Today is March 22, World Water Day, we want to take advantage of the occasion to value the importance of this fundamental resource for life and to publicize ways to protect water for everyone.

Have you ever stopped to think about how many liters of water you use in a day? Surely this figure is higher than you thought. In Catalonia, for example, it is estimated that 117 liters of water per person are consumed every day. The Spanish average, in fact, is 132 liters per person per day. 

Ensuring that all the world's population has safe drinking water and access to sanitation by 2030, as set out in the sixth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), is a challenge that is as ambitious as it is a priority. The United Nations considers that, in order to achieve this goal, we need to move four times faster than we are currently doing. 

Water is a scarce commodity, but essential for cities, agriculture and industry; and for the different species that live on Earth. Furthermore, the increase in population and demand for food will cause the need for water resources to grow between 20 % and 30 % between now and 2050. Spain is, precisely, one of the European Union countries most affected by climate change and some territories suffer extreme droughts or floods.

What can we do? The solution involves regeneration, a method that consists of applying additional treatment to the water from the treatment plants that allows it to be reused with all health guarantees and returned to nature or used for new uses such as irrigation of green areas or agriculture. Among other benefits are energy savings in the integral water cycle, reduction of the contribution of pollutants to the environment or optimization of purification processes.

Although regeneration brings many benefits, there is a previous step that each of us can take, and that is responsible consumption of water. Following the motto used for garbage of “The best waste is the one that is not generated”, the same can be applied with water. 

To conserve and protect water, it is essential to promote good practices in its use. The responsibility does not fall solely on the administrations, we citizens play a crucial role. If we apply simple methods to our daily habits we can contribute significantly to reducing spending on this natural resource. For this reason, on World Water Day, we want to offer some good practices that we can all implement in our daily lives:

  • Reduce waste: Take a few minutes to check faucets, pipes or anywhere else to see if there are any leaks, make sure to repair them as soon as possible.
  • Reuse water. Collect water from places such as the air conditioner or shower for other uses in the home.
  • Adapt daily habits to minimize water consumption: turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, use the washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full, opt for showers instead of long baths, etc.
  • Implement rainwater collection systems for subsequent reuse.
  • Extend these practices outside the home. Whether inside or outside the home, the amount of water consumed is the same, so it is important to maintain constant awareness about its responsible use.

Now, more than ever, is the time to take care of water, to ensure a future where it continues to be a source of life and well-being for all! ? ?

#WorldWaterDay #DMA24 #Water