Water conservation
It is well known that certain areas of the
UK, such as the south-east, have the lowest reserves of water
for years and this situation is likely to get worse as our
climate becomes warmer and drier due to global warming, and as
demand increases due to the increasing amount of housing
developments.
Drought orders and hosepipe bans are
becoming almost expected every year in some areas.
The photograph below shows an increasingly
common sight in the UK - a reservoir with a dangerously low
water level. This reservoir is not in the south-east, however.
It is in the north-west, an area not noted for its lack of
rainfall.
Apart from storing water for human use,
reservoirs such as this have a major impact on the local
wildlife. As the levels drop, the surface area shrinks
and the dissolved oxygen level falls with
catastrophic results. Fish stocks can be wiped out and it can
take years before the population levels recover (provided that
the water level recovers first!) In turn wildfowl and other
aquatic dwelling species suffer badly to the detriment of the
whole environment.
We all need to take measures to conserve
our precious water reserves NOW.
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