Water is important for life. All living things need water to live. Your body needs water to function properly. A dehydrated body is weak. You also need water to prepare various meals. Water is required for washing various things like dishes, laundry, buildings, among other things that need to be cleaned by water. Water is also necessary for any agricultural activity to take place. Even in the desert, you can only find any kind of plant near an oasis. Both plants and animals depend on water for life. Water is also vital when carrying out various industrial operations.
There are various sources of water for various uses. There are two major water resources. There is the conventional water resources and the unconventional water resources. The convention water resources are mainly rainwater and river runoff. You, however, have to remember that the conventional water sources are not so reliable. The unreliability of these water resources leads to water scarcity. The major contributing factor to this problem is climate change. It leads to less rain. This makes water bodies like rivers to dry up. The available water is not enough to sufficiently take care of water needs for people, animals, and plants. Some species of animals and plants have already started dying because there in insufficient water to sustain them.
The other source of water is the unconventional water resources. These source of water is generated using various specialized procedures like desalination. Unconventional water resources can also be obtained through pre-use treatment. These water resources might also require a unique technological process and equipment so that it can be collected or accessed with ease. Unconventional water can be considered used water or new water depending on the source. Used water examples are collecting and using agricultural water, and collecting and treating wastewater, storm water, and grey water. There are various sources of new water, for example, desalinated seawater and highly brackish ground water, physically transporting water using tankers and icebergs, atmospheric moisture harvesting including fog water collection and cloud seeding, capturing of rainwater at the place where it evaporates on a micro-scale, among others. Unconventional water resources are a good alternative that will help address the issue of conventional water scarcity.
It is also vital that people, corporations, industries, governments, and all other concerned stakeholders take part in conserving water resources, both conventional and unconventional water resources. One of the steps to take in water preservation is for companies that are involved in drilling and fracturing avoid using fresh water. This process uses billions of water barrels to drill. They should make use of sea water and make leave fresh water for people, animals, and plants to use. Water can also be conserved if wasted if minimized or eliminated. People should not leave taps open when not in use. Water bodies should not be polluted so that the water is fit for consumption. Water is a vital resource that can cause the extinction of life on earth if it is not available. It is, therefore, vital water conservation to start with you so that you save life on earth.