Why it makes sense to save water
There is an abundance of water on Earth – a mind-boggling 1.4 billion cubic kilometres, to be exact. What is more, the total amount always remains the same: water cannot be "lost". So why is it crucial to use water efficiently? Five important reasons are listed below:
- Water doesn't equal drinking water
In order to be potable (i.e. fit for consumption) water must be transported and cleaned. After use it is again transported and treated back to drinking water standard. Hence while the amount of water doesn't change, its quality does dramatically. Drinking water is very precious and should be treated as such.
- Drinking water requires energy
Lots of energy goes into cleaning, transporting and heating or cooling drinking water. Thus using less drinking water automatically means using less energy as well as reducing CO2 emissions. So even if you live in a water-rich part of the world, using drinking water efficiently is a necessity.
- Water is unequally distributed
In some parts of the world, as well as in some regions in China, there are droughts (temporary or permanent, depending on the season, the climate etc.), in others there is more than enough water. One season of less rain than usual can be enough to turn a water-rich into a water-scarce region.
- Due to a growing population, demand for water goes up
In principle, the more people living in one place, the smaller the available amount of water per person.
- Demand for drinking water and on infrastructure goes up in large cities due to urbanisation
In China and around the world, people move from rural into urban areas. For one, 4) applies here. For another, the population grows so rapidly in many cities that councils don't manage to build more water pipes and canals at the required pace.
