Ways to Save Freshwater Resources

The surface of planet Earth is 30% land and 70% water. Out of this 70%, only 3% is freshwater which is found in the form of glaciers, streams, lakes, rivers, and groundwater. Almost all terrestrial life depends on freshwater for survival. However, due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, freshwater resources face an alarming level of degradation and quality deterioration. In this article, we suggest some ways to conserve freshwater resources.

1. Build Dams

A major loss of freshwater is when river flows into the oceans and mix with the salty sea water that renders them unusable for human activities. To prevent this, dams should be built, which will not only provide a renewable source of power production but also acts as reservoirs of water and supply water for irrigation of agricultural fields.

2. Wastewater Treatment

Industries should adequately treat their wastewater to remove all sorts of pollutants that may pose a threat to aquatic life. Water being released from the treatment plants should be periodically tested for any pollutants before being released into the natural water bodies.

3. Climate Change Mitigation

Changing climatic patterns and extreme weather events are responsible for affecting the balance of water in different freshwater resources. For instance, global warming is causing the glaciers to melt at a higher pace than they can recover and thus causing flooding in the downstream plains. Moreover, extreme rainfalls cause flooding and breakage of river dikes that result in water pollution and water logging of the nearby areas. Therefore, mitigating climate change is one of the many ways to save our freshwater resources.

4. Construct Engineered Landfills

Landfills around the world are a leading cause of groundwater pollution. The degradation of waste materials in landfills release toxic hazardous chemicals and heavy metals which leach down to underground aquifers and deteriorate the quality of groundwater. Therefore, environment protection agencies around the world should implement strict management protocols for construction of landfills which involve lining the landfills from the bottom to prevent the leakage of harmful chemicals.

5. Protection of Watersheds from Deforestation

The upland forests and vegetation are extremely important for regulating the water cycle of rivers. They maintain the infiltration of rainwater and stream water through the soil and clean the waterways from any sort of pollutants through phytoremediation. Therefore, preventing deforestation of watersheds is essential for optimizing the flow of water in rivers.

6. Prevent Soil Erosion

Removing vegetation from land causes soil erosion and this leads to increase sediment discharge into the waterbodies. Prevention of soil erosion from upland streams and downstream riverbanks is essential to maintain the quality of river water. To prevent soil erosion, deep rooting plants should be grown, and upland soil should be managed appropriately to prevent soil degradation and runoff.

7. Grow Riparian Forests

Riparian forests are referred to as any woody vegetation growing along the riverbanks. They help stabilize the riverbanks and prevent soil erosion. Therefore, their growth should be encouraged. Moreover, riparian forests control the flow of harmful pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural field into the streams thus preventing water pollution.

8. Payment for Ecosystem Services

Freshwater from the rivers, streams and lakes is an invaluable ecosystem service. Government should pay the upland populations to protect the watersheds and preventing pollution in the waterways. The revenue for this payment can be generated by taxing the downstream water users on their water supply.

9. Rainwater Harvesting

Water should be collected in barrels and ponds during rain season. This stored water can then be used during the dry season for watering the plants and agricultural land.

10. Use Atomizer Water Taps

Inserting an atomizer nozzle on the water tap reduces the water flow by splitting a single, bulbous flow of water into many tiny streams which in turn directs air into the water flow. Thus, the water tap will both do its job and conserve the water.

11. Water Metering Systems

An effective way of conserving water is the installation of water metering systems. These meters will provide information on consumption and identify where the water is being lost while informing decision about its appropriate consumption.

12. Avoid Sprinkling systems in Gardens

Water Sprinkling systems for keeping grass in a garden green waste a lot of water and energy. An eco-friendly alternative would be the collection of rainwater in buckets and watering the plants when there hasn’t been rainfall for a few weeks. Furthermore, it is okay to let the grass go dry for some time until the next rainfall event occurs. Using a lot of water just to keep your lawn green is not a smart use of an already scare natural resource.

13. Wash-up When Full

Run your dishwashers and laundry when they are fully loaded. Also set the machines to eco-friendly mode to optimize the use of water.

14. Shower Instead of Bath

Bathing uses ten times more water than taking a shower. Take a quick shower while being conscious of the water wastage.

15. Drip Irrigation System

It delivers water directly to plant roots by the drip irrigation system and reduce evaporation that happens with the spray water system.

16. Artificial Intelligence in Farming

Farming is responsible for 70% of the freshwater withdrawals all over the globe. Technological innovation like drones that use artificial intelligence to assess how much water a plant needs and then providing the required amount of water can effectively reduce the water wastage from farming by reducing evapotranspiration.

17. Sustainable Lifestyle Practices

Changing our lifestyle like eating fresh fruits, locally sourced products and simply being more mindful of our water consumption can play a key role in conserving freshwater resources.

18. Prevent Leakage:

Fix the leaking pipes and taps as soon as possible to prevent water wastage.

19. Awareness Workshops

Organize workshops on a community level to aware people about the rising water crisis and deliver lectures on several ways of conserving water at home.

20. Capturing and Storage Water

Ponds and rain barrels should be built near agricultural land to store precipitation for use throughout the year. Properly managed ponds can also create habitats for local wildlife.