Responding to the Water withdrawal menace in 2030

Water is about one of the most common naturally endowed resources for human consumption and refreshing.  Animals, plants and the aquatic lives all depend essentially on water for living. This undoubtedly implies the pivotal role water plays in ecological and livestock existence and sustenance. It will therefore amount to a state of suicidal disaster if such an indispensable utility is withdrawn from the reach for, especially, consumption.

With reference to the 2030 Water Resources Group report: Charting our Water Future, Economic Frameworks to Inform Decision- Making , it is indicated that by 2030 over a third of the world population will be living in river basins that will have to cope with significant water stress, including many of the countries and regions of the world that drive global economic growth.

This also informed the posting of Peter B on the topic: Water Scarcity and Food Security: A Role for Free Trade?  In the post, he made the same assertion thus: “By 2030,  water withdrawals will exceed natural renewals by 60%” According to him, “the rate of the water withdrawal, has become quite dire especially with regard to Agricultural production given the fact that 90% of fresh water used globally is for irrigation to grow the food we eat. With the current trend in population and economic growth affecting water needs for all kinds of activities, this could result in shortfalls of up to 38% in cereal production by 2025. There is no doubt we are facing a great challenge to feed the world population in the near future”,

These indeed capture a serious scenario that requires an urgent well thought-out actionable implementation of water management processes. Recently, I travelled to the northern part of Nigeria, precisely a community, Damaturu in Sokoto state. I was shocked to find in the community that some of the wells that form the mainstay of the community hub for the human inhabitants and livestock sustenance were no longer available; all dried up. They have to trek about 3 kilometers to a shallow stream area to draw water for their livelihood.

How can water be sustained? That is one serious question on every lip of concerned citizens of this world. The United Nations is very concerned; stakeholders of both private and public industries are concerned. We also at beamaque business through our blog are also very much concerned. Perhaps we can borrow a leaf from the Water Management in the Netherlands, where the operation of the main water system is managed quite well; directing water from the Rhine and Muse to locations of their choice. A substantial amount of water stored in Lake Ijsselmeer can later be used for the production of drinking water, irrigation purposes, etc.

We all must respond to the water withdrawal menace.

 

6 Vital Reasons for Healthy Water Consumption

Presently, it has become some fashionable thing of sort to have bottled water with us, almost wherever we go. This can be as we walk on the road, drive in a car and during exercise activities. The reason is not far-fetched. There is a wider awareness of drinking safer water. The human body can be very susceptible to water related diseases, traceable to consuming water from the tap water system, streams, etc.,. It is a process that is voids of proper purification process, hence a tendency for being a huge carrier of coliform bacteria that inhabits the human intestines.

It is on this premise that the trendy use of the bottled water is well appreciated. The body requires water, yes, but the safeness of the water being consumed matters most. And when we have that healthy water for consumption, the following six vital reasons would have justified the essence of such a fashion.

1. Water maintains the Body Fluids Balance. The body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. Water minimizes our bodies thirst mechanisms and maintains a healthy state.
2. Water Helps Control Calories. Dieters over the years have been drinking lots of water as a strategy for weight loss. Clean water has been found to be a tremendous substitute for higher calorie beverages.
3. Water Helps Energize the muscles. There is a strong tendency for cells that don’t maintain their balance of water and electrolytes to shrivel, resulting in muscle fatigue. This explains the usefulness of drinking enough water when exercising.
4. Water Helps Keep the Skin Aglow. Our skins contain plenty of water, and functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. According to Atlanta Dermatologist, Kenneth Ellner, MD, “Dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration.” “…..once you are adequately hydrated, the kidneys take over and excrete excess fluids”.
5. Water Helps the Kidney. Body fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin in the body is blood urea nitrogen; a water-soluble waste that is able to pass through the kidneys to be excreted in the urine. Our kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and ridding our bodies of toxins as long as our intake of water is adequate. When we are taking enough water, urine flows freely, is light in color, and free of odor. When the body is short of enough water, urine concentration, color and odor increase, because the kidneys trap extra fluid for bodily functions.
6. Water Helps Maintain Bowel Function. Adequate hydration keeps things flowing along our gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. With lack of water, the colon pulls water from the stools to maintain hydration- and the result is constipation.

What is the catch here? Drink enough water into your body. But be sure to drink a safe healthy water; well-treated and safe for consumption.

Drinking Healthy Water

The essence of drinking safe healthy water is very vital to a healthy living. According to the United Nation report on Safe Drinking Water,

Access to safe drinking-water is important as a health and development issue at a
national, regional and local level. In some regions, it has been shown that investments in water supply and sanitation can yield a net economic benefit, since the reductions in adverse health effects and health care costs outweigh the costs of undertaking the interventions. This is true for major water supply infrastructure investments through to water treatment in the home. Experience has also shown that interventions in improving access to safe water favour the poor in particular, whether in rural or urban areas, and can be an effective part of poverty alleviation strategies.

In 1983–1984 and in 1993–1997, the World Health Organization (WHO) published
the first and second editions of the Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality in three
volumes as successors to previous WHO International Standards. In 1995, the
decision was made to pursue the further development of the Guidelines through a process of rolling revision. This led to the publication of addenda to the second edition of the Guidelines, on chemical and microbial aspects, in 1998, 1999 and 2002; the publication of a text on Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water; and the preparation of expert reviews on key issues preparatory to the development of a third edition of the guideline.

It is on this note that beamaque water is setup to be a productive channel that safe drinking water can be brought to the public at a very healthy competitive cost.

Expect more from this blog post.