The importance of water

Life, both animal and plant, is impossible without water. Without water men die
of dehydration About 70% of the human body is water. Of the total surface of the
earth, 75 % is water and just below the surface of the land in most areas there
is a saturated layer known as the water table. Animals and plants have large pe
rcentages of water in their make-up and some animals regulate their movements ac
cording to the water sources.
If there is no water there can be no life. The moon is a sterile desert because
there is no water in it. It is to be remembered that it was water that determine
d the location of human settlements and without the Nile the Egyptian Civilizati
on would not have developed The Nile provided the Egyptians facilities for irrig
ation and transport. As Herodotus said, Egypt is the "Gift of the Nile".
The urban man rarely thinks of the importance of water. When he needs water, all
he has to do is to turn on the tap. The only time the urban folk become aware o
f the importance of water is when there is a drought and their water supply is r
egulated. If water rationing becomes too drastic. they may find themselves in a
worse position than the rural man who may have a steady supply of water from his
well.
Imagine a day when the taps ran dry: Mr. Townsman would have found life intolera
ble. He could not brush his teeth, have his shave or could he have his bath in t
he morning. After lunch, he would have had a very difficult time trying to wash
up. He might have used cloth to wipe his crockery. He could not wash his car. At
the end of the day, however, our Mr. Townsman would have realized that water is
precious and he should not be a water-waster.
Scientists find water the most fascinating fluid in the world because of its ver
satility and usefulness. Electricity is generated by the force of running water.
Unlike other substances, water expands when freezing takes place. In ancient Ro
me snow was used to pack prawns and meat. Ice is used for refrigeration. Water i
s converted into steam and used as power.
Whatever man eats is dependent on water for its growth. Water can convert whole,
barren tracts of land into luxurious, rich and fertile regions, through the use
of irrigation. In parts of Spain, diminishing quantities of rain have caused fe
rtile land to dry up in the past years, creating barren deserts. This is turn ha
s caused many men and their families to move to new places.
Most of us who take our daily supply of water for granted. may not be able to fu
lly appreciate the importance of water. Many have perished through lack of water
.
Military men know that the most effective way of subduing any city or fortress i
s to cut its water supply.