by Mel Mcintyre

Created on: February 12, 2009

Water is truly the elixir of life, making up 60-70% of our bodies.

We need water to stay hydrated, to keep clean, and to fight disease. Water flushes toxins from the body, lubricates joints and muscles, regulates body temperature, controls weight and generally promotes good all-round health. Without water, we'd die.

We use water for other things, too. Water washes our clothes and dishes, carries away waste, irrigates our land, cleans our cars and driveways, makes it possible for us to cook meals; it's undoubtedly the single most important thing we use every day.

And water surrounds us on this little planet of ours. The Earth is covered in water, accounting for 71% of its surface. Maybe it's this fact that causes us to take water for granted. But we shouldn't.

Only 2.5% of the Earth's water is fresh water, and most of that is frozen in glaciers and ice caps. The unfrozen water exists as groundwater, most of which lies beneath the surface. A very small proportion of water is found above ground or in the air. And supplies are under constant pressure to meet rising demand.

One could argue that it's up to governments and corporations responsible for water treatment and distribution to ensure adequate supplies. But that attitude removes the responsibility from the individual, and since we all use water, we should all take responsibility.

The United Nations published its 2nd World Water Development Report in 2006, entitled "Water, a shared responsibility". It noted that, in some parts of the world, between 30 and 40% of water is lost due to leakages and theft. It also pointed out that, just to meet our basic needs, humans need between 20 and 50 liters of water a day. But population growth and business expansion are placing ever-increasing demands on supplies. Water withdrawals increased six-fold since the 1900s, which is twice the rate of population growth.

The time has come to take the matter seriously. Water is a finite resource, and once it's gone, it's gone. We already know that industry has the power to cut its water demand by up to 90% if given the right incentives. So that only leaves us, the individual consumers, to make our mark.

Want to know how you can play your part in easing the world water crisis, before it's too late? Here are some simple and inexpensive ways you can help:

In The Kitchen
Wash dishes in one basin only to save water.
If possible, install a dishwasher, which uses less water. Use only when fully loaded.
Repair dripping taps.
Insulate all pipes.
Install

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