WATER CONSERVATION

 MAMATHA K

Conservation of water: Water covers three-quarters of our world, but only a tiny portion of it is drinkable, as we all know. As a result, it must be protected. Freshwater, which we can utilise for our daily needs and drinking, makes up only around 3% of the water on our planet. In our daily lives, we use water carelessly for washing, bathing, cleaning, and a range of other activities. Conservation of Water is very important for all living things.

It is only our responsibility to ensure an adequate water supply for future generations and practice the motto of save water save life before it is too late. Given how limited our freshwater supplies are on our planet, we have to do this regularly. It is only our obligation to ensure that future generations have access to sufficient water. Continue reading this article to know more about the ways to conserve water.

Conserving water is important because of the following reasons. 

Fruits and vegetables, as well as other produce, require water to grow.

All the species on this planet needs water to live and survive.

Out of the 70% of the water that is available, only 0.03% is made up of freshwater. An increase in population makes the already limited amount of water much less. Conservation helps in preserving the limited resources.

Every day we waste millions of gallons of water without even realising it. Water is an essential part of our life. We use water for domestic purposes such as drinking, cooking, washing, electricity production, farming, industrial purposes, and many other purposes supporting human life. 

Water conservation encloses the various policies, strategies, and activities to use freshwater as a sustainable resource and to safeguard the water environment while maintaining a balance between current and future human water demands. It is high time for us to find ways to save water to be available to us in the future. We should think of our future generations; if we waste our water resources senselessly, then it is evident that we will not have a sufficient supply of fresh water in the future. We have to make a little bit of extra effort to save water save earth. Take up water conservation projects in your area and take the first step in save water save life project.

Measures of water conservation 

1. Water Conservation in Domestic Uses

Use water judiciously – It is very important for all of us to take responsibility for water conservation in our household works even if we are not facing any water shortage. Do not overuse water for washing clothes and dishes; close the taps when not in need.

Check for any leaks in your toilets or kitchen pipes. Fix them as soon as possible as these small leakages can waste 100 gallons of water per day.

Take showers with a minimal quantity of water required.

Use a broom to clean your house instead of washing floors.

Turn off the tap water while brushing your teeth and shaving.

Wash your vehicles with a minimum quantity of water required.

Do not water plants unnecessarily. Use showers or mugs to water your plants instead of using flowing water pipes.

Methods of Irrigation that Conserve Water

(a) Drip Irrigation – Drip irrigation is a type of micro-irrigation system that has the probability of saving water and nutrients by allowing water to drip slowly directly to the roots of plants. 

This method aims to supply water directly into the root zone of plants and minimise evaporation. By drip irrigation, there is no water loss due to seepage, run-off or evaporation. This has emerged as a very efficient method of irrigation.

a) Sprinkler Irrigation – Water is distributed through a pipe system, and is sprayed into the air and irrigates in most of the soil types as it has a wide range of discharge capacity.

Night Irrigation – During night-time, humidity is high, which results in a reduced evaporation rate. Since there is no sun, solar radiation does not contribute to water evaporation, which minimises water loss.