Conservation drive marks Water Day

It is not a news anymore that the UAE's per capita water consumption is one of the highest in the world, this despite the fact that it is one of the least populated countries on the planet. The case becomes more serious when you consider the fact that UAE has very negligible ground water resources, quite obvious by the fact that almost 90 per cent of the water consumed in the country is desalinated. "We live in a country with limited natural water resources and it is extra important that we all use water efficiently," said Ida Tillisch, Acting Director General of Emirates Wildlife Society as she urged people on the occasion of International Water Day to take extra care when using water. "High consumption of water also adds to the overall ecological footprint of the country as most of the water that is consumed by households in the UAE is desalinated, which requires energy and in turn increases carbon emission," she added. She said the idea behind marking special days for different causes is to raise awareness and Water Day as well as the upcoming Earth Hour serve the purpose. Daily basis However, she urged people to take the message beyond the hour and try to apply it on a daily basis. The most fascinating fact about water wastage is that we might be doing it daily without actually realising it. Just the fact that 15 to 25 gallons of water is used in a five minute shower should be enough to realise how much we waste, when we can actually save more than half of it by using a bucket. Just running a dishwashing machine consumes 25 gallons, while millions in the world still don't get clean drinking water. To increase water conservation awareness among the people and to mark the World Water Day, the Dubai Municipality launched a series of activities under the slogan ‘Water and Food Safety'. The 10-day campaign started yesterday with an awareness exhibition on the importance of saving water, solving general water issues, sustainable management of fresh water resources, shedding light on the relationship between the availability of water resources and world food safety. Hamdan Khalifa Al Shaer, Director of Environment Department, said the objective of World Water Day is to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialisation and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems. It also aims to encourage governments, organisations, communities and individuals to actively engage in addressing the challenge of urban water management, educating the public and encouraging them to participate in environmental occasions. "The exhibition is aimed at highlighting the efforts of the Municipality in protecting the water and monitoring water quality in addition to the initiatives of private sector companies in the field of water usage rationalisation and monitoring of its quality and safety.