
- Night Irrigation as during night time the rate of evaporation is lower, hence water loss is minimized.
Water Conservation Facts
- 85% of the available water comes from the rain while the remaining 15% comes from the melting of the snow.
- Almost 80% of the water in India is used in agricultural practices.
- Water scarcity is caused by an uncontrollable rise in the population.
- Through rainwater harvesting, the level of underground potable water is increased through the increase in the water table.
- Water drought and water shortage can be reduced by practicing efficient water management.
- Managing water efficiently can ensure its availability for aquatic habitats and local wildlife.
Things to Remember
- Covering more than 70% of Earth, this indispensable resource is used for everything from drinking, bathing to even cooking and washing activities.
- About 2/3 of the world's population still have no access to clean water which is a valuable resource for us.
- Water conservation refers to the preservation of water and its resources through careful planning, control, development, and management of the resource.
- Despite our Earth being abundant with water resources, we are facing a shortage of the resource due to climate change and pollution by human beings.
- Water helps to ensure the security of food resources as the growth of our crops and plants also depend on the water.
- While washing cars, clothes, utensils or hands make sure you only use the necessary amount of water and do not waste any.
- Through rainwater harvesting, the level of underground potable water is increased through the increase in the water table.
Sample Questions
Ques. What do you understand by conservation of water? (5 marks)
Ans. Water is the key to our survival. However, despite being surrounded by water, only 1% of the freshwater is actually accessible to mankind for our use as 97% of water is present in oceans, and this saltwater is of no use to us as it is not drinkable. Water conservation comprises all the ways and activities that we could save water at our homes and therefore contribute to saving water on a larger scale in order to preserve it. It includes the activities and strategies undertaken to protect the water from pollution and manage freshwater so that it is evenly distributed for everyone to access. It focuses on using water in a sustainable manner so that the needs of the present are met while also keeping the needs of the future in consideration.
Ques. Why conservation of water is important? (3 marks)
Ans. Conservation of water is important as:
- Freshwater is only available to us in limited quantity due to careless use of water and increasing level of pollution in water bodies. Hence, for preserving the water for future generations there is a need for water management and conservation practices.
- The shortage of water can also lead to climate change.
- Water shortage can cause drought which then impacts animals and plants.
- We need water for our everyday activities from drinking to cleaning and washing.
Ques. What are some ways you can conserve water at home? (5 marks)
Ans. We can conserve water at home by practicing the following measures:
- Judicious and wise use of water for washing, and cleaning purposes.
- Avoid unnecessary usage of water by ensuring that all the taps are tightly closed and no water is dripping.
- Close the tap while brushing your teeth.
- Check for leaks of faucets, taps, and pipes regularly to get them repaired as soon as possible.
- Do not water plants during the rainy season as plants can then absorb moisture from the air.
Ques. What is the need for the conservation of water? (3 marks)
Ans. Water is one of the vital elements available for our survival on Earth. In nature, there is a limited supply of clean and fresh water. Human activities have polluted even the little percentage of water that is available for us thus threatening our mere survival on this planet. There is a need for water conservation in order to:
- Ensure a continuous supply of water to all our future generations.
- Maintain our health as intake of contaminated water can lead to harmful implications for us.
- Ensure security of food resources as the growth of our crops and plants also depend on the water.
Ques. How can rainwater harvesting help to conserve water? (3 marks)
Ans. Rainwater harvesting refers to the process of storage and collection of rainwater instead of allowing it to run off. Water from the rain can be collected for domestic chores. The stored water can further be used for the purpose of gardening, cleaning, and washing. The practice of rainwater harvesting can also increase the water table level underground which further helps in increasing and improving the quality of groundwater. It also helps in reducing soil erosion by preventing surface runoff of water.
Ques. What are the water sources that are present on Earth? (2 marks)
Ans. The water resources on Earth are:
- 97% of saltwater exists in oceans which is of no use to humans as it can’t be used for drinking purposes.
- 3% of water exists as freshwater.
- Out of the 3% of freshwater available for us, 79% of water exists as glaciers and ice caps and 29% exists as groundwater. The remaining 1% of water is accessible for us as surface freshwater.
Ques. Why is water important for us? (3 marks)
Ans. Water is important for us as it is used in everyday lives for a variety of purposes such as drinking, washing, cooking, etc. Water is important for us as:
- Water helps in the regulation of climate in the atmosphere.
- A lot of the species on Earth exist inside water.
- Water plays an important role in the food digestion process.
- Water is also used to produce electricity.
Ques. List some ways for water conservation. (5 marks)
Ans. Water can be conserved through the following measures:
- Afforestation or growing of more and more plants can help the water to penetrate inside the soil and in turn replenish the underground water table.
- Practicing rainwater harvesting and storing the rainwater for domestic use purposes.
- Treatment of domestic wastewater and water from industries before their disposal in the water bodies to prevent water pollution.
- Using efficient agricultural irrigation methods such as drip water irrigation and the use of sprinklers to reduce the wastage of water.
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