Right now, Southern California has such a water shortage that they have to import over 66 percent of its water. Although the problem is only getting worse, the region will be required to cut its water imports soon. Water conservation proponents help by suggesting ways to cut down on water usage. Yet, people do still need a certain amount of water.
1. Drinking water is a life necessity for human hydration. Experts have assessed the minimum basic needs for most people in a moderate climate equal 3.2 quarts of water per day. This would just barely replace the water they lose through the day through perspiration and other losses.
2. Food preparation is not easy without water. Many people in drought-ridden areas find ways to do it, but they are often unsanitary. For example, in some countries crops are fertilized with human waste. Then, the person who harvests picks and prepares the vegetable without water, merely brushing it off with her hands. It is the best she can do, but it may make her sick. She needs more water.
3. Sanitation helps prevent disease. Water can be used to fulfill the needs associated with human waste disposal. Waste water flows freely in many of the world's cities and covers the ground in many rural towns. People are lucky in Southern California, because they at least have fine wastewater treatment solutions to take care of these problems.
4. Hygiene water is needed for personal use and for medical facilities. When people keep clean, they have a better chance of staying well. Doctors and nurses also need to keep clean to keep from passing infections from one patient to another. Disinfectants are not practical to use for all over cleaning, so it must be water.
5. Natural ecosystems need fresh water to maintain their place on the earth. California has acted to set aside 30,000 million cubic meters of runoff water for this very purpose. It is meant to keep rivers flowing, lakes filled, and wetlands protected. It not only keeps the water where it belongs, it also preserves the habitat of the wildlife that lives there.
Water is essential in our daily lives for many reasons. You do not need to waste it extravagantly. A time when people could afford to use water for their selfish reasons has long passed. Yet, if everyone works together, they can find ways to manage water and conserve water to use what they need in the wisest ways.
