Let’s make saving water a habit hard to break

The Tulsi lake overflowed last week

Mumbai lake levels are up, and overflowing and torrential rain shows little sign of abating. Creases of worry on foreheads should surely have smoothened out. Reports claim that lakes are overflowing. Some reports have claimed that water is available for two months.

That is surely reason to rejoice given that we were struggling for rain and the threat of water cuts had loomed over the city for some time. This is also a familiar pattern in the monsoon, when the rain stays away for a couple of days and officials warn us about lower lake levels and impending water cuts.

We need to make saving water, part of our DNA, irrespective of robust rain, weak monsoon or lake levels. There is plenty of good, credible information about saving water and how we can practise this at a very basic level in our homes.

We need to begin at the roots, working our way through different levels so that we can, if inclined, get involved in community projects which focus on greening and saving water.

Reports are rife about the world running out of water, or that the next wars may be fought over water. The scale of this may seem intimidating and out of our hands. The basic message though is that every drop counts.

So, rather than make this about too big or vast a subject to be tackled by us, or, seem overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the problem, start small by saving water at home.

Sensitise your families, move on to those in your building or your area. Educate and lead by example, so that the attitude ‘let us leave saving water to the climate warriors', does not set us back.

It is not just about every drop that counts, but every water warrior that counts.