Lesson 16

WATER: A PRECIOUS RESOURCE

 Water is an essential requirement of all living things

 A person needs about three large buckets of clean water.
 98% of the water on the Earth is saline and is found in oceans.
 2% of the water on the Earth is fresh water, but most of it is remain as frozen ice in polar region.
 Water that can be safely used for human consumption is called potable water.

Water: A renewable natural resource

 All useful things such as water, sunlight, plants, animals, soil and air which are part of nature
are called natural resources.
 Natural resources are of two kinds – renewable and non-renewable.
 Natural resource such as water and air which are constantly renewed through rapid natural
cycles are called renewable natural resource.

Forms of water

In nature, water exists in all three states. Ice (solid) , normal water (liquid), water vapour (gas).

The water on the Earth keep changing its state in a continuous cycle called the water cycle. The
continuous evaporation of water into the atmosphere, formation of clouds (condensation) and
precipitation as rain and snow replenishes freshwater on the Earth.

Sources of freshwater
 The freshwater sources include well, stream, rivers, lakes, ponds, and underground water.
 As the rain seeps into the soil, it wets the soil. The excess amount of water moves deeper into
the ground and fills the spaces in the rocks. This is known as groundwater.
 The level of groundwater is known water table.
 The rainwater that has collected in the empty space in the porous layer of rock is known as an
aquifer.

Causes of ground water depletion

Increase in population, increase in industries, agricultural activities and water pollution are
the reasons for groundwater depletion.
In many areas, groundwater is nearly exhausted. This is because it is being used at a faster
rate than it is being renewed by the natural process. Uncontrolled increase in the number of tube
wells in a region will deplete groundwater.
Grade 7 Chemistry Water
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 In recent times, large stretches of land have been leveled to construct industries, houses,
roads and cities, reducing the amount of water percolate into the soil. Decrease in forest and
grassland also affected the amount of groundwater in certain region.
Distribution of water
In our country, rainfall varies from place to place and the distribution of water is uneven.
Regions which receive very little rainfall has less potable water and have fewer water sources such
as well, lakes and rivers. Such regions with scanty rainfall also have less groundwater.
Some regions such as Rajasthan, Northern Karnataka, and Gujarat are prone to drought. These
regions face acute shortage of water every summer. There is hardly any water available for
domestic or agricultural purposes. Crops fail and there is shortage of food and fodder for cattle.
Some regions receive good rains regularly and have a good amount of groundwater. They also
have more water in the wells, lakes and rivers. Frequent rainfall in some regions also causes
floods.
Causes of water pollution
Water can get contaminated due to the improper sewage facilities, industrial pollution (due to
untreated chemicals), improper agricultural practices (excess use of pesticides, fertilizer), religious
and social practices.
Water conservation
Water is one of the most important resources on the planet without which life wouldn’t be
possible. We need to conserve water because the Earth’s freshwater is being used up faster than it
can naturally be replenished.
In a portion of land that is left undisturbed, the uneven landscape collects rainwater which
percolate into the ground and replenishes the groundwater sources.
Rainwater harvesting is a method of conserving water which is done by collecting rainwater from
rooftops and storing it in tanks.
A check dam prevents rainwater from flowing away. It stores water and allows it to percolate into
the ground and replenish groundwater.
In drip irrigation system, required amount of water is supplied drop by drop around the roots.
Thus, water lost through evaporation and run-off is prevented. This irrigation system does not
cause water logging. Hence, the plant nutrients do not shift deeper in the soil. Thus, the fertility of
the soil is maintained.

Grade 7 Chemistry Water

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