INTRODUCTION:

Water is essential for life as it plays a crucial role in various

biological and ecological processes. It serves as a universal solvent,
facilitating chemical reactions necessary for metabolism in living
organisms. It is important to all living organisms. It covers 71% of the
Earth. Unfortunately, we can't use most of that as drinking water. Over
96.5% of the Earth's water is salt water in oceans and seas. Water
shortages will become more common, because the supply of available
water remains the same. Water conservation will become more and more
important as time goes on.

Water is what makes our planet so unique and virtually everything on our
planet relies on it. It is the foundation of all life and important to sanitation,
human rights, urbanization, sustainability, economic growth, etc. Water plays a
crucial role in ecological systems, weather patterns, and supports various forms
of transportation. The versatility of water makes it indispensable for a wide
range of purposes. Water's diverse uses extend to:

● Vital for Life: Water is fundamental to all forms of life on Earth. It

makes up a significant portion of our body, and it is involved in
countless biological processes, such as digestion, circulation, and
temperature regulation.
● Transport Medium: Water serves as a medium for the transport of
nutrients and waste products in living organisms. It helps carry
essential substances to cells and removes waste from them.
● Chemical Reactions: Water is involved in various chemical
reactions, making it a universal solvent. Many biochemical
reactions necessary for life occur in aqueous environments.
 ● Temperature Regulation: Water has a high heat capacity, meaning
it can absorb and release heat slowly. This property helps regulate
temperature, both in our bodies and in the environment.
● Hydration: Humans and other animals need water for hydration.
Without enough water, dehydration can occur, leading to a range of
health problems.
● Agriculture: Water is critical for agriculture. It is necessary for
irrigation, which allows crops to grow and ensures food production.
● Industry: Water is used in a wide range of industrial processes, such
as manufacturing, energy production, and mining. It's essential for
cooling, cleaning, and as a raw material in various industries.
● Hygiene: Water is vital for personal and public hygiene. It's used for
cleaning, sanitation, and the prevention of the spread of diseases
● Energy Production: Water is used in hydropower generation, which
is a significant source of clean energy in many parts of the world.
● Recreation and Aesthetics: Water bodies provide recreational
opportunities and contribute to the aesthetics of landscapes. They
support activities like swimming, boating, and fishing, and they
enhance the natural beauty of environments.

GLOBAL WATER DISTRIBUTION

● 326 million cubic miles of water on the planet

● 320 million cubic miles of water in the oceans
● 2.5% of the earth's water is freshwater.
● Within that 2.5%, 69% of the earth's freshwater is unavailable: locked up in
glaciers and polar ice caps; 30.1% is underground; and less than 1.2% in
rivers, lakes, and marshes or surface waters
 ● If the world's water supply were only 100 liters (26 gallons), our usable
water supply of fresh water would be only about 0.003 liter (one-half
teaspoon).
● In actuality, that amounts to an average of 8.4 million liters (2.2 million
gallons) for each person on earth.
● This supply is continually collected, purified, and distributed in the natural
hydrologic (water) cycle.

USABLE FRESHWATER
● Only a small fraction is available as “usable”
● Groundwater is a reliable and most abundant source of freshwater accessible
● Some regions may face water shortages or limited access to clean water.
● Freshwater is a rare resource on earth as the majority or 97% of water is
considered salt water
● 20.9% is found in lakes while the rivers make up 0.49% of earth’s surface water

•Groundwater plays an important role as a reliable and accessible source of

freshwater, with aquifers supplying water for drinking, agriculture, and industries.

TWO TYPES OF WATER:

1.)Groundwater
- water which infiltrates into the ground through porous materials deeper into the
earth. It fills pores and fractures in layers of underground rock called aquifers.
- Some of this water lies too far under the earth's surface to be extracted at an
affordable cost.
2.)Surface-water runoff
- precipitation that does not infiltrate into the ground or return to the atmosphere:
streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and reservoirs.
- Snow that is 4 inches (10cm) deep contains about the same amount of water as
1/3 inch (1 cm) of rain.

USABLE FRESHWATER SOURCE

The different sources of useable freshwater :

1. Stream - is a continuous body of surface water that flows within the bed and bank of
a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be
referred to by different local or regional names. Long and large streams are usually
called rivers, while smaller, less dense and more intermittent streams are known as
streamlets, brooks or creeks. An example of a stream in the Philippines is the Daranak
and the Sinabaan RiverBank.

2. Lake - is a naturally occurring body of water that is relatively large and situated in
one or more connected basins that are encircled by dry land. Although lakes are
entirely on land and are not connected to the ocean, they contribute to the Earth's
water cycle by acting as sizable standing water reservoirs, much like the much larger
oceans.

3. Pond - is a small area of still, fresh water. Ponds have a great responsibility in our
society because they are one of the providers of our water sources, it is also one of the
reasons why ponds are important to us. Ponds are also a self sustaining cycle of
hydration that keeps plants alive without having to water them, they also help our
terrestrial wildlife because they provide their water during dry weather. BigPond, Nova
Scotia, Canada, Christian Pond Wyoming, United States ;This are some ponds examples
that we can see around the world

4. River - develop where water travels from the summits of mountains to the sea while
moving downward under the influence of gravity. Along rivers, a wide variety of plant
and animal species can be found. Although rivers only make up a small percentage of
the water resources on Earth, they have been and still are a valuable resource for
people, acting as transportation routes for people and products, sources of energy and
freshwater.

5. Creek - is a naturally occurring stream of water that is smaller than a river and it is
usually a tributary of a river. When creeks are well managed and kept healthy, it can
help drain stormwater, reducing the impacts of flooding and preventing soil erosion.
Creeks usually die off during summer. An example of this would be the Billabong Creek,
a partly perennial stream of the Murray River located in the Riverina region of New
South Wales, Australia.

6. Groundwater - Freshwater (from rain or melting ice and snow) that soaks into the
soil and is stored in the tiny spaces (pores) between rocks and particles of soil. It can
stay underground for hundreds of thousands of years, or it can come to the surface and
help fill rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands.

The importance of groundwater as a significant source of usable freshwater :

- Groundwater is almost everywhere flowing beneath the ground under your home,
cities, farms, and deserts. Groundwater is an important source of freshwater on Earth.
It is the source of water for many lakes and wells. Many of us drink groundwater every
day, that is because hand pumps and tube wells tap groundwater to provide water for
consumption. Additionally, groundwater has a significant role in the economy. It is the
main source of water for irrigation and the food industry.

CHALLENGES TO USABLE FRESHWATER RESOURCES:

Climate Change
-Less water available in many regions due to the drying and warming of the climate
also known as drought
-Causes water to evaporate on larger amounts which allows more heavy and severe
rains in the upcoming years
-Remaining water or runoff from floods will pick-up contaminants as they flow,
polluting the bodies of water and limiting water access

Growing urban demand:

-Increasing demands for clean and potable water leading to water scarcity

Expanding water pollution

-Water stressed areas may suffer in the field of food production

Over-allocation of current supplies

-Maximizing economic benefits of water resources rather than focusing on sustainable
development
-Depletion and pollution of both surface and groundwater sources

Unrestricted Extractions
-The practice of building wells or pumping from rivers and groundwater extractions can
all be considered as “mining” which causes the depletion of rivers, lakes, and artificial
lakes

Water Management and Conservation

Water Management
- a process that includes planning, developing, management of available water
resources, its distribution in equitable quantity and its quality.
- It harnesses the benefits of water to ensure adequate amounts for drinking,
sanitation, food production, energy generation, water-based recreation.
- It also has the duty of protecting the aesthetic and spiritual values of lakes and
rivers now in danger due to climate change.
- It is also responsible for responding to water-related risks that may include
floods, drought, and water pollution.

Few of the main goals of water management is the optimization of water use,
securing the supply and protecting the degradation of fresh-water ecosystems,
preserving aquatic life, disposing of chemicals properly, and limiting the use and
run-offs of fertilizers so that the essential resource for our survival can coexist with
economic development. More important than securing the quantity and the quality of
water that can be made available is the goal to ensure the continuity of water
availability to sustain life.

Types of Water Management Methods

Rainwater Harvesting
-collection and storage of rainwater from rooftops, which can be used for irrigation,
domestic use, and groundwater recharge

Groundwater Recharge
-enhancement of natural groundwater supplies using man-made methods such as
infiltration basins, trenches, dams, or injection wells
-It helps replenish groundwater levels and maintain sustainable groundwater
management

Artificial Groundwater Recharge

-increasing the amount of water entering an aquifer through human-controlled means,
such as redirecting water across the land surface or injecting water into the subsurface

Drip Irrigation
-micro-irrigation system that delivers water slowly to the roots of plants, minimizing
evaporation and maximizing water and nutrient efficiency
involves the use of valves, pipes, tubing, and emitters to distribute water directly to the
root

Greywater
-is gently used water from bathroom sinks, showers, tubs, and washing machines that
can be safely used for irrigation purposes

Sewage water treatment

-removing contaminants from municipal wastewater to produce treated wastewater
safe for release into the environment
-it involves physical, chemical, and biological processes

Conjunctive use
-coordinated use of surface and groundwater for consumptive purposes, either at the
farm level or at the irrigation command level
-helps maximize water use efficiency and supports food production

Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR)

-direct injection of surface water supplies into an aquifer for later recovery and use
-helps replenish water in aquifers, prevent saltwater intrusion, and control land
subsidence

Desalination
-process of removing salts and minerals from saline water to produce freshwater
suitable for human consumption or irrigation

Ways to Manage Water(According to US Environmental Protection Agency)

Meter/Measure/Manage
Metering and measuring facility water use help to analyze saving opportunities. This
also assures the equipment is run correctly and maintained properly to help prevent
water waste from leaks or malfunctioning mechanical equipment.

Use Water-Smart Landscaping and Irrigation

Planting native and drought-tolerant plant species minimizes the need for supplemental
irrigation. Landscape water use can also be reduced 10 to 20 percent by having an
irrigation water audit.

Reuse Laboratory Culture Water

Several EPA laboratories require water for aquaculture research. In some cases, culture
water is pumped into laboratory specimen tanks from local bodies of water, such as
lakes or bays. It is then discharged into the sewer or treated and returned to the body
of water.
Importance of Water Management
Due to the growing demands for water, the necessity to have an effective water
management system in place becomes more prominent. One that also provides
information on the whole system, its infrastructure, the institutions that participate in
the process from extraction through distribution and consumption, and the incentives
that guide and support water management.

Water Conservation - focuses on sustaining the natural resources of freshwater. It aims

to directly conserve water and ensure its availability for future generations through
policies and strategies. Some of the strategies in Water conservation look to preventing
water pollution through avoidance of polluting discharges to nearby watersheds, rivers,
and lakes, Other strategies look to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to reduce
the speed of climate change that may increase water evaporation and reduce rainfall.

A Few Ways to Conserve Water

● Check for leaks (in toilets, pipes, faucet, waterline)

● Take shorter showers
● Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
● Turn off the water while shaving
● Use your automatic washing machine only for full loads only
● Rinse your vegetables instead in a bowl or sink full of clean water
● Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator
● If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing
● Water your lawn only when it needs it
● Use a broom to clean driveways, sidewalks and steps
● Don't run the hose while washing your car
● Soap down your car from a pail of soapy water. Use a hose only to rinse it off.
● Don’t play with the hose and sprinkler.

Importance of Water Conservation

Some people don’t realize that drinking water is a valuable and limited resource, and
that conservation makes a huge difference. When you conserve water, you ensure that
there will be enough for people to use in your community. Prudent and economic use of
water makes a huge difference. Especially in times of drought, conservation helps make
it so a given area has enough water to go around. Water scarcity is an enormous
problem in some parts of the world. While conserving water domestically isn’t going to
necessarily help abroad, conserving locally can make sure that your community has
access to food and clean water for drinking, cleaning, hygiene, and sanitation in daily
life.

Food
Most of human water consumption goes towards agricultural production. Producing
livestock, crops for human consumption, and crops for livestock all require millions of
gallons of water to feed the population of millions of people. Water is also necessary for
food preparation, from washing to cooking, and even after consuming the food.

Sanitation
Water is a key component of sanitation, and of waste management in many countries.

Saving Water Saves Money

Like we said, water is a limited and valuable resource, and it’s not free. It’s not a huge
expense, but wasting water can really add up over time, because the water meter never
stops counting.

DIFFERENCE OF WATER MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION

Water management focuses on water resources, such as irrigation systems, dams, and
levees, primarily control movement, and protection of those resources. This results in
less dam destruction and makes use of limited water resources from irrigation. Its main
goal is not preserving water but managing the resources for its continuance.

Water conservation deals with the policies, strategies and initiatives that multiple levels
of government put in effect to protect the water sources. It includes programs, and
practices designed to inform people and educate the consumer on how to change their
behaviors to save more water. It raises the awareness of the importance of water for
our ecosystem and our survival

CONCLUSION

To sum it up, we are using and abusing our water resources in ways that are
completely unsustainable. Only a small percentage of the water on Earth is
usable for human needs. Most of the usable water on Earth is located in streams
and rivers. With over 97% of the world's water unfit for consumption while
another 2% is stored up in glaciers and ice caps, a mere 1% remaining for crucial
purposes such as drinking, agriculture, industry and preserving our natural
world, we find ourselves standing at a critical crossroads. Water may appear to
many people to be abundant, but water is a finite resource, which means there
is a limited quantity accessible. Our population is growing, and so is our need
for water. We can guarantee there is enough water for everyone while also
protecting ecosystems and animals by saving water.

In light of these sobering statistics, it becomes crystal clear that we're facing an
impending challenge regarding our global water resources. The constrained
availability of freshwater resources, combined with our exponentially growing
global population, serves as a stark and undeniable testament to water's
unequivocal status as a finite and precious resource, with this information
mankind continues to think of ways to save and preserve drinkable water for
the generations to come. It is imperative to emphasize the critical nature of this
challenge. Yet, instead of yielding to despair, we must seize this acute
awareness as a potent catalyst for instigating positive and transformative
change.