The Impact of World Water Day

Wastewater has been a particular main focus of 2017, as many people have wastewater in their homes, their industry, and agriculture. The primary concern is the cycle of agriculture when it all goes back to nature and the environment becomes polluted. Many nutrients are lost in the environment due to hazardous water. By improving the treatment of wastewater and reusing it with precaution, we can reduce the quantity of pollution of such an integral natural resource to aid in our global effort to protect the environment along with its water resources.

According to UN.org:

• Globally, over 80% of the wastewater generated by society flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused. (Sato et al, 2013)

• 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with feces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. Unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene cause around 842,000 deaths each year. (WHO/UNICEF 2014/WHO 2014)

• The opportunities that come from exploiting wastewater as a resource are enormous. Safely managed wastewater is an affordable and sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable materials.

Photo of me, as I visited a Hawaiian waterfall in Hilo, Hawaii, observing the natural water from the falls.

Over the course of about twenty years, 600 million children will be in areas that endure extreme water pollution, with a large amount of competition for the supply that is readily available. The most impoverished and disadvantaged people will suffer the most, as research published by the children’s agency of Unicef claims. Severe drought conditions and other problems are further pushing “deadly water scarcity” in locations of Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen to name a few. UNICEF predicts that over 9 million people will lack safe drinking water this year in Ethiopia independently. Close to 1.4 million children “face imminent risk of death” from a great deal of malnutrition in South Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.

A London-based NGO Small Media claims that “Iran is facing a water crisis that is unparalleled in its modern history. Lakes and rivers are dying, droughts are increasing in frequency, and even Iran’s deepest groundwater reserves are being sucked dry by Iran’s growing population and its thirsty agricultural sector.” Additional sources claim that many ecosystems will suffer a collapse, leaving some wildlife species on the verge of extinction.

“Climate change is often felt through a change in the water – whether it’s a flood, rising sea levels or something else – and the effect of a changing climate is often felt by children through water first.”

The NGO WaterAid published findings on Tuesday of how ‘vulnerable rural communities’ struggles to access clean water were being compounded by extreme weather events and climate change.

If you are inclined to make a contribution to people for a universal cause, visit https://contribute.water.org/donate/waterday/ to make a difference. #EmpowerAWomanWithWaterAndSheCanCahangeHerWorld