Water Resources

Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful to the environment. A unique creation by Allah S.W.T for the earth to consume and enjoy.Water is a chemical compound with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at standard ambient temperature and pressure, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gases state, water vapour or steam.Uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities.  Water resources also provide opportunities for recreation, such as fishing, boating and swimming. Tribes also use water resources to support and maintain traditional cultural practices and ceremonies. The majority of human uses require fresh water. 97 % of the water on the Earth is salt water and only 3 % is fresh water, slightly over two thirds of this is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. The remaining unfrozen freshwater is found mainly as groundwater, with only a small fraction present above ground or in the air.Water on Earth moves continually through the water cycle of evaporation and transpiration, condensation, precipitation, and runoff, usually reaching the sea.

“ Allah is the one who sends forth the winds which rised up the clouds he spreads them in the sky as he wills and breaks them into the fragments then thou seest raindrops issuing from within them (Surah 30, Verse 48)”

    The above verses clarify the processes of evaporation, condensation, fragmentation and rain cycle.I choose this water resources because this is an important topic for us to discover. Water resources plays a vital role in our daily life, not only us but also animals, tress, the whole ecosystem feed on water. Water resources are super important! They help us to stay alive! Without water the world would thirst to death. Without the oceans, dry land would be a desert. Without rain, tropical climates would become deserts. Without water we would all die. That's why all of us need to think Blue more than think Green. Because without water (blue) there will be no plants (green), no matter how hard we try to plant that cherry tree in the backyard. Because all life is dependant upon water resources. Without them all human, animal, and plant life would die. But we also have to remember the creator of this amazing water resources is Allah S.W.T. So we all have to thanks a lot to Allah for giving us such a spectacular and vital thing for us to continue living. In fact, because a lot of our body is made up of water. Without water, we will die. Water is a healthy liquid to drink. Water is where fishes and others aquacreatures live in. Water is good for us because 2/3 of our body is made up of water.

Let’s move on to the sources of water resources. There quiet a lot sources of water example like surface water, under river flow, ground water and frozen water. Surface water is water in a river, lake or fresh water wetland. They usually comes from raining process. Surface water is naturally replenished by precipitation and naturally lost through discharge to the oceans, evaporation, evapotranspiration and sub-surface seepage. Human activities can have a large and sometimes devastating impact on these factors. Humans often increase storage capacity by constructing reservoirs and decrease it by draining wetlands. Humans often increase runoff quantities and velocities by paving areas and channelizing stream flow. The total quantity of water available at any given time is an important consideration. Some human water users have a large amount of need for water. For example, many farms require large quantities of water in the spring, and no water at all in the winter. To supply such a farm with water, a surface water system may require a large storage capacity to collect water throughout the year. Brazil is the country estimated to have the largest supply of fresh water in the world, followed by Russia and Canada. Next for ground water, groundwater is fresh water located in the pore space of soil and rocks. It is also water that is flowing within aquifers below the water table. Sometimes it is useful to make a distinction between sub-surface water that is closely associated with surface water. In addition, the Himalayas, which are often called "The Roof of the World", contain some of the most extensive and rough high altitude areas on Earth as well as the greatest area of glaciers and permafrost outside of the poles. Ten of Asia’s largest rivers flow from there, and more than a billion people’s livelihoods depend on them. To complicate matters, temperatures are rising more rapidly here than the global average.

    The uses of water resources most importantly is to satisfy the thirsty. It takes around 2,000 to 3,000 litres of water to produce enough food to satisfy one person's daily dietary need. This is a considerable amount, when compared to that required for drinking, which is between two and five litres. To produce food for the now over 7 billion people who inhabit the planet today requires the water that would fill a canal ten metres deep, 100 metres wide and 2100 kilometres long. Imagine how huge is that. It is estimated that 8% of worldwide water use is for household purposes. These include drinking water, bathing, cooking, sanitation, and gardening. Basic household water requirements have been estimated by Peter Gleick at around 50 liters per person per day, excluding water for gardens. Drinking water is water that is of sufficiently high quality so that it can be consumed or used without risk of immediate or long term harm. Such water is commonly called potable water. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard even though only a very small proportion is actually consumed or used in food preparation.Water is used in renewable power generation. Hydroelectric power derives energy from the force of water flowing downhill, driving a turbine connected to a generator. This hydroelectricity is a low-cost, non-polluting, renewable energy source. It is estimated that 22% of worldwide water is used in industry.

“ We (Allah) send down water from the sky in measure an lodged it in the ground and we certainly are able to withdraw it”  (Sura 23, 18-19 Verses).

    The above verses are explaining the complete water cycle, water fall, penetration of water in the soil and evaporation phenomenon.There are many sources for water pollution but two general categories exist, direct and indirect contaminant sources. Direct sources include effluent outfalls from factories, refineries, waste treatment plants, that emit fluids of varying quality directly into urban water supplies.Clearing of land can lead to erosion of soil into the river. Waste and sewage generated by industry can get into the water supply, introducing large organic pollutants into the ecosystem. In the United States and other countries, these practices are regulated, although this doesn't mean that pollutants can't be found in these waters. Indirect sources include contaminants that enter the water supply from soils/groundwater systems and from the atmosphere via rain water. Soils and groundwaters contain the residue of human agricultural practices such is fertilizers, pesticides and improperly disposed of industrial wastes.Besides that’s, farms often use large amounts of herbicides and pesticides, both of which are toxic pollutants. These substances are particularly dangerous to life in rivers, streams and lakes, where toxic substances can build up over a period of time. Farms also frequently use large amounts of chemical fertilizers that are washed into the waterways and damage the water supply and the life within it. Fertilizers can increase the amounts of nitrates and phosphates in the water, which can lead to the process of eutrophication. Atmospheric contaminants are also derived from human practices such as gaseous emissions from automobiles, factories and even bakeries. Water pollution can also come from homes disposal. Sewage generated by houses or runoff from septic tanks into nearby waterways, introduce organic pollutants that can cause eutrophication. Fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides used for lawn care can runoff and contaminate the waterway. As with agricultural fertilizers, home fertilizers can lead to the eutrophication of lakes and rivers. Improper disposal of hazardous chemicals down the drain itroduce toxic materials into to the ecosystem, contaminating the water supplies in a way that can harm aquatic organisms.

    Water pollution has been documented as a contributor to a wide range of health problems and disorders in humans. It has also been shown to have drastically negative impacts on wild animals and the environment as a whole. There are quite a few different effects of water pollution that are of significant importance to humans.Chemicals in water can be both naturally occurring or introduced by human interference and can have serious health effects.Water-borne diseases are infectious diseases spread primarily through contaminated water. Though these diseases are spread either directly or through flies or filth, water is the chief medium for spread of these diseases and hence they are termed as water-borne diseases.A large number of chemicals that either exist naturally in the land or are added due to human activity dissolve in the water, thereby contaminating it and leading to various diseases.Exposure to polluted water can cause diarrhoea, skin irritation, respiratory problems, and other diseases, depending on the pollutant that is in the water body. Stagnant water and other untreated water provide a habitat for the mosquito and a host of other parasites and insects that cause a large number of diseases especially in the tropical regions. Among these, malaria is undoubtedly the most widely distributed and causes most damage to human health.

    The effects of water pollution are not always immediate. They are not always seen at the point of contamination. They are sometimes never known by the person responsible for the pollution. However, water pollution has a huge impact on the lives of all people. With knowledge, consideration and preparation, water pollution can be decreased. Conserve water by turning off the tap when running water is not necessary. This helps prevent water shortages and reduces the amount of contaminated water that needs treatment. Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don’t throw paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain. Use environmentally household products, such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and toiletries. Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilisers. This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. By having more plants in your garden you are preventing fertiliser, pesticides and contaminated water from running off into nearby water sources. Don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes, make sure it is safe to collect the litter and put it in a nearby dustbin.

    Scientist predict in 2025, water shortages will be more prevalent among poorer countries where resources are limited and population growth is rapid, such as the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia. By 2025, large urban and peri-urban areas will require new infrastructure to provide safe water and adequate sanitation. This suggests growing conflicts with agricultural water users, who currently consume the majority of the water used by humans. Generally speaking the more developed countries of North America, Europe and Russia will not see a serious threat to water supply by the year 2025, not only because of their relative wealth, but more importantly their populations will be better aligned with available water resources. North Africa, the Middle East, South Africa and northern China will face very severe water shortages due to physical scarcity and a condition of overpopulation relative to their carrying capacity with respect to water supply. Most of South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern China and India will face water supply shortages by 2025; for these latter regions the causes of scarcity will be economic constraints to developing safe drinking water, as well as excessive population growth.Competition for water has widely increased, and it has become more difficult to conciliate the necessities for water supply for human consumption, food production, ecosystems and other uses. Water administration is frequently involved in contradictory and complex problems.[22] Approximately 10% of the worldwide annual runoff is used for human necessities. Several areas of the world are flooded, while others have such low precipitations that human life is almost impossible. As population and development increase, raising water demand, the possibility of problems inside a certain country or region increases, as it happens with others outside the region.

    Islamic scholars named Yusuf Ali once said do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? Supported by Shakir that said do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were closed up, but We have opened them, and We have made of water everything living, will they not then believe? Muhammad Sarwar also stated that have the unbelievers not ever considered that the heavens and the earth were one piece and that We tore them apart from one another. From water We have created all living things. Will they then have no faith?The importance of springs and the way they are fed by rainwater conducted into them is stressed in the last three verses. It is worth pausing to examine this fact and call to mind the predominance in the Middle Ages of views such as those held by Aristotle, according to whom springs were fed by underground lakes. In his entry on Hydrology in the EncyclopediaUniversalis, M.R. Remenieras, a teacher at the French National School of Agronomy, describes the main stages of hydrology and refers to the magnificent irrigation works of the ancients, particularly in the Middle East.

    The management of water resources is an important issue for societal health and well being. As world population continues to grow, a greater quantity and diversity of water needs will vex water resource managers. In order to address the changing state of water resource issues, managers must recognize they are dealing with wicked problems. Everybody must be aware the importance of water resources and what a big part water plays in our lives. Base on the facts, clean water is decreasing and more water is polluted each day. Thus, we have to take actions starts from today. No more looking back. It is up to us to save the earth. It is our responsibility as the earth khalifah to take actions on this occurring problem as we know that Allah will ask us what have we done to help the earth to get better. Islam also encourages us to live in a clean and safe place, so we have to take control of the water and make sure it is clean and safe. In many other countries, increasing water scarcity will increase the cost of producing and delivering fresh water just to keep pace with current levels of service.Individuals need to realise that the choices that they make, the lifestyles that they live, the food that they eat and nearly every other component of their lives has a direct affect on the environment.  We need to accept that as a species are living our lives based on a on a linear system in a planet that only has access to finite resources.  It is therefore so important that we cannot continue pumping water from the ground without thought to how it may be restored in years to come.  The human race faces a challenge that could see the end of life on Earth. Fortunately, the human race has a reputation for having the irrepressible ability to adapt in times of great adversity by rising to meet great challenges.  We need to realise that it is not too late to make the necessary changes and that even in our own personal capacity, we have the ability to change the world. “Save our Water”.