True Value of Water

Increasing global water scarcity has necessitated water resource management; a vital aspect of water management is water valuation.

Water and its Value

Holistically speaking ’valuing water’ means recognizing the ‘worth’ of water. This does not imply just the economic value of water, as may be widely interpreted, but considering the range of benefits and risks associated with water. Unless all these are included, i.e. its economic, social and ecological dimensions, water value can not be completely accurate.

The most common interpretation of the ‘value’ of any product or service is the economic value, i.e., its cost or price. Traditionally, water has been treated as a free social good that is abundantly and naturally available, however increased consumption across various sectors and the resultant scarcity necessitated assigning it an economic value. The International Conference on Water and Environment (ICWE) held in Dublin in 1992, declared that "water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognized as an economic good[1].”

In a market system, the economic value, or price, optimises the consumption of a good or service; same is true of water. Its economic value, defined by its price, will not only help allocate water optimally among various uses, i.e., the use which will give maximum benefits, but also reduce wasteful consumption. This is especially important considering global water scarcity.

Apart from this, water supply also has a cost attached to it - the cost of sourcing, purifying, storing and distributing water. Economically speaking and from the point of view of water utilities, costs of installation and maintenance of the infrastructure for water supply can be taken as the (bare minimum) price of water.

Most of the time, inefficient water use and water wastage occur because water users rarely pay the full cost of using water. If actual cost is recovered from water consumers, the huge investments required to provide clean and safe water can be financed.

Coming to the social aspect of water, water has tremendous environmental value. It supports multiple life forms - both flora and fauna; rivers deposit sediments on floodplains thereby nourishing soils and making them useful for agriculture. Current climate change effects and global warming are probably impacting this facet of water the most.

Apart from environmental impact, the most vital social value of water is its ability to sustain life and health. Then water has community values as well, in its religious and spiritual, and aesthetic and recreational dimensions. Water has historically been connected with the cultural and spiritual development of many civilisations. The ancient Egyptians worshipped Sobek, god of the Nile river, while in Aztec mythology, the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue represented various manifestations of water and was involved in every part of life, from birth to death[2]. Indians continue to revere their rivers as Mother Goddesses depicting them as life-giving and nurturing entities.

Water, in its various forms like lakes, ponds, waterfalls and fountains etc. adds to scenic beauty and visual appeal. Water activities and sports are popular recreational and tourist activities. Wetlands attract migratory water-birds from distant regions, making them and water-bodies a focal point for birdwatchers.

All these factors, while some may seem intangible, add to the value of water.

Why is water value so important?

According to the 2021 World Water Development Report, “Recognizing, measuring and expressing water's worth, and incorporating it into decision-making, are fundamental to achieving sustainable and equitable water resources management and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

Efforts are needed to stop mismanagement and wastage of water. The unsustainable use of water can be partly due to the fact that its full value is not appreciated and paid. This may be due to 2 reasons, first, that water use is subsidised, and second, its social costs are not taken into account.

In summary, it can be said that water holds different significance for different people in different circumstances. Moreover, the ‘value’ of water is much more than its economic value, which is the only one considered by policy makers today. Though the concept of water valuation is wide-ranging and complex, undervaluing this precious resource would only lead to inefficient water management.

References

[1] Source: https://www.gwp.org/contentassets/05190d0c938f47d1b254d6606ec6bb04/dublin-rio-principles.pdf [2] Source: https://www.iucn.org/news/environmental-law/202104/insight-cultural-and-spiritual-value-water

Become water-sensitive; every fifth child in the world confronts water scarcity.

Water stress had been worsened by decades of mismanagement, over-extraction of groundwater, and poisoning of freshwater supplies. Water stress has also been compounded by rapid population increase, urbanization, climate change, and extreme weather occurrences, resulting in a reduction in accessible quantities of safe water.

The world's water crisis isn't just coming; it's now here, and climate change is only exacerbating it. It is a human right to have access to safe drinking water. So, according to UNICEF, 2.2 billion people around the world still lack access to safe drinking water? If 2.2 billion of those individuals do not have access to safe drinking water, that means nearly one-third, of the world's population does not have safe drinking water. Statistics like these should numb us.

While everyone feels the effects of water scarcity, the most vulnerable children suffer the most. Children and families in vulnerable areas are confronted with the double-edged sword of dealing with severe water shortages while also having the poorest water services, making access to adequate water particularly vulnerable to climate shocks and catastrophic occurrences.

Every child has the right to grow up in a clean and safe environment. Children who have access to clean water, basic toilets, and proper hygiene habits not only thrive but also have a healthier start in life. According to a recent survey of 24 developing nations in Asia and Africa, more than 3.5 million children regularly retrieve all of their families' water. They carry approximately 45-pound buckets of water for more than 30 minutes each way. Children in underdeveloped nations walk an average of 3.75 miles per day to collect water, which equates to 6-7 hours per day.

When wells run dry, it is the children that miss school to go fetch water. Droughts reduce food availability, causing hunger and stunting in children. Children become ill from waterborne infections when floods occur. When water resources are scarce, children are unable to wash their hands to protect themselves from sickness.

Waterborne infections like dysentery and rotavirus, which cause severe diarrhea, are caused by contaminated water. Proper health and hygiene habits can save lives, particularly in underdeveloped countries where the poorest children are most vulnerable. Diarrhea is the most common cause of illness in children resulting in a newborn dying every minute and a child under the age of five dying every 12 seconds.

Despite COVID-19 putting the spotlight on the importance of hand hygiene to prevent the spread of disease, three billion people worldwide, including hundreds of millions of school-going children, do not have access to handwashing facilities with soap. We all have a part to play in lowering our water consumption's consequences on our water-scarce world. It is critical that we invest as a society in technology that will ensure that all residents of the world have access to clean drinking water in the future.

How is Maithri Aquatech’s mission to protect humanity and a vision to change the world is working? We believe that supplying clean water is a comprehensive activity at Maithri Aquatech. We adopt a methodology that transforms communities physically, socially, economically, and spiritually, simply providing clean water isn't enough. This is accomplished by investing in people, adopting safe water solutions, partnering for long-term success, and imparting hope.

The approach is building Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) systems, which are reliable sources of clean, safe water in areas where water is scarce, inadequate, or contaminated. A method for extracting drinkable water from the atmosphere is atmospheric water generation (AWG). These systems do not require a water source, operate off the grid, do not waste water, and offer clean drinking water as needed. They don't rely on finite natural resources and don't emit any carbon emissions.

The amount of water vapour in the atmosphere is enormous, and atmospheric water generation is a method of harvesting that vapour to produce safe drinking water — the higher the humidity in the air, the more water that may be produced. The water produced by our AWGs is pure, free of contaminants, and provides an environmentally beneficial approach of supplying safe, pure water.

Water scarcity is a serious problem, and acceptance of AWG technology might provide a large source of clean water. AWGs can supply safe, pure water and aid with water security, guaranteeing that everyone has access to safe drinking water independent of municipal infrastructure failures or climate change. Small residential devices that can produce 25 litres per day to big units that can produce over 10,000 litres per day, AWG systems come in a variety of sizes. The air temperature and the amount of water vapour (i.e., humidity) present have a considerable impact on the rate of water production.

Our specialists at Maithri take the mission even further as we believe it is just not enough to provide clean water by establishing water systems and then walking away; compassion necessitates us to connect with the communities we serve and teach them how to be sustainable so that they may succeed in the long run. Maintaining a long-term monitoring and evaluation plan is one approach to accomplish so.

We gathered an authoritative panel of water industry professionals to examine distinct problems, possibilities, and possible paths ahead to better grasp what the future of water management might bring. Our monthly webinars addresses scenarios that spark strategic debates, foster collaboration and technological development, and encourage new and inventive ways of thinking.

We believe that people who have hope live in a world where they are free to thrive. We build optimism in the people and communities we serve by providing safe water solutions. It is easy to limit ourselves to thinking about safe water solutions while considering strategies to offer clean water. However, delivering clean water entails much more. To be genuinely successful, it needs investing in people, developing safe water systems, teaching for long-term sustainability, and inspiring optimism. We can end the world water crisis if we work together.

We must act immediately to handle the water situation and prevent it from worsening. Only through innovation, investment, and collaboration, as well as ensuring that services are sustainable and robust to climatic shocks, can we ensure water security for everyone. We must take action to save our planet.

Water availability, quality, water treatment options, and water reuse decisions we make today have an impact on the future living standards of communities all over the world. What is going to happen? No one is aware. However, it's critical to think about the options. Talk to our experts and learn more.