EVERY DROP COUNTS FOR THE BLUE PLANET
Dr. Kamala Kanta Jena
Our planet Earth is often called the Blue Planet because more than 71 percent of its surface is covered with water. At first glance, this suggests abundance. Yet, paradoxically, humanity faces an acute shortage of usable water. The hydrosphere includes oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, groundwater, glaciers, polar ice caps, and atmospheric moisture. However, over 97 percent of this water lies in the oceans and is too saline for drinking or agriculture. Only about 3 percent is freshwater, and nearly two-thirds of that is locked away in glaciers and polar ice caps.
What remains available for human use is astonishingly small—barely 0.006 percent of the Earth’s total water. To illustrate, if all the world’s water were stored in a bucket, humanity’s share would be no more than a spoonful. Even this limited quantity is unevenly distributed and heavily consumed: approximately 70 percent goes to agriculture, 25 percent to industry, and only 5 percent to domestic use. Worse still, much of this precious resource is mismanaged, wasted, and polluted.
Water constitutes 40 to 75 percent of the human body, depending on age, gender, and body composition. The brain is about 70 percent water; the lungs nearly 80 percent; muscles around 75 percent; skin over 70 percent; and even bones contain about 22 percent water. Blood is composed of roughly 83 percent water. Since cells—the basic building blocks of life—cannot function without water, it is rightly said that water is life itself. Water plays a vital role in digestion, circulation, temperature regulation, and the removal of toxins. It lubricates joints, supports kidney function, maintains healthy skin, and facilitates the transport of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. The blue hydrosphere has enabled life to originate and flourish on the Earth.
Water sustains domestic life, agriculture, industry, energy production, transportation, and climate regulation. It is indispensable for drinking, cooking, cleaning, irrigation, and livestock. Industries rely on water for cooling, processing, and manufacturing. Hydroelectric power plants generate electricity from water reservoirs, while nuclear and thermal power stations depend on it for steam production and cooling. Water also aids waste disposal and the preservation of perishable goods through refrigeration and ice.
Rapid population growth and industrial expansion have dramatically increased demand of water. But Water cannot be artificially created, and conservation efforts remain inadequate. Rainwater flows back into oceans without sufficient harvesting. Groundwater levels are declining due to overextraction, deforestation, and rising global temperatures. Surface water is highly vulnerable to contamination from industrial waste, fertilizers, oil spills, sewage, and toxic chemicals. Groundwater, though naturally filtered through layers of soil and rock, is not immune to pollution. Agricultural chemicals and leakage from underground fuel tanks can contaminate aquifers. Thus, even our limited freshwater reserves are steadily deteriorating.
Throughout history, disputes over water have caused regional and international tensions. Freshwater resources are limited and unevenly distributed, making them a potential source of conflict. As global populations rise and climate change intensifies scarcity, water may become more valuable than oil. The warning once voiced by World Bank Vice-President Dr. Ismail Serageldin—that future wars could be fought over water—serves as a sobering reminder of what lies ahead.
Billions of people worldwide are facing severe freshwater shortages, and countries like India are particularly vulnerable. Interstate disputes over river waters have already emerged. Conflict, however, cannot solve the crisis. The only sustainable path forward is conservation, equitable distribution, and responsible management. Water is a finite and priceless gift. To safeguard our planet and ensure a secure future for coming generations, we must value and conserve every precious drop for the blue planet.
•••
OES-1 (Physics), Controller of Examinations, Fakir Mohan University, Balasore-756089
