"When the well is dry, we learn the worth of water." Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac 1733
Water in our Daily Lives
Fresh water, like food or oxygen, is something our body cannot function without. It keeps us hydrated, and your body can only survive without water for a maximum of about a week, when we can live without food for about a month.
But fresh water isn't just used to hydrate us. What do you think we use to clean the dishes? Wash the car? Wash our hair? Shower? Water our yard? Flush the toilet? Do you think we use salt water? No, we don't. Did you know that the average minimum amount of water needed for drinking, cooking, bathing and sanitation is 50 litres per day?
Every day, experts are thinking up water conservation processes, and ways that we can collect water efficiently to provide us with a reliable supply. Originally, fresh water was collected from reliable bodies such as rivers, lakes and dams, but we are now, more and more, turning to groundwater for our source of fresh water.
But fresh water isn't just used to hydrate us. What do you think we use to clean the dishes? Wash the car? Wash our hair? Shower? Water our yard? Flush the toilet? Do you think we use salt water? No, we don't. Did you know that the average minimum amount of water needed for drinking, cooking, bathing and sanitation is 50 litres per day?
Every day, experts are thinking up water conservation processes, and ways that we can collect water efficiently to provide us with a reliable supply. Originally, fresh water was collected from reliable bodies such as rivers, lakes and dams, but we are now, more and more, turning to groundwater for our source of fresh water.
Water in Industries
Water allows chemical reactions to take place because it allows dissolved chemicals to move around. Because of this, water is used as a solvent in many industries that make substances such as foods, medicines, fertilisers, paints, pesticides, adhesives and paper. It is also sometimes used as a solvent in mining. As an example, leach mining uses a series of wells to inject or an aqueous acid solution into rocks below ground. Metals are also processed with water as an essential part of the process.
Water in the Environment
For life to be sustainable, minerals containing calcium, iron, phosphate, potassium and zinc are essential. These minerals enter water when rocks break down, and plants absorb water and therefore these minerals, too. As well as this, the minerals are consumed by animals whenever they eat plants (that have absorbed water and therefore the minerals) or drink from a body of water, such as a stream, river or lake.
When minerals containing lead or copper are at high levels, they become toxic. Water dissolves these minerals in the rocks. High levels of salt can also be toxic and are a threat to farmers' crops when at a high level as well.
These are just a few examples of how water benefits the environment and how important the effects it causes are to the sustainability of an environment.
When minerals containing lead or copper are at high levels, they become toxic. Water dissolves these minerals in the rocks. High levels of salt can also be toxic and are a threat to farmers' crops when at a high level as well.
These are just a few examples of how water benefits the environment and how important the effects it causes are to the sustainability of an environment.