WORLD WATER DAY

 Few weeks ago, during the dry season, most of the leaves in the field dried due to lack of rain water. As soon as the first rain dropped, all the grasses started springing up again with new life. This is just one of the numerous significance of water. Water is indeed the source of life.  It is the most essential and indispensable substance on earth. We may live without food but we cannot survive without water. 

March 22nd is world water day. It is a day set aside to reflect on the importance of water, some of the challenges facing water supply and possible ways of making water available and affordable. The theme of this year's World Water Day is Nature for Water. This theme explores how we can use nature to overcome some of the water related challenges which are caused by Environmental damage, climate change and degraded vegetation, soil, rivers and lakes, with constant negligence of the ecosystem.  These challenges includes Floods, drought and water pollution.

Needless to say that this is affecting people's health and their means of livelihoods. In a report released by UN, it is estimated that 2.1 billion people live without safe drinking water. With the UN declaration of Water as one of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Provision of stable and portable water for the timid society remains a major challenge facing the world today.

Some of the natural solutions to water related challenge includes provision of portable water through drilling of boreholes; planting of new forests, promotion of ‘green’ infrastructure where possible. reconnecting rivers to floodplains. Doing every possible to reduce floods, droughts and water pollution by cleaning and opening up of drainages.  In addition, people should desist from dumping waste material into drainages.

We drink water to quench our thirst. We use it for cooking, taking our bath, washing of kitchen utensils, and clothes. Water is also used as recreational facility such as swimming pools. Without water there will be no farming because water is keep plants and animal alive. Most factories and industries rely on water for their successful operation.

Last year, while addressing a group of 90 experts from across the world, Pope Francis declared water as a fundamental human right: “all people have a right to safe drinking water.” Unfortunately this right is not guaranteed today. As a result “each day a thousand children die from water-related illnesses and millions of persons consume polluted water.” This, according to him, can even lead to a third world war if care is not taken. this shows the importance of water. It is the principle of life; for where there is water there is life and where there is life there is water.

Among those who need water most are those in refugee camps, prison yards, orphanage homes, Camps for the internally displaced person's and even hospitals. In fact, there is should be adequate supply of water anywhere people exist. Materials for producing bottle and sachet water  such as treatment tanks, sealing machines, bottle and even sachets should be made available and affordable.

As we celebrate world water day, we are using this medium to appeal to our government and non-governmental organizations to make the provision of portable water their priority.  By so doing, we are not just providing people with their essential need, we are also contributing in the actualization of the Sustainable development goals.