Water: a Resource We Take for Granted - Assignment Example

Water: a resource we take for granted Water is arguably the most important resource in the universe. Water sustains any form of life. However, latest developments in the world continue to show a diminishing resource base with the amount of safe water lessening. The current drought in California coupled with the water scarcity in the state provides an evident proof of the importance of water and the fact that humans often take water for granted. Human activities such as poor agricultural practices continue to contaminate water sources thereby minimizing the quantity of safe water. Human activities are responsible for the diminishing quantity of water in the world today a feature that requires speedy and effective solution through a change of attitude in order to safeguard the provision of water thus the continuation of life on the planet as the discussion below portrays. Effective management of water requires both effective legislation and change of attitude of the population in order to embrace economical utilization of water. In such extreme cases of water shortage as is the case in California, the government must encourage the citizens to utilize water economically and effectively in order to ensure that everyone has adequate amount of water. The state government has for example formulated a number of legislations that will compel the population to utilize water appropriately. The legislation for example bans the use of water in the maintenance of lawns and golf courses among others. Such uses of water consume large volumes of clean and safe water that other people would require for consumption. Unsafe farming practices are some of the major factors that enhance the depletion of water resources. The use of fertilizers in farms pollute water sources a feature that renders safe and clean water unfit for human use. Furthermore, the chemicals in the fertilizers make the water unsafe for other animals that live and use in water (Charles, 2011). Farmers spend billions of gallons of clean water in irrigating their famers. They end up wasting most of such water since they do not employ strategies that maximize water usage. Most farmers divert such fundamental sources of water as rivers into their famers thereby destroying entire ecosystems besides wasting the water, the excess water from the farms flow back into the rivers. Such water is never safe for human consumption given the fact that they possess sedimentation. Furthermore, some of the water mixes with pesticides and herbicides among other chemicals from the farm. The population of humans continues to increase a feature that increases the pressure and demand for water. Besides the increase in the population of humans, the level of carelessness in the management of water continues to increase. Such features contribute to the diminishing quantities of safe water. Additionally, the changing climatic condition owing to global warming is yet another factor that enhances water scarcity with the case in California being an evident proof of the effects of climatic change. The drought threatens into its sixth straight year. This implies that the people of California are likely to continue experiencing the water shortages for a longer time. California presents a perfect case that shows the importance of water, at least the people of California appreciates the importance of the resource given its scarcity in the state. Water management requires effective planning, distributing, developing and managing the optimal use of water resources. Numerous human activities continue to pollute water sources while others deplete the water catchment areas thereby contributing to the escalating scarcity of the resource throughout the world. As explained earlier, agriculture is among the largest consumers of water. Water pollution is a negative phenomenon that renders entire water sources unsafe and thus unusable. As explained earlier excess water from the farms, have chemical particles from the pesticides and herbicides from the farms. The same is the case with numerous industries that deposit their untreated effluents into water bodies. Numerous companies treat their effluents before depositing them into rivers, lakes, swamps and even the seas. However, some companies operate illegitimately thereby depositing their untreated wastes into the water bodies. Such large-scale extents of water pollution destroy entire ecosystems besides decreasing the quantity of safe water. Domestic consumption is yet another source of water wastage. As explained earlier, the population of humans is increasing. This implies that the pressure that humans exert on such vital resources is increasing too. Water wastage in homes is therefore accounts for the wastage of incredible amounts of water. Sources of water wastage in domestic consumptions include burst water pipes. Burst water pipes account for the loss of substantial amounts of water given the slow pace with which the authorities repair such pipes in such cases. Cases of burst water pipes cause the loss of clean and safe drinking water. Leaking taps are yet other sources of water wastage in homes. Loose taps contribute to the loss of substantial amounts of water with most families always reluctant to fix their leaking taps. In some cases, family members fail to close their taps effectively thereby leading to considerable leaks. Such recreational facilities as lawns consume equally large amounts of water. Homeowners spend millions of gallons of water in maintaining their lawns and golf courses. While the sports and the beautiful lawns are important features in the society, they contribute to the wastage of clean and safe drinking water. The wealthy people in a population are culprit in this as they strive to maintain their lawns, irrigate their golf courses and decorate their homes with water fountains. Another equally significant source of water wastage in homes is excessive use of waters. People let their taps run while brushing their teeth, people let their showers run for long while there are scrubbing their bodies and the same is the case when doing laundry among many others. Incredible amounts of water go to waste in homes since people do not care for how they use water. Water is an important resource that influences the lives of every living thing on earth. In such places as sub Saharan Africa, people lose time looking for clean and safe water. Additionally, people in such areas waste both time and financial resources in the treatment of waterborne diseases. Such countries should provide perfect examples to people in such developed regions as the state of California thereby encourage the people to use water effectively. Water scarcity is a vital problem that affects the lives of millions of people throughout the world. The case of the state of California shows the extent of water scarcity and its effects even in wealthy and developed nations. Such developments prove the importance of water thereby proving that people have taken water, the most important resource, for granted. The use of storm water is among the basic solutions to the eminent water shortage. Rain is one of the basic sources of water. Farmers rely on rain to carry out their agricultural activities. As such, rain offers other sources of water a fundamental reprieve since farmers do not irrigate their farms during rainy season. However, most of the storm water runs off thereby contributing to the wastage of water. Failure by families to tap rainwater implies that clean and safe water runs off unused. Furthermore, the storm water runoff contributes to soil erosion thereby enhancing the climate change. In case of heavy storms, the runoff sweeps the top soil thus leaving the soil bare and without any nutrients. Such features encourage farmers to use fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides among other chemicals that contribute to the pollution of water sources (Stiffler, 2009). Additionally, the legislation understands that agriculture is the largest consumer of water. As such, it discourages the use of regressive methods of irrigating farms. Irrigation helps provide food to the state given its dry condition. However, farmers must employ strategic methods of irrigation that encourage effective utilization of the water. The legislation further presents ways of saving water including randomized inspection of pipes in order to establish any diversion or illegal utilization of water in the state. In retrospect, water is the most important resource. Despite being such an important resource, humans continue to show carelessness in handling water with most human activities either causing pollution or wastage of water both of which contribute to the diminishing amount of safe and clean water. The state of California has experienced drought for the last few years with meteorological reports showing that the drought may persist throughout the state. The state presents a perfect example that portrays the importance of water. The government has since formulated a number of legislations to help reverse the situation by encouraging effective and economic utilization of water in order to curb cases of water scarcity. While such legislative efforts are important in ensuring effective use of water, the process requires a change in the attitudes of the population. People must learn to use water economically by closing their taps and repairing leaks. Works cited Charles, D. (Ed). (2011). Putting farmland on a fertilizer diet. National Public Radio Blog, “The Salt” 328. Stiffler, L. (Ed). (2009). All you need to know about storm water runoff. Sightline Daily, Blog of the Sightline institute 353. Read More