Blog Post
World Water Day
World Water Day 2022
Ground water; Making the Invisible Visible
Water is known as the driving force of
all nature. It is the fuel for all living thing. Every year this day (March 22)
is celebrated to mark the importance of water. The focus of world water day is
to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and
sanitation for all by 2030. This year’s theme for World Water Day is ‘Groundwater, making the invisible visible’.
What is Groundwater?
Groundwater
is water that is found beneath the Earth’s surface and fills the pores in
sediment or the cracks in underground rocks. It makes up 30% of freshwater
worldwide.
Groundwater
is regularly pumped from drilled boreholes (wells) for use in farming, industry
and homes and it is recharge by surface water from rain, river, snow or melting
ice. Groundwater is an important part of climate change adaptation, it sustains
the ecosystem, maintains the flow of rivers, prevent seawater intrusion and
land subsidence.
Facts about groundwater you might not know
·
99% of the reusable freshwater on
earth is groundwater
·
There are estimated 2.8 million
trillion gallons of groundwater, 30.1% of the world freshwater
·
About 27 trillion gallons of
groundwater are withdrawn for use each
year in the United States
·
It is estimated that 20% of world’s population depends on
crops irrigated by groundwater
·
1/3 of water required by industries
are gotten from groundwater.
·
According to NASA the world’s most
overstressed groundwater source is the Arabian Aquifer System, which supplies water for more than 60
million people
·
67% of all groundwater is used for
irrigation (food production)
·
Groundwater supplies ½ of all drinking water in the world
(UNESCO-WWAP, 2009)
·
In
Africa, more people have access to a mobile phone (93%) than to piped water
(Afrobarometer, 2016)
·
Globally,
1/3 of all schools lack access to safe water (WHO &
UNICEF, 2015)
Groundwater
is a hidden treasure underneath our feet, out of sight that supports our lives
and ecosystems; invisible but its impacts is visible everywhere. However, in
many areas of the world, groundwater resources are being rapidly used up at an
alarming and unsustainable rates. Just because it is underground doesn’t mean
that groundwater is safe from many of the same environmental issues that
surface water faces. These environmental issues includes:
1.
Pollution
Pollution is one of the major environmental
issue that affect groundwater. Groundwater pollution comes from different
sources such as; harmful substance or chemicals release or disposed into the
soil. When rain washes agricultural products like fertilizers, pesticides,
herbicides into the ground, nitrates from these agricultural products
contaminate underground water which becomes dangerous for drinking because
they’ve been linked to various cancers, miscarriages and even birth defects.
Toxic chemicals that are not properly disposed
in manufacturing industries may leach into the ground, causing pollution to
underground water. Also underground storage tanks, like septic tanks, can also
leak sewage waste, toxic chemicals, oil in to the ground.
2.
Mining
activities
Groundwater pollution problems can be
associated with mining activities. The nature of the pollution depends on the materials
being extracted and the post-extraction processes involved. Coal, salt, potash,
phosphate and uranium mines are major polluters of groundwater
3.
Overdrawing
Humans are currently extracting groundwater
faster than it can be replenished, this is due to the increase in population
which in turn has led to increase in large scale agricultural irrigation.
Today, approximately 70% of global groundwater withdrawals are used in the
agricultural sector, for livestock, food and industrial crops. Continuous
ground water use can lead to depletion of this resource, which threatens
undermine basic water supply, compromises significant groundwater-dependent
ecosystems, climate resilience and food security.
Effects of Ground Water Depletion
·
Reduction of water in streams and
lakes
·
Deterioration of water quality
·
Land subsidence
·
Increased pumping costs
·
Limits biodiversity
Ways
to Conserve Groundwater
1.
Reduce the use of chemicals
Use
fewer chemicals around your home, gardens or yard and make sure you dispose
properly
2.
Dispose your waste properly and
sustainable
3.
Shut of water when your brush your
teeth or shave.
4.
Check all faucets, toilets and taps in
your home, offices for leaks and get them fixed right away
5.
Reduce the amount of time you spend
while taking a shower.
6.
Use natural/nontoxic household
cleaner. Materials like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice are excellent
cleaning and environmental product
7.
Get involved in water education. Learn
more about groundwater, share your knowledge with friends and family (Learn
more, do more)
Reference
1. Gleick, P. H., 1996: Water resources. In Encyclopedia of Climate and
Weather, ed. by S. H. Schneider, Oxford University Press, New York, vol. 2,
pp.817-823
2.
D.W. Clark and
D.W. Briar. Open-File Report 93-643, reprinted April 2001
3.
NGWA- Groundwater
Fundamentals
4.
The importance of
groundwater – LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY
5.
UNESCO World
Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) 2009
6.
WHO & UNICEF,
Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water 2015 Update and MDG Assessment
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