Today is the World Water Day. This is an issue that should draw our attention not only today, but 365 days a year - our precious, finite freshwater resources upon which we all depend for our very survival. We can no longer view freshwater as an unlimited resource. International competition for this scarce resource is also growing. As the demand grows, and in the absence of clear consensus on how best to maximize the benefits of water for all who need it, that competition has the potential of erupting into bitter disputes.
Water is a powerful indicator of sustainability.
It also is an indicator of the level of social development in a particular community. It is an indicator of poverty and of social tensions. It is not an exaggeration to say that Water is Life. This year's celebration of World Water Day spotlights our supply of groundwater which constitutes 97 per cent of all the freshwater found on the planet. Invisible though they are to most, these groundwater sources which supplied water for human consumption for several thousand years are now coming under increasing pressure.