We were probably guilty of these at some point in our lifetimes– taking long showers, running the tap continuously without much thought or being part of water games. Indeed, these are prime examples of water being easily wasted in our country where clean water runs easily from our taps, a privilege that is not shared by those in developing or water-scarce countries.
Yet, these direct uses of water only constitute part of modern society’s massive water footprint. Much of our water footprint actually stems from the products we use, otherwise known as virtual uses of water. Water is an essential input resource for production of consumer goods. For instance, 1 smartphone requires 910 litres of water to manufacture — a number that most of us probably cannot fathom. More often than not, we overlook the life cycle analysis of the production of everyday goods, from the mining of natural resources to the disposal of the product after its expiration, under-estimating the actual amount of resources we consume in our lifetime.
Although such information on water footprint is at the tip of our fingers with the internet, even with tools such as the water footprint calculator and countdowns till the day the world runs out of freshwater, there are challenges in shifting mindsets from the acknowledgement of water overconsumption to taking part in water conservation efforts. A study by PUB revealed a worrying trend of younger Singaporeans perceiving water scarcity as “a distant concept”, which makes sense for a generation who has never experienced water shortage and lacks a water-saving culture. The same cannot be said for the people in water scarce countries like India.
The Plight of Water-scarce Countries
As a developing country, India still faces the lack of water infrastructure and proper sanitation facilities, especially in the rural areas. In 2018, a report indicated that nearly half of India’s population face extreme water stress, and that three quarters of India’s rural households do not have piped, potable water, relying on water sources that pose serious health risks. High dependence on groundwater and rivers as water sources is not in India’s favour as well since these aquifers are rapidly depleting, and this is bound to worsen in face of climate change due to altered hydrological patterns that disrupt the recharge rates of aquifers.
India is not alone in this struggle of water scarcity. Other countries such as Qatar, Israel and Libya, to name a few, are facing extremely high water stress as well. Coupled with increasing population growth, there is additional pressure on freshwater supplies globally especially in countries that are heavily reliant on agricultural production – a water-intensive economic activity – like that of India .
However, it is not just the issue of depleting water supplies that drives water scarcity — poor management of water sources and poor water infrastructure leading to water wastage are main driving factors as well. For example, 60% of water used for agriculture is lost due to leaky irrigation systems and inefficient cultivation methods.
The Intertwined Nature of Water Scarcity and Poor Sanitation
Water scarcity also stems from the lack of access to clean water, often driven by pollution. Four-fifths of the world’s wastewater, which is largely untreated, is dumped back into the environment, causing rivers, lakes, and oceans to be polluted. Yet, this is not the only source of water pollution. Open defecation, common in regions without proper sanitation facilities, is a major source of pollution of local water sources. Given the heavy dependence of rural regions in developing countries on untreated water obtained directly from natural bodies as potable drinking water, the population is resultantly highly vulnerable to water-borne diseases.
Poor sanitation is linked to transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A [9], more severely impairing children. Each day, nearly 1,000 children die due to preventable water and sanitation-related diarrheal diseases like cholera and typhoid, and in poverty-stricken regions, economic inaccessibility to healthcare services leave many families helpless.
It’s Not Just “their” Problem, It’s Also Ours
If you think the problem of polluted waters is a distant concept for Singapore, think again. In fact, after world war 2, the Singapore River became extremely polluted — the banks of the Singapore River became a hub of trade and industry and there were many cargo transfers, boatyards, squatter settlements and street hawkers but no proper sewage disposal system. Luckily, from 1977 to 1987, the government made the effort to clean up the Singapore River and banned dumping of waste and sewage water from industries located near the river. The question is: suppose there were no governmental efforts like the Singapore River cleanup, would the river be clean as it is today?
The bottom line is that everyone has a responsibility in keeping our waters clean. Afterall, our waterways are interconnected globally and water pollution spreads. Even though there may be governmental efforts in play to keep our waters clean in Singapore, we have the moral and social responsibility to not pollute the waters in the first place. And if you aren’t already doing so, one simple way is to dispose of rubbish properly, especially near water bodies.
The Future Ahead
The key to ensuring clean water and proper sanitation for all hence lies in proper management of water sources and better water and sanitation infrastructures. Despite the rather gloomy outlook of the water crisis, there have fortunately been several non-profit organisations working on the ground to increase accessibility to clean water and sanitation to severely affected regions.
One such organisation is WATERisLIFE, which has not only incorporated the WASH campaign in their interventions, but also took a step further in coming up with innovative ways to provide water-scarce populations with clean water. One such intervention is the Drinkable Book. The book provides sanitation and hygiene education while its pages also serves as a water filter, making it a targeted intervention that tackles the lack of proper sanitation and knowledge, and the lack of water treatment.
Yet, such Drinkable books and innovative solutions alike only serve as symptomatic solutions — the problem of polluted water remains if systemic changes worldwide to ban sewage disposal in waters are not acted upon. Even if proper water infrastructures and treatment were to be set in place as developing countries advance, the costs of water treatment may not be affordable for all. Hence, individual and corporate responsibility to protect our waters remain the key to attaining clean water and sanitation for all. And as for the fortunate bulk of us who have access to clean water at any time of the day, it is perhaps time to rethink our water usage.
Glossary:
- Aquifer: An aquifer is a body of porous rock or sediment saturated with groundwater. Groundwater enters an aquifer as precipitation seeps through the soil. It can move through the aquifer and resurface through springs and wells.
Cover photo taken by Jos Speetjens