Introduction
God created the world and the water in it for the best use of people living on Earth. However, unwise and frivolous practices of using water resources have become a real problem. Water resources are exhaustible; therefore, wasting and contaminating water can cause the eventual extinction of humankind. On the bright side, today’s global community is more than ever united by the idea of preserving water resources and implementing sustainable development practices. This paper will discuss how the global community deals with water resources and what future generations should expect regarding water accessibility.
Wasting and Contaminating Water
There are plenty of examples of how people waste and contaminate water. First, many households show unconscious attitudes toward water use, including bathing, showering, washing dishes, using the washing machine, watering lawns, drinking, and filling pools. Following simple patterns of conscious use can reduce household water consumption by a third or even half. No less important, the production uses water everywhere, for example, for cooling metal parts, washing products, in the production of beverages, or fish farming.
Water extraction from rivers and underground artesian sources for further pouring into plastic bottles is one of the most unsustainable production practices in the US and African countries where plants with headquarters in US cities are located. Bottled water is more expensive than tap water and does not differ in quality since it is extracted from underground sources that feed local rivers and lakes (“Bottled water,” 2021). This approach leads to environmental disasters at the local level, and companies usually leave a place where all sources have already been depleted and move production to another area. Unfortunately, state laws hardly regulate water extraction practices, and usually, companies negotiate bribes with local governments that cover them. That is why conscious drinking water consumption includes minimizing the purchase of bottled water.
Water pollution is another problem, as many industries in the world pour harmful waste into cesspools arranged improperly, and this waste seeps into underground soils and springs, which then pollute rivers. Such production practices are most widespread in countries with unstable statehood that cannot ensure proper enforcement of laws. It is noteworthy that international organizations have no actual influence on local governments, which alone decide the fate of communities. This creates a closed circle and forces residents to buy bottled water. There is usually a lack of other water sources, although humanitarian initiatives sometimes build wells or install filters.
Appealing Practical Solutions
There are positive examples of using water resources according to sustainable schemes. For instance, Gee and Sojka (2022) describe rainwater harvesting systems – as “decentralized water solutions that involve capturing rainwater, typically from an impervious surface such as a rooftop, and storing it for selected use” that meet “water conservation and stormwater management objectives” (p. 77). Such decisions are suitable for remote villages and towns, especially in regions with rainy seasons.
Rain harvesting can also decrease water consumption by households that use water supply systems in suburban areas in more urbanized societies. No less interestingly, Fu et al. (2018) suggest that recycled water use can meet some important needs, such as irrigation, but this concept requires the promotion of hygienic needs. According to Buono (2018), spring protection and management are essential environmental practices for communities in India, where river contamination is the highest in the world. Scholars say that the practices were implemented at local governmental levels and showed generally positive results.
Future of Water Use
At first glance, water resources are unlimited, but they are distributed very unevenly, and such regions as Sub-Saharan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the US Western Coast face greater problems than regions with more developed river systems. Luo et al. (2020) mention that water resource management in Egypt has already shifted to governmental levels, and this could have been the most optimal solution, given the supposed fairness and transparency of such governments.
Scientists in the US and Canada study the impact of climate change on the snow cover, reporting a 25% loss by 2050 (Siirila-Woodburn et al., 2021, p. 800). Reducing carbon emissions can halt this trend, along with other global catastrophes humanity may face, such as periods of abnormal heat, changing weather in regions along sea and ocean coasts, and melting ice cover at the North Pole. In general, the practices of conscious use of water resources are of primary importance, and citizens should have the opportunity to influence their implementation and engage in the ecological use of resources.
Conclusion
Thus, it was discussed how humanity is dealing with water resources and what future the global community should expect regarding water accessibility. Importantly, by 2050, the Earth may face serious cataclysms if climate change progresses. Water consumption practices can be improved through conscious consumption by the households, and governmental intervention in dealing with illegal and unethical productions. A comprehensive, responsible, and practical approach to environmental issues can save the planet and improve the quality of life of millions of people.
References
Bottled water: Biggest scam of the century (2021). [Video file]. Web.
Buono, J. (2019). Spring protection and management: Context, history, and examples of spring management in India. In Groundwater Development and Management (pp. 227-241). Springer, Cham.
Fu, H., Li, Z., Liu, Z., & Wang, Z. (2018). Research on big data digging of hot topics about recycled water use on micro-blog based on particle swarm optimization. Sustainability, 10(7), 2488.
Gee, K. D., & Sojka, S. (2022). Maximizing the benefits of rainwater harvesting systems: Review and analysis of selected case study examples. In Resilient Water Management Strategies in Urban Settings (pp. 77-117). Springer, Cham.
Luo, P., Sun, Y., Wang, S., Wang, S., Lyu, J., Zhou, M., & Nover, D. (2020). Historical assessment and future sustainability challenges of Egyptian water resources management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 263, 121154.
Siirila-Woodburn, E. R., Rhoades, A. M., Hatchett, B. J., Huning, L. S., Szinai, J., Tague, C., & Kaatz, L. (2021). A low-to-no snow future and its impacts on water resources in the western United States. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 2(11), 800-819.