We should always cherish what quenches our thirst. But do we always do that? No, we don’t. Or otherwise, we won’t be coming across news of water contamination and shortages. Whatever comes free, we take it granted. Just the same way, we think water is present in infinite amount so we waste it and use it recklessly. And most reckless thing that we do is to contaminate it.

Water gets contaminated through many ways. Like untreated waste from tanning industry; river dumping; agricultural pollution like complex chemicals which are used as fertilizers; pollution from oil factories; maricultural waste; sewage; radioactive substances, etc. Is it a good way of returning favor to nature?

And it not only harms nature, it ultimately harms us. Water contamination causes diseases like Typhoid, Cholera, Paratyphoid Fever, Dysentery, Jaundice, Amoebiasis and Malaria and in some cases; it causes serious diseases like cancer too. It causes contamination in food chain; destruction of biodiversity and sometimes  destroys a whole ecosystem; infant mortality; lack of potable water which is the most essential thing for us specially for those who live in villages, their only source is river only.

Let’s face some facts. About 2.5 billion people live without proper improved sanitation; waterborne diseases are number one killer for children under the age of five; 3.1% of deaths happen because of water contamination only; water species face five times more extinction than terrestrial species; 70% of industrial waste s in developing countries are disposed without treating properly, etc. So we must, at least by now, take this issue seriously or it’s going to affect us in near future either this way or that way. And that day, it will be too late to restore it.

But every problem has got a solution too. We can follow some measures in order to avoid water from getting contaminated. We must always dispose the waste properly; tanning industry and oil/mining factories must treat the waste as it should; farmers should use green fertilizers and manure instead of harmful

chemicals; dumping of garbage and immersion of idols during festivals must be avoided; radioactive waste must disposed in an instructed manner. We must take care of all these things without any failure.

There is a need for the government to make strict laws regarding this. They should make it compulsory for factories to treat the waste; sewage and radioactive waste too must be given equal importance. They should encourage the use of green fertilizers and to avoid the use of toxic compounds as much as they can; discourage immersing statues of idols in water bodies, etc.

But what can we do for our safety? Here are some steps. Drink water after boiling; try to install a good quality water filter; avoid buying vegetables/meat from areas where contamination is possible in food chain; buy water from a trusted place; make sure water that you are drinking is totally free of germs and pathogens; whenever you see contamination create awareness and talk to municipality about it.

Long story short, be a responsible citizen!