Water shortage
Water is an important supply that every person
needs in their life, it could be for drinking or for sanity needs. We need water
in order to survive. In our daily life
we use a lot of water for many different things in cooking, cleaning and
personal care. There is a large shortage in water supplies nowadays. The lack of
clean water is one of the main sources of disease in poor countries, which leads
to death. Water shortage is caused by many different ways, firstly by drought
which is caused by the lack of rain. Secondly the over use of unnecessary water
for example, leaving the water tap running unnecessarily, over watering the
garden and having exceptionally long showers. If nothing is done about the water
shortage problems there will be a major increase in deaths all over the
world.
Ethiopia is
a country of around 85 million people and this country has particular problems
related to water shortages. Around 49 million lack safe water and 75 million
have no sanitation services. In the last 20 years, Ethiopia has experienced
recurring droughts followed by food shortages and famines. During times of
drought, water-related diseases are rampant. Surface water sources such as
springs and ponds dry up. Remaining water sources are heavily contaminated by
environmental waste, such as human and animal excreta, which is washed in when
it does rain. The stagnant water serves as a breeding place for
mosquitoes.
In times of drought, there is often not enough
water available for people to bathe regularly. As a result, community members,
especially children, suffer from scabies and eye infections. During these times,
in an effort to conserve water, hand-washing after defecation or before eating
is rarely practiced. Diarrheal and water-related diseases are among the
principle causes of death in young children. And as for other reasons behind
this crisis says the Gurdian "Aid agencies say that weather in this region has
become more erratic and years of war leave populations especially vulnerable".
Though the country possesses a substantial amount of water resources, little has
been developed for drinking water supply, hydropower, agriculture and other
purposes… people have no access to improved supply usually obtain water from
rivers, unprotected springs, hand-dug wells and rainwater
harvesting.
Management of Ethiopian lake resources should not
be left to a certain government organ alone. Both the people and the government
establishments should be equally concerned. Active participation of the rural
population is especially attractive in lake management. Indeed the participation
of the inhabitants, who contribute to the damage of the catchments, is
essential. Heavy rain in the rainy season can suddenly raise the water level of
a lake, causing flooding over fields and houses at the lakeside. Since
environmental awareness is a contributing factor that makes the public
participate in lake management programs, it is important to raise the level of
awareness of the public through appropriate public channels, including the
media.
Of course, the "developing countries" are in a way
fortunate in having fewer environmental problems than "developed countries," but
we are not secure. We should learn valuable lessons from the problems of the
industrialized countries and take the appropriate precautionary measures as soon
as possible. My final remark: Now is the time to start proper management of our
aquatic resources to protect them for future generations.
