Importance of water resources
Water is a very important natural resource for life. Water sources include rivers, lakes, groundwater and rain. Water is used for domestic needs (drinking, cooking, washing), agriculture (irrigating crops) and industry (processing goods).
Key idea
Clean water is limited, so we must save and conserve our water resources.
Conservation of water resources
Water sources can be polluted by factory waste, rubbish thrown into rivers and farm chemicals. This pollution causes a shortage of clean water. Dirty water must be treated at a water treatment plant before it can be used.
Ways to conserve water resources:
- Turn off taps when not in use.
- Repair leaking pipes.
- Harvest rainwater for reuse.
- Practise the 3R to reduce water pollution.
Example
Harvesting rainwater in a tank and using it to water plants saves clean water.
Forests also help protect water resources. Tree roots hold the soil, let rainwater soak into the ground and keep rivers flowing with clean water. When forests near a river are cleared, soil is washed into the river and the water becomes muddy and dirty. This is why protecting forests in river catchment areas is an important part of water conservation.
Everyone has a role to play. Households can save water at home, factories must treat their waste before releasing it, and the government builds dams and treatment plants to store and clean water. Small daily habits, like taking shorter showers, add up to a large saving when many people do them.
Remember
Clean water is limited — do not waste it and do not pollute rivers.