What A Day for Water
22nd March 2016 marks World Day for Water, and in recognition of this, Islamic Help has put together a few shocking water facts that will really get you thinking.
We are often told that water is good for us, it detoxes and flushes out the body’s toxins, improves hair, skin, nails and our overall health. It is emphasised that we should be drinking somewhere between 8 – 10 glasses of water per day. Although there may be a fraction of us that do follow this, the majority of us are flushing water down the toilet more instead of drinking it, quite literally!
The difference between the water facts in the UK as opposed to the water facts in those countries that are less well-off and suffering from famine are beyond real! Without being aware of the facts, it can be hard to understand the difference that clean running water would have on many people’s lives when we waste it so easily.
Around the world
- There are over a billion people who have no access to clean water
- Along with this, millions of people worldwide suffer from critical conditions due to the lack of water or from insufficient sanitation
- In some poverty-stricken countries worldwide, residents have to travel approximately 4 miles on average a day, to collect water that isn’t even safe to drink
- Lack of clean water, inadequate sanitation and lack of hygiene are key factors of illness or death in developing countries, worldwide
- Approximately 2,500 children around the world die from a disease caused by unclean water, every day
- Now, let’s take a look at the difference, shall we?
Water Waste of Water!
- In the UK, we utilise approximately 150 litres of water per person every day!
- Just one flush of the toilet uses approximately 8 litres of water – on average, this makes up the largest portion of our household clean water usage, whereas water for drinking takes up the smallest percentage
- An old style dishwater cycle can use over 100 litres of water
- We use just under 1,000 litres of water to make just three newspapers
- Not only that, over 11,000 litres can be utilised to produce just 1lb of coffee for our purchasing pleasure
- The sales from bottled water in the UK bring in just over £2 billion annually
- Bottled water sales are worth £50 billion a year globally
Did you know that leaving a tap running can waste around 6 litres of water in 60 seconds? That is a whole lot more than the majority of people in many countries even have access to, let alone to waste. Check your average water footprint, here.
In an attempt to reduce water wastage, there are many things we can do, such as:
- Turn the tap off while brushing teeth, do not let the water just run
- Instead of filling the bath tub, have a quick shower
- Recycle water usage - if you are washing vegetables or fresh produce, there is no need to clean it under running water, wash the vegetables in a basin and reuse the water for watering plants and the garden
- Keep bottled water in the fridge and ice in the freezer; this will prevent you from leaving the tap running for cold drinking water
- Don’t leave taps running while washing the dishes
- Invest in an energy efficient washing machine and dishwasher
- Always check pipes and radiators around the house for any hidden leaks that may have gone unnoticed
Obviously, there are many more actions we can take to reduce our water footprint, but while doing that, we can also go a step further and also help those around us who do not have the privilege of, or access to, clean, safe water.
Join Islamic Help in its mission to save lives by introducing water and sanitation projects, where they are needed the most. The support of many of you has recently helped Islamic Help accomplish many water supplies and sources, such as hand pumps, water wells and purification plants across many countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma and Tanzania.
With your support, Islamic Help can reach even further and continue in its mission to abolish water deficiency, worldwide.
