Jordan- Respecting water 

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) "Water, water everywhere... but not a drop to drink," said the old sailor adrift on the unforgiving ocean.

There has been plenty of water in Jordan in the last three months. Rain kept falling and we even had a weekend of snow in Amman.

We should be happy because the dams are filling up. Maybe people are hoping that water shortages will not be a problem this year.

We all know that Jordan is one of the poorest countries in water in the world. But projects are under way to supply more water. The Disi and the Red-to-Dead projects are designed to supply more water to thirsty consumers. But what about demand for water?

Is there not scope here, and elsewhere in the world, to reduce demand by encouraging people to use less water? Using this precious resource wisely should be a priority.

And there is no doubting that it is precious.

Leonardo da Vinci said: "Water is the driving force of all nature."

Water gives life. The right to clean water is a basic human right, yet one in eight people in the world do not have it. Twelve million people die each year from lack of safe drinking water and 80 per cent of diseases in developing countries are water related.

Water can also be immensely destructive, as we saw in the tsunami in Japan and the floods in Pakistan last year. So we should respect water and make sure we do not waste it.

Reducing water consumption is easy. A more efficient showerhead can save over 3,000 litres in a month. Mending a dripping tap can save 450 litres a day.

Other tips are simple: use a broom not a hose, turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.

In our house, we capture and use the grey water from the shower. We use the washing-up water for the garden. Our water consumption has gone down dramatically. If everyone did the same, the world would not have so much water shortage.

We all have an individual responsibility to protect our earth's precious resources. It is good for our health and it is good for our community. And as it happens, it is also good for our pocket.

The writer is British ambassador to Jordan. He contributed this article to The Jordan Times.