Are we running out of fresh water?
We should enjoy every puddle, says dr hab. Mateusz Grygoruk, a hydrologist from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences.
Poland suffers from a shortage of water and if we do not stop making the environment our slave, we will have more problems. The scientist was hosted on the Festival Nowe Oświecenie at the UCK “Alternatywy”
For the last 50 years, we have been fighting the flood. Few people talked about the drought, because it was not so visible. Now it’s enough to talk to any farmer, we’ve done social research, and it’s not the flood that is the biggest threat, but the drought, says dr hab. Grygoruk. We have 600 mm of precipitation in Poland, of which 450 evaporates. Only 150 mm, i.e. 1/4 of what falls – flows away in our rivers and we are able to do something with it. It doesn’t show how much water we still have in Poland. There are a lot of indicators and each relates to something different. Hence, in Poland, 1,240 cubic meters of water per capita flows down rivers annually. This makes us third to last in Europe, ahead of Malta and Cyprus.
I don’t know if this is a good indicator. We have as many rivers as we have, it rains as much as it rains and we can divide and multiply. The indicators of the water we collect as a country can be interesting. In Poland, we collect 6.5% of the rainfall that goes to the rivers, which means that if we catch water from all Polish rivers in one bucket, we are able to retain 6.5% of this bucket – said the hydrologist. However, if one takes into account all other water bodies and soil, it already becomes 20%. It also does not mean that Poland retains so much. The human being is the weakest link.
Last year I saw a big puddle on the lawn after a heavy downpour. Then the staff came and knocked down the curb so that the water would flow into the rainwater drainage system. People should be happy with every puddle because due to climate change, i.e. drought separated by violent droughts, we have to collect water, says Grygoruk.
Everyone will be vegetarian
But where and how to collect the water?
We should build retention reservoirs where it is really needed. For example, at power plants, where water is needed in large quantities. But first of all, ask yourself: what is the purpose of collecting it?
We build a tank in case of fire. After a few years, this reservoir is completely overgrown and nothing can be done with this water. Water is basically non-transportable but it can be dispersed in the landscape and helps stabilize the outflow in rivers, explained the hydrologist.
Hence, swamps or ponds should be maintained in Poland. The more the better. It also reminds us that nothing is free. Farmers, who use huge amounts of water to grow their crops, will have to give up sowing all over the field.
As Einstein once said, humans need to consider not eating meat. It will happen, sooner or later. I’m not a vegetarian myself, but this is also a protection of water resources. The most problematic product for water resources is beef, says the scientist.
One needs to remember that when the water runs out, life ends. This was the main thesis of the meeting. At the same time, he assured us that the water never runs out. At least on a global scale.
Water will not end up as a resource, but it may end up in a certain place. We have as much water on Earth as we have had, and we will always have water. At the same time, there is no simple recipe for problems with water. Building reservoirs or limiting cattle and pig farming is one thing. There is also a need for actions adapted to the constantly changing conditions. This requires a great deal of responsibility and knowledge from people. Being flexible requires delegation to lower levels. It’s not like we do what we’re told. There are other options. If it’s dry, don’t mow. If it’s wet, you can’t mow.
As the hydrologist said, people treat the environment like a slave. It’s convenient but not profitable. We have to get along with the Earth. It’s not like we take care of the river because we want it to be pretty. It pays off for us. We care about the environment so it gives us measurable benefits. In the form of clean air, shade, good quality, and amount of water.
So, we need to sit down and think about what is good for us. The sooner the better. Nature has already begun to send out warning signs. Odra is the best example. If we protect the water, we protect the entire ecosystem, emphasized dr Grygoruk.