Saving water is saving money says NDB
Recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, the World Water Day is held annually on March 22 each year. The objective is to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Each year a specific aspect of freshwater is highlighted. In 2015, the theme was ‘Water and Sustainable Development’, in 2016, it was ‘Water and Jobs’ and in 2017, the theme is ‘Waste water’. Why is it so important to set apart one day each year dedicated to ‘water’?
The earth is covered in water. However, only less than 1 percent can be used by people. The rest is salt water or is permanently frozen and we can’t drink it, wash with it or use it to water plants. Water is vital to our survival and scarcity of water affects our lives, the economy, environment, society and also our future generations.
Un-water, an inter-agency entity of the United Nations, talks about the ‘Water, Food and Energy’ nexus: “Water, energy and food are inextricably linked. Water is an input for producing agricultural goods in the fields and along the entire agro-food supply chain. Energy is required to produce and distribute water and food: to pump water from groundwater or surface water sources, to power tractors and irrigation machinery and to process and transport agricultural goods.” (Un-water)
The water crisis is also directly linked to the economy. Hence, the reason for the 2016 theme Water and Jobs. As per Un-water, half of the world’s workers work in water-related sectors and regardless of the sector, nearly all jobs depend directly on water.
The 2017 World Water Day focuses on ‘waste water’ and how we can reduce and reuse waste water. The objective is to consider waste water as a resource rather than something to be disposed of. The majority of waste water from homes, cities, industries and agriculture flow back to nature untreated, polluting the environment. Furthermore, due to population growth, economic development and accelerated urbanisation, the quantity of wastewater generated and its overall pollution load is increasing globally (Un-water).
Waste water is now seen as a potential resource. With suitable treatment it can be reused for various purposes such as green spaces, on gardens and plots, cooling systems, irrigation, etc., leading to economic and financial benefits. Do you know your water footprint?
There are many easy and simple ways to conserve water. For example, turn the faucet off whilst brushing teeth, always check faucets and pipes for leaks and fix them, take shorter showers, boil only the quantity of water you need, use the clothes washer and dishwasher for only full loads, reduce food waste, clean your vehicle using a pail of soapy water and use the hose only for rinsing, water outdoor plants only in the early morning or evening to prevent evaporating, water your plants using a watering can, steam your vegetables instead of boiling in water, install water butts to collect rainwater and use this for gardening, invest in water-efficient appliances and equipment, plant drought resistance shrubs and plants which require less or no watering, eat less meat since rearing animals for meat and dairy is incredibly water intensive.
Saving water is also saving money. NDB is committed to build a nation of savers, by way of responsible consumption of resources such as water, electricity, fuel and even time and environment. Thus, NDB is committed to inculcate the savings habit in the people of Sri Lanka. It is a passion that the bank shares with its valued customers and business partners and society.
The savings habit begins at home with the family and its benefits are for your future and that of your loved ones.
Most of us are blessed, all we have to do is open the tap and we have easy access to clean water. For many this is a luxury. Let us be conscious of our water consumption and make responsible choices to help conserve water.
In conclusion, be aware of how ‘water’ factors into so many elements of our day-to-day lives and the need to ensure that we protect this precious resource for our future generations.