Water is essential for life, a truth that poet W.H. Auden captured succinctly with the words, “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water”.

This quote resonates deeply after watching the documentary ‘River’ – a powerful tribute to the vital connection between humanity and the world’s waterways. The film serves as a reminder that our rivers, once revered and protected, are now choked with pollution and over-exploited, threatening the very source of life they once freely provided.

The stark reality is that around 74% of natural disasters between 2001 and 2018 were water-related. This figure is expected to rise as climate change and shifting weather patterns make it increasingly difficult for many to access safe drinking water.

The irony is bitter: while fresh water still flows freely from our taps, we are beginning to see the consequences of our neglect and overuse of this vital resource everywhere else.

Nearly every river and stream has been dammed, diverted or polluted

Historically, water sources were treated with reverence. Today, nearly every river and stream has been dammed, diverted or polluted. The casual assumption that clean water will always be available is increasingly being questioned. News reports of polluted rivers and seas have sparked public outrage, leading many to wonder how we allowed this crisis to develop, and why water companies continue to profit while the quality of our water declines.

In places like Australia, water restrictions are a common part of life, reflecting a growing awareness of the need to conserve this precious resource. But what can we do to make a difference in our daily lives?

Start by considering how you can reduce water waste at home. Installing a grey water management system, which reuses water from sinks and showers for flushing toilets, can significantly reduce your household’s fresh water consumption.

Simple changes, like shortening your showers by just one minute, can save between 2.5 and 10 gallons of water. Additionally, using a water butt to collect rainwater for your garden and ensuring that your laundry loads are full can make a big impact.

Beyond conservation, we can also find ways to celebrate and honour water. Visiting local springs, like those protected by the Sawfod project in the Forest of Dean, can help reconnect us with this life-giving resource. These projects aim to restore and protect local water sources while fostering a sense of water sovereignty within the community.

Protecting rivers through litter picking and invasive species control

There are also local initiatives like the Guardians of the River Chelt. These groups actively protect their local river through litter picking, invasive species control, and river pollution testing. Could you organise something similar for your local river?

By conserving water in our daily lives and engaging with community efforts to protect and restore our waterways, we can begin to treat water not just as a resource, but as the sacred and life-sustaining gift it truly is.