0.003 is the percent of Earth’s hydrosphere that is usable fresh water available to the roughly eight billion people living on Earth (Environmental Encyclopedia). Despite the staggering difference between these numbers, millions of gallons of water are wasted each day. Humans need to implement water conservation habits into their life in order to ensure a sustainable amount for future generations.
Water; people depend on it for agriculture, domestic purposes, and most importantly life. The hydrosphere makes up seventy-one percent of Earth’s surface, while this is a relatively sizable portion of the planet only around three percent of it fresh water (Goings). However, of this three percent “ 68.7 percent is frozen… and another 30.1 percent is located in the ground… deep within Earths crust” (Environmental Encyclopedia). That leaves only 0.4 percent as surface water, most of which is still unusable or unreachable for the population. In the end only about 0.003 percent of Earth’s water is available to the rapidly growing population (Environmental Encyclopedia). With such an alarmingly low percentage of the hydrosphere being fresh and usable there should be serious concern for depletion within society.
What is all this water used for? With about seventy percent of the fresh water used for crop irrigation, the majority of Earths fresh water resources are used by the agricultural industry (Goings). The remaining thirty percent is split between electrical cooling, domestic use, and a variety of other purposes. While daily water consumption per person varies from country to country, the United States maintains some of the highest number of gallons used per day. With “the average municipal use in the United States [being] about 150 gal per person per day” compared to around 12 gallons in Africa (Goings). The average daily water use in the United States is a staggering thirty times the minimum water requirement of five gallons per day according to the World Health Organization (Goings). However, some areas of the United States are averaging as high as 350 gallons per person per day (Goings). Despite these statistics the United States has yet to develop a body dedicated solely to conservation of water resources (Rozgus 7). This overuse of Earths limited resources can produce very devastating consequences if it continues being unregulated.
These consequences are not going to present themselves in the distant future; they can already be seen around the world today. It’s “estimated 1.2 billion people drink unclean water, and about 2.5 billion lack proper toilets or sewage system” (Introduction to Global Resources). Lack of water doesn’t merely cause illnesses but it more than often can be deadly. Because billions of people don’t have access to clean drinking water in just “one day, 9,300 people will have perished from… diseases spread by contaminated water or lack of water” (Introduction to Global Resources). These diseases and deaths caused by deficient water availability are increasingly becoming a routine thing for many groups of people around the globe. However while these people are suffering there are billions of others that nevertheless continue to waste countless gallons of water without a second thought.
There are many solutions available for the growing problem of water depletion. First and foremost being changes in the agricultural industry. With irrigation consuming around seventy percent of usable fresh water, making changes in this industry will have tremendous effects on the worlds total consumption of water resources (Goings). One of the most water utilizing technologies available is drip irrigation. This form of irrigation uses tubes that are buried underground near the plants roots to allow the water to go directly to the crops as opposed to over head sprinklers that water the plants above ground. Some of the numerous advantages of subsurface irrigation are “minimal over watering, fewer disease and aeration problems, less runoff and erosion, fewer weeds, and better protection from vandalism” (Goings). However most importantly subsurface irrigation has conserved around fifty percent more water than over head sprinklers (Goings). While drip irrigation systems are more expensive in the long run, they can ultimately save farmers millions of dollars and gallons of water.
Conserving water at home is something everyone has the ability to take part of no matter their circumstance. By implementing a few small habitual changes the population will save billions of gallons of fresh water each year. One water efficient option is to install ultra-low-flush toilets into homes. These ULF toilets save around 30 to 40 gallons of water each day compared to standard toilets, eventually adding up to 10,000 to 16,000 gallons each year (Goings). However, there are many other cheaper changes that can be made in any household. Just simply shorting showers by a couple of minutes or insulating hot water pipes so water does not have to run as long to get warm in the winter can make an impact on overall water usage (Rozgus 7). A minor change that will deliver a significant impact is modifying how households water their plants and lawns. In some areas of the United States, “more than fifty percent of domestic water consumption may be used to irrigate laws and other horticultural plants” (Goings). By collecting rain water for irrigation or even incorporating plants such as cactus or aloe vera that require little water into gardens, homes can save more water while still keeping their lawns fresh and green (Rozgus 7). These moderate changes can produce substantial effects when more households begin to incorporate water conservation into their daily habits.
However, if the necessary steps are not taken conserve Earth’s limited water resources the future may hold very serious consequences. At the rate the population is progressing it is predicted that by “2025, two-thirds of the world’s population is likely to live in areas of moderate or severe water shortages” (Goings). This grim future is being recognized by leaders and influential people around the world. Ismail Serageldin, Vice President of the World Bank, believes “many of the wars of [the twentieth] century… will be about water” (Introduction to Global Resources). This prediction has stared to become a reality with “many regions of the world… extracting more from the water table than can be replenished via rainfall” (Introduction to Global Resources). This can be seen in present day Saudi Arabia where the country consumed massive amounts of water for their large-scale wheat production. Because of this it’s predicted that country will completely run out of ground water reserves by 2040 (Introduction to Global Resources). This looming idea of living in a world with depleting water reserves will continue to present itself unless we do something about it.
It is human responsibility to protect what little fresh water reserves we have left on this planet. New daily habits as well as changes in the agricultural industry can further conserve fresh water so that it can be available for use by future generations.