Water for Our Needs & for World Peace

Water is one of the strategic resources that we have on earth. About three quarters of this Planet, that is 71 per cent, is water or what is known as hydrosphere.  Having said that, it is important to understand how much of water do have to fulfill our needs.

Of the total amount of water that’s there on Earth, almost 97 per cent of it is the Ocean Water which is not fit for drinking or even irrigation purposes. The rest 3 per cent is fresh-water and of that, 2.997 per cent is what makes the ice caps or glaciers. So what we have is just 0.003 per cent of water, available to us as soil moisture, ground water, water vapor, lakes, streams, rivers and wetlands.

Water is essential for us in many ways

• We need water for drinking. It is a metabolic requirement for all living processes.
• Water is needed for washing and cooking and other household needs.
• Water is needed in the agricultural and industrial sector.
• Water is a good food resource. From the Sea, we get fish, crustaceans, seaweed etc.
• We get food from freshwater sources too.
• Water flowing down from the mountain ranges can be harnessed to generate electricity in hydroelectric projects. In fact, it is one of the significant renewable and clean energy resources that provide an alternative to fossil fuels.

Water, because of its many uses and because of the tiny amount available to us, is a very precious resource that needs to be preserved. This is all the more urgent as with a rise in the population of human beings and the consequent rise in their consumption of natural resources to cater to their needs these resources face immense pressure and are depleting fast. Another fact that should make us all alert is that availability of water resources will be affected directly by global warming. There already are reports of glaciers melting down and even though by a small amount, they are bound to affect the availability of fresh useable water.

As per the studies of the World Bank, there would be a rise in the global demand for food by 50 per cent in about 20 years. Food security is an issue of concern even today. To grow more food, there would be a need for more fresh water which again is at a threat today due to pollution. The 2030 Water Resources Group, a consortium of private sectors organizations, says that the global demand for water will be 40 per cent more than the supply by 2030. As of now, agriculture alone takes away 71 per cent of the water available for use. By 2030, the industrial sector’s demand for water will go up to 22 per cent from 16 per cent.

Unlike other mineral resources, there is a unique challenge that water represents. Water cannot be secured through international deals and trade agreements. Chances are, there could be serious conflicts over water resources in this case.

To prevent degradation, depletion and pollution of water, and to avoid international conflicts, there has to be sustainable and integrated management of national water resources.  To meet the gap between the supply and demand of water, measures for water conservation, water efficiency, rainwater capture, water recycling and drip irrigation needs to taken at the local, provincial and national levels.

It is imperative for the world leaders to take concrete steps to boost advances on clean-water technologies and execute policies for the same before the conflicts over water flare up. In India, the States of Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh have been in conflict over the water of River Cauvery for long now. Experts say that low-cost, energy efficient technologies for treatment and recycling water could emerge from the scientific progress on nano particles and nanofibres and membrane bio-reactors. Such researches and innovation should be funded by the governments. Water security is essential not only to meet our needs but also for a peaceful world.