World Water Day

When we turn on the tap, we expect clean water to come flowing out, and we’d be shock if it didn’t (if it dripped out thick as mud or smelling like rotten egg).

But in fact, how safe and plentiful is our water supply?

Most of us get our water from one of two sources: surface water such as lakes and rivers, or the deep underground aquifers.

But both of these source are being threatened by pollution that has become part of our everyday lives, because almost everything we put on the ground ends up in the water: lawn fertilizer and bug killer, the changed car oil, hazardous chemical stored in dump sites and municipal landfills even the salts used to de-ice highways.

Industry uses more water than any other sector of society, primarily to GENERATE ELECTRICITY, and to cool or clean off equipment after the manufacturing process. Although more than 80% of this water is returned to its source, it is often polluted with manufacturing by products, effectively preventing it or the creature that live in it from being consumed.

When power companies draw water from the sea, river or lake for cooling their equipment, they too return the water back to its source, but at much warmer temperature than when it come out. As its temperature increases, water can hold less and less oxygen. Even though nothing has been added to the water but heat, the change in temperature can dramatically alter the ecological balance of a stream or river. More over, many aquatic animals and plants need cool water to survive or reproduce, and heat pollution can affect them severely

On forest land, precipitation is absorbed and filtered by the soil, gradually releasing high quality water suitable for drinking, fisheries and recreation. BUT IF THE FORESTS ARE CHOPPED DOWN, THIS NATURAL FILTRATION PROCESS GRINDS TO A HALT.

What should we do to save the water? (start in our home)

1. In the bathroom, don’t leave the water running, buy and use a water-saving dishwasher, check our toilet for leaks and install a water saving shower head.
2. Keeping the water clean, though normal kitchen garbage doesn’t contaminated water, toxic do. So don’t use our kitchen sink as a toxic waste dump. Whenever possible, avoid using toxic chemicals in and around our home.

from Save Our Planet by Diane MacEachern