Water – A Precious Resource

Some Facts about Water

• March 22 is celebrated as “World Water Day”
• The minimum amount of water required for daily
need is 50 liters per person per day.
• At some places there is acute shortage of water.
• Water shortage has become a matter of concern
throughout the world.
• Year 2003 was observed as the International year of
Fresh water to make people aware about freash
water scaricity.
• About 0.006% of all water found on earth is fresh
water for use.
 Water – A Precious Resource
Water Cycle
• Water on the earth has been maintained for million
of years by various processes, known as water cycle.
• Water circulates through the water cycle and can be
found in all three forms i.e. Solid, Liquid and Gas.
• Solid Water is Snow and Ice
• Liquid water is in Ocean, Lakes, Rivers
• Gaseous Form is the water Vapour
 Water – A Precious Resource
Surface and Ground Water Scaracity
• The ground water level goes down, if not
replenished by natural process.
• Scanty rainfall and some man made activities are
responsible for depletion of water table.
• Surface water scaracity is due to unequal and
uneven distribution of water.
• Wastage of water is a major worry.
• Wastage of water can be avoided by proper water
management, rain water harvesting and efficient
utilization of water by drip irrigation etc.
 Wasterwater – A Challange
Wasterwater and Sewage
• Rich in lather, mixed with oil, black-brown water is dirty and
called wastewater.
• More than one billion people have no access to safe drinking
water, which is a basic need of human being.
• Wasterwater accounts for a large number of water related
diseases and even deaths.
• Waster water is mostly in the form of sewage.
• Sewage is a complex mixture containing suspended solids,
organic and inorganic impurities etc.
• Sewage water can be cleaned by treatment.
 Wasterwater – A Challange
Treatment of Wastewater
• Wastewater can be treated by;
• Aeration
• Filtration
• Chlorination
• Treatment of waste water involves, physical, chemical and
biological process.
• The treatment removes physical, chemical and biological matter
that contaminates the wasterwater.
• The treated water has low level organic material and suspended
water and suitable for its disposal into natural resources.
 Wasterwater – A Challange
Sanitation
• Poor sanitation and contaminated drinking water is
the cause of large number of diseases.
• A vast number of people are still without sewerage
facility.
• Untreated human excreta is a health hazard and may
cause water and land pollution.
• Alternatively, low cost onsite sewage disposal system
are being encouraged like Septic Tank etc.
• Government has laid down certain standards of
sanitation.
• We all have a role to play in keeping our environment
clean and healthy.