Did you know that 60 % of our bodies and 70% of our Earth is made up of water! The fact that water is essential for life is unarguable. However, what we often forget is to use this precious resource sustainably. Our world faces a looming water crisis. From pollution to climate change, from difficulty to get clean water to living in unclean conditions, from floods to droughts — the water problems facing us are many. To raise awareness and find solutions for these problems, the United Nations (UN) has chosen a day to celebrate water.
World Water Day has been celebrated on March 22 every year since 1993. Each year a different aspect of the water problem is highlighted. The theme for 2017 is Wastewater, to educate people about reducing and reusing wastewater.
Sources and uses
Wastewater means used dirty water. Think about all the water we use in the day — in our bathrooms, kitchens, cleaning vehicles, watering our garden, washing clothes, in agriculture and industry. This water contains human waste, food scraps, oil, dirt, chemicals and a lot of other things that make the water dirty. Even rainwater that runs off the roads or down your roof gets mixed with contaminants and becomes wastewater going into the drains.
This wastewater becomes part of the water cycle. There is a fixed amount of water in our world and it is all part of the water cycle which is a continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth. Water goes through different stages as liquid, vapour and ice to maintain this continuous movement. Thus we cannot create or destroy water. We are using and reusing the water that has been in this water cycle for millions of years! However, what we are doing is polluting water on a large scale. More dirty water means lesser amount of clean water available! Therefore, it is important to treat and reuse wastewater.
We are not paying attention to wastewater management despite growing demands for water. If treated efficiently, this wastewater can be a sustainable source of water and nutrients. Sadly, almost 80% of untreated wastewater is sent back to our waterways and ecosystems, choking and polluting the environment, mainly the rivers and causing widespread illness. Thus, reducing or reusing wastewater will have a positive impact on global water access, sanitation, and health and environment sustainability.
You too can help
1. Close the tap off while brushing your teeth so that precious water is not wasted without even being used!
2. Wash vegetables in a bowl of water instead of running them under the tap. This bowl of water can then be used to water plants or clean your bicycle.
3. While putting used dishes in the sink, first put all the scraps of food on them into the bin and then put the dish for a wash. This prevents clogging of drains and takes lesser energy and time to treat the wastewater.
Three things scientists search for when they are looking for life on other planets
1. An energy source such as the Sun
2. Presence of essential elements such as carbon,
nitrogen, hydrogen
How wastewater helps
It is important to treat and reuse wastewater efficiently.
According to recent infrastructure reports, India only has the capacity to treat about 21% of the sewage generated. Wastewater is treated in sewage treatment plants, which requires investment from local authorities and organisations. A lot of corporate and community organisations are installing wastewater treatment facilities within their premises to reuse the wastewater they produce.
Traditional Indian methods of conserving and using water are being revived in areas such as Rajasthan where the work of India’s Water Man Rajendra Singh has been applauded. He was awarded the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize, popularly described as the Nobel Prize for Water!
