World Water Day is held on March 22 every year to highlight the importance of fresh water. The initiative started at 1993 by the United Nation and the tradition has been going on ever since. Every year on this day, the UN World Water Development Report (WWDR) is released.
UN-Water is the convener for World Water Day and selects the theme for the day each year in consultation with UN organisations that share an interest in that year’s focus. The theme for the day this year is “Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible”. UN-Water decided the theme for this year’s World Water Day at it’s 30th meeting in Rome held last week.
The goal of this day is to achieve the possibility of enough water and sanitation for all by 2030.
The day is celebrated to spread awareness about water scarcity. Water covers over 70 percent of the planet. Where freshwater only amounts to about three percent of the entire water sources on Earth, about two thirds of it is either frozen or inaccessible and unavailable for use.
Livelihood depends on freshwater. Whether to drink or for household utilities or to irrigate the farms, only freshwater can be used for survival. Almost 1.1 billion people lack access to fresh water across the globe and a total of 2.7 billion people find just a little amount of water for only one month of the year.
Water scarcity has become a major issue in Indian cities in recent years as well, making water conservation critical. Given that the world’s largest water crisis is underway, it is critical to select water-efficient products that will assist in overcoming the challenge. Even minor changes, such as using a product that helps reduce water waste, can make a significant difference.
Overuse of the groundwater is causing depletion in water levels. This can pose a major problem in the years to come. Therefore, using dishwashers, low-flow showerhead, washing machines, water saving purifier, soil moisture meter, etc are a few measures that can help us conserve ground water on a daily basis.
Theme of this year ‘Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible’ suggest how groundwater is invisible but its impact is visible everywhere. The hidden treasure that enriches our lives, is likely to become more scarce in the coming years due to climate change. Groundwater level rises naturally due to rain or through melting of snow. But with the rising pollution and deforestation, the climate condition is worsening day by day which will definitely affect the ground water level.
Apart from that, in many areas, the groundwater has become polluted due to human activities. So, if at all the water level rise, it will get dirty in no time.
Groundwater and surface area are connected. So, if groundwater level decreases, the lakes, rivers and streams connected to it will also observe depletion. The decrease in ground water level is primarily caused due to frequent water pumping.
Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand sculpture on Puri beach to mark the occasion.
Take a look:
On #WorldWaterDay, let’s pledge to do our bit to Save Ground Water. My SandArt at Puri beach in India. pic.twitter.com/PbBv2x6R0s
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) March 22, 2022
On #WorldWaterDay My SandArt at Puri beach in India with message
“Save Ground water Save Our planet “ pic.twitter.com/DxnAZFR0Yz— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) March 22, 2022
Ms Kalinga