Water is the essence of life − life on earth is dependent on water and so are we. Not only do we need a safe supply of fresh water to sustain life, but water also plays a vital role in our economy. It is up to us to learn more about how we can help maintain this safe and sustainable supply of drinking water.
Value of water
Most of the world’s water can be found in the various oceans, with about 3% fresh water found in lakes, rivers and glaciers. We use water in our houses for drinking, cooking, bathing and washing but water is absolutely essential in the farming, manufacturing and many other industries too. It is also used to produce energy and electricity.
World Water Day and National Water Week
Although many countries are blessed with ample supplies of fresh water, others such as South Africa with its dry and arid regions and less than world-average rainfall recognises water as a precious but scarce commodity that needs to be used with care and saved wherever possible.
World Water Day (22 March) is used as a platform to make people aware of the importance of water and the many factors that threaten the world’s water supplies. The theme in 2015 is ‘Water and sustainable development’. National Water Week is celebrated from 16 to 22 March and is an awareness week campaign by the Department of Water and Sanitation to focus attention on “the value of water, the need for sustainable management of this scarce resource and the role water plays in eradicating poverty and under-development in South Africa”.
On a personal note
Water is essential to life but also to our health. Our bodies are mostly made up of water; in fact our brains consist of up to 85% water, our hearts of 75%, lungs and liver of 86%, kidneys and blood of 83% and muscles of 75% of water.
Water is, furthermore, essential to help us digest our food, regulate our body temperature and flush out toxins. Most of the chemical reactions in our body would not be possible without water.
A normal human needs about two to three litres of water a day (35 ml of water per kg of body mass) to survive. Although we can live without food for a few weeks, nobody can survive without water for more than a few days. Therefore, drink at least eight glasses of water per day to replace the water your body loses through perspiration (sweat), urination and breathing. Fruit and vegetables are other healthy sources of water, some more than others.
What the government is doing
South Africa has a strong water industry with set national drinking water standards and a track record in innovation. Significant progress has been made in supplying all the sectors of the population with water. However, access to sanitation lags far behind and problems remain concerning certain water service providers such as municipalities where there is often a lack of skilled engineers and workers and a lack of attention to maintenance.
What you can do
We as individuals need to take control of our own health and wellbeing by eating a healthy diet and drinking the prescribed quantities of water to help our bodies function properly. On a broader scale we need to help save water wherever we can and also be public watchdogs concerning substances added to our drinking water without our consent. A case in point is the adding of fluoride with its many possible health risks.
Also, we need to make doubly sure that the water we drink and use to cook our food is really clean and not contaminated with bacteria and parasites, industrial waste, herbicides and pesticides. If in doubt, boil the water or get a water filter.
We can’t be lax but will have to start monitoring what is happening to our very scarce water reserves if we want to survive.
Sources
International World Water Day 2015: water and sustainable development. 22 March 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.dutchwatersector.com
Water in South Africa. Retrieved from: http://forloveofwater.co.za
Water supply and sanitation in South Africa. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org
Water the most important liquid on earth. Retrieved from: http://www.english-online.at
What is the most important beverage in your life? Water! Retrieved from: http://www.ro.co.za