Water – an elixir of life
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This colourless and odourless liquid is the fluid of most living organisms. Water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface and is vital for all known forms of life.
Water is essential for living without which life is not possible. You can live without food for a few days but not without water. It maintains body temperature, helps in digestion, gives stamina and is important for a shiny and healthy skin. Doctors recommend us to drink at least 3 litres of water everyday. While it is important to know the facts of this elixir of life, it is also equally important to know the drawback of consuming contaminated water
Contamination of water
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Organic chemicals from pesticides and herbicides in drinking water can cause brain damage, cancer, kidney, liver and reproductive problems and will also affect the immune system. Some contaminated water may be harmful but not all.
Drinking water is polluted because of pesticides and fertilisers. Industrial waste, dumps, sewage and oil pollution are some of the reasons behind water contamination. Global warming causes an increase in the water temperature which results in the death of aquatic plants and animals.
According to reports given by United States Environmental Protection Agency, the different categories of drinking water contamination are Physical contaminants(caused due to organic materials in water), Chemical contaminants(caused due to chemicals like nitrogen, pesticides,metals etc),
Biological contaminants (organisms in water like bacteria and viruses) and Radiological contaminants(chemical elements like cesium, plutonium and uranium).
Water scarcity
A biggest challenge in the world today is water scarcity. The decrease in ground water content has lead to decrease in the number of trees. Weather changes, increase in population and water pollution are the major causes of water scarcity. Scientists have observed that by 2025, there is a possibility that half of the world’s population will be affected due to water scarcity.
Save water
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So it is every individual’s responsibility to save water. Planting trees, recycling of water, rain water harvesting (accumulation and deposition of rainwater for reuse on-site, rather than allowing it to run off), taking measures to control pollution and conserving water will help avoid water scarcity. Let us save water and save life!
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