Clean river is very important for us. Although two third of the earth surface is water, only about 3% is fresh water. When we remove glaciers, polar ice caps, deep water underground, we only have around 1.2% that can be used as drinking water.
That is considering that 1.2% are clean. The level of water pollution is in the rise for certain areas in the globe. There need to further improve our river becoming more prominent. From the figure below, there are increased in nitrates at certain region in the world. This issue need to be tackle head on.
We owe it to our future generation to ensure that the river that we get are at least at the same level or even better than we receive them. More awareness is needed. We need more people getting involved in ensuring that our river are clean from pollution.
Imagine during the lock down due to Covid-19 several researcher across the globe have shown that due to reduced human activities, rivers and lakes have shown improvement in term of reduced pollution levels. A research in India shows that the Vembaanad lake have reduced number of suspended particulate matter in their river.
In Malaysia, Movement Control Order (MCO) started in 18 March 2020. Within a month, various reports in the press have shown improved river condition.
Why do we need clean river
This is supposed to be obvious, but let me iterate again. Our main source of water are river, lakes, glaciers, underground water. There is only 1.2% of the main water source is suitable for drinking. The rest have issues such as pollution, contaminates, and difficulty to access.
In this respect, it is important that the river and basin are managed well.
How can to you contribute to a clean river
There are many ways that every one of us could contribute in making our river clean. However, this depends on which passion you are in, and which area of work that you do.
Teachers and Lecturers
A teacher or lecturer for example, could start to teach young children and teenagers on the important of maintaining the river to be in a clean and pristine condition. This could be through examples on not throwing any kind of trash or rubbish into the river, and bring the children and teenagers into the river site to perform communal cleaning.
Companies and Professional
Professionals such as engineer could start to think about how we could design an automated river cleaning devices, or a technique to reduced the pollution level in and to the river.
A company could considering sustainability as part of the corporate governance. This would them direct the decision of the board and everybody within the organization to think on sustainability.
Public
As a public, we could start to train ourselves, our family and those close to us, to love the river and make it a river of live. The life line of humanity.
Thus, if everybody have the love for our river, then in due time the condition of the river will improve.
Government and Non Government Organization
As a government, we need a better policy and enforcement with regards to river. There is a lot that the government could do. This include, better river management, more open and transparent reporting on the river condition, and increasing the enforcement for non-compliant.
On the other hand, there is a need to do a community engagement as well, for those who live by the river especially in the 3rd world country. Training and education on the need to improve the river condition is important.
Else, the river pollution due to human, and agriculture waste continues. Different Non Government Organization (NGO) or other statutory body can take up this challenge.
Through, concerted effort with different stakeholders, we could envisaged a much better future for the river and humankind.
Save the river and save us all.