Save water to save humankind

Manama

 Water is the base on which our life is built. Imagine a day without water and people have to find an alternative to all daily activities like cooking food, washing clothes.

Instead of indulging in blame games, every person in Bahrain should play a proactive role in conserving water resource of the Kingdom, said President of Environment Friends Society, Dr. Khawla Al Mohannadi.

Her comments came after World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organisation that spans more than 50 countries, came up with alarming news that Bahrain tops the list of countries, which would face severe water problem in 2040.

WRI said that 14 of the 33 water stressed countries in 2040 are in the Middle East, including nine considered extremely highly stressed with a score of 5.0 out of 5.0: Bahrain, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Lebanon.

Highlighting the need for conserving water resources, Dr. Khawla said that there should be a national effort to save this precious resource.

Prophet Muhammad also highlighted the value of water, saying, “Do not waste water even if you were at a running stream.” But some people waste water even at the mosques during ablution. It is time to strictly follow the teaching of Prophet Muhammad for the sake of future generation, she said.

“When we go to restaurants, we change the plates again and again. Changing plates increase the need for water. Actually, one plate, one fork and one spoon are enough for the whole meal. But we change plates just because somebody is there to clean them. It is high time to realise the value of every drop of water,” the President of Environment Friends Society said, adding that we waste water even while brushing our teeth.

Bahrain means, ‘two seas’ in Arabic. It refers to the presence of fresh water springs as well as salt water in the Kingdom.

 Earlier, the pearl divers used of find fresh water springs beneath saltwater oceans. The captains of the boat knew where the fresh water was. On the other hand, the great Dilmun civilisation developed here due to the availability of enough amount of water in the Kingdom.

 The people of Dilmun era used to grow cotton and other agricultural products here. The dates grown in Bahrain had great demand throughout the world. But the situation changed gradually due to overuse of water, she said.

 “We did not consider environmental impact at any level. In our planning, we did not consider water security as well as food security. That’s what led to water scarcity in Bahrain,” Dr. Khawla Al Mohannadi said.

 She said that it is easier to blame others for scarcity of water. But people cannot deny the fact that everyone has a role to play in conserving water resources, she said, adding that Environment Friends Society has taken up the task of creating awareness on water conservation since many years.