As the world celebrates World Water Day 2022, the chairman of Oyo State Rural Water And Sanitation Agency (OYORUWASSA), Engineer Najeem Omirinde has said that exploring, protecting and sustainably using groundwater is central to surviving and adapting to climate change.
Omirinde said groundwater which is easily available meets the needs of growing population.
He said we must protect groundwater from pollution and use it sustainably, balancing the needs of people and the planet.
He made this known in a statement made available to InsideOyo.com, on Tuesday, to mark 2022 World Water Day Commemoration with the theme “Ground Water: Making The Invisible Visible”
The statement read: “Groundwater is water found underground in aquifers, which are geological formations of rocks, sands and gravely that can hold water.
“Groundwater is invisible, but itโs impact is visible everywhere. Out of sight, under our feet, groundwater is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives. Almost all of the liquid fresh water in the world is groundwater. As climate change gets worst, groundwater will become more and more critical. We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource.
Groundwater may be out of sight, but it must not be out of mind.
“Why should we care about Groundwater: Groundwater is being over-used in many areas, where more water is abstracted from aquifers than is recharged by rain and snow. Groundwater pollution is a particular problem that can take decades or even countries to recover from.
In some places, we do not know how much groundwater lies beneath our feet, which means we could be failing to harness a potentially vital water resources.
“Exploring, protecting and sustainably using groundwater will be central to surviving and adapting to climate change and meet the needs of a growing population.
“What can we do about groundwater: We must protect groundwater from pollution and use it sustainably, balancing the needs of people and the planet. Groundwaterโs vital role in Water and Sanitation Systems, Agricultural industry, Ecosystem and Climate change adaptation must be reflected in sustainable development policy making.”
