How important is water?

How important is water?

Water is simply a necessity. All living things cannot survive without consuming water, but many individuals--specifically humans, don't really see the importance of water especially if they are blessed with it. The maxim, 'You'll only know the importance of things when it is already gone' is true and accurate.

Yesterday, there's a sudden water interruption that lasted for 8hours or so. I don't if it's just in our neighborhood or in the whole barangay, but the point is we didn't know that there will be a water interruption. Normally, if news comes either it is true or fraud, my mother would immediately fill all of the water jugs. For both drinking and bathing purposes. However, there was no news or warnings about it yesterday so she couldn't prepare. The only thing we had was 2 water jugs of drinking water since we didn't know when the water would be back. And it is the first time that I experienced being short with water for almost a day. 

I grew up being provided with all the necessities--food, shelter, clothes, and water. Especially with water. Everyday, I used more than two (2) drums of water. From waking up and washing my face, taking a bath, washing the plates, and taking a half-bath at night. Not to mention that I usually wash my hands most of the time when I am in the house. I really used water lavishly and I just realized it yesterday.

I grew up being provided with rich water, clean enough to drink and to use for a bath and it's any other usage. We have easy access to water since there's a nearby water plant in our neighborhood. My mother would always tell me whenever she noticed that I was being abusive in using water, that we are so lucky in our generation today. Because every drop of water is provided and we don't have to find or make a well, or get water from the pump since it is just in our reach. That we don't have to wash our clothes in the river since we have a machine that will wash it and enough water to supply it. She also added that we are so lucky to be born in this part of the world where water seems to be infinite, unlike in the other places of the world where even a drop of water is already a miracle.

And I feel bad since I just realized it. I live my whole life without worrying about water that much but yesterday's event made me realize that I am very lucky yet I didn't notice or didn’t actually pay attention to it. Usually in humans, if you possess a certain thing, you wouldn't mind or pay attention to it's value since you believe that they are yours anyway and that you can never lose them, but if a certain circumstance tests it only then you'll realize how valuable it is. That out of all the people who need it, you just took it for granted.

For everyone's information, there is only about 3% fresh water in the world because some is unavailable for use. Therefore, more than 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water. Water might look infinity to some but time will come that the earth will need it the most as much as living organisms do. The increase in the world's population, the water consumption patterns, the improving living standards, water pollution, and many more are the main driving forces for the rising global demand for water.

This may sound so surreal but the long water interruption yesterday is like a wake up call for me. Before, I couldn't really last a day without water or with just a little amount of it. It feels so uncomfortable taking a bath with just a drum of water. It feels so uncomfortable washing the plates using recycled water. It feels so uncomfortable conserving water when you have so much to spend. But then while I was lamenting about these things I also wondered if those water scarce places even have clean water to drink.

I remember this movie where people are water slaves. They would hurt and fight each other just for a little amount of water. Women and children died out of dehydration. It's a very hot place and there's been no rain for a very long time so mostly wells are dried. I forgot the title of the movie and it's other parts since it has been a long time since I watched it. 

I've also read some articles about terrorist attacks on some volunteers who wanted to give free and clean water in some water deprived places. People who are deprived too much of something become desperate. And sometimes, those desperation can cause them to be greedy. It's not their fault to be born in that place with water scarcity, and people like me aren't also at fault when we are born in a place with easy access to water. And it doesn't also mean that they are unlucky, while we are the lucky ones.

I couldn't also change anything. I feel remorse but it will not give them water. The only think that I could do for now is to conserve water as much as possible and pray for those people who are in the water scarce places. Someday, with all the means, I would find a way to help people with limited acces to water and free them in water slavery. 

Aside from consuming water to survive, water has many uses such as for washing clothes, cooking, washing cooking and eating utensils, keeping plants and trees alive, it is also essential for the healthy growth of farm crops and stocks, and so on. Water is one of the most important substances on earth, even more important than food. All living things must have water to survive because if there is no water then there would be no life on earth. Without water, life simply cannot be sustained.