2.4.3 - USES OF WATER
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Domestic Use of Water
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we'll discuss how much water we use at home. Did you know the recommended usage of water per person is about 135 liters a day? Can anyone tell me why that amount is crucial?
It’s because we need it for drinking, cooking, and bathing!
Exactly! Those are our basic needs. Think about it—how do you prioritize your water use at home?
We should probably prioritize drinking and cooking over washing clothes.
Great point! Now, remember this acronym: DBC (Drinking, Bathing, Cooking) to recall the major domestic uses of water.
That’s easy to remember!
To recap, we discussed that domestic use encompasses essential tasks in our daily lives. Prioritizing these can help manage our water consumption better.
Industrial Use of Water
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Shifting focus to industry, can anyone list some sectors where water is significantly used?
Cement, textiles, and mining use a lot of water!
Yes! Water is vital for processes like cooling, cleaning, and transporting materials. Have you heard of the term 'industrial water usage'?
I think it refers to how industries depend on large amounts of water?
Correct! Remember, high water usage can lead to environmental stress. Use the acronym 'CMT' (Cement, Mining, Textiles) to recall major industries relying on water.
Got it! CMT for industries.
To summarize, water is an essential resource for industries, and managing its usage is crucial for sustainable development.
Public Use of Water
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now let's talk about public use. Who can give an example of how water is used for public services?
Water is used for watering parks and cleaning streets.
Exactly! These services improve our quality of life. Public use also means access to clean water in jails and schools. Remember the phrase 'Parks and Purity' to connect public service and water.
That makes sense! It’s all about improving community health.
Yes! Water quality and availability are integral to public health. Let's recap three key points: benefits to communities, hygiene, and accessibility.
Irrigation and Agricultural Use of Water
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Let’s discuss irrigation, which is necessary for growing crops. Why do we need water for agriculture?
Without water, plants can't survive!
Absolutely! Water is essential not just for survival but also for quality yield. What happens if there’s too much or too little water?
Overwatering can lead to waterlogging and under-watering can cause drought!
Great interaction! Use the term 'WDI' for Water-Driven Irrigation to understand its vital role in agriculture.
WDI is a good reminder!
So, we learned water is crucial for agricultural successes, which depend on balance.
Over-Utilization of Water
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Let’s take a moment to discuss over-utilization of water. What issues do you think arise from using too much water?
It can lower the water table and cause droughts!
Right! The excessive consumption of groundwater can lead to critical environmental issues. Anyone remember the different types of drought?
Meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socioeconomic.
Excellent! If you think of 'MHA's', you can remember those drought types. Our discussion on over-utilization highlighted the necessity of balanced water use.
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
Water plays a critical role in various aspects of human life and the economy, being essential for domestic use, industrial processes, public utilities, fire safety, irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation. It further explores the consequences of over-utilization and the challenges faced in water management.
Detailed
Detailed Summary
Water is a crucial resource for numerous applications across different sectors. Its primary uses can be categorized as:
1. Domestic Use: Water is utilized in households for drinking, cooking, bathing, and sanitation, with an Indian standard suggesting 135 liters per day per person.
2. Industrial Use: Various industries like cement, mining, and textiles require substantial amounts of water for their operations.
3. Public Use: This includes water for public services such as parks and street cleaning.
4. Fire Use: In emergencies, water is essential for firefighting.
5. Irrigation: Water is critical for agricultural purposes, supporting food production.
6. Other Uses: Water is also instrumental in hydroelectric power generation.
While water is fundamentally vital, over-extraction, particularly from groundwater sources, leads to significant environmental issues, such as lowering of the water table, ground subsidence, and droughts. Various types of droughts—meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socioeconomic—paint a comprehensive picture of the impacts of water scarcity. Water management is increasingly vital as conflicts over limited fresh water resources arise, leading to increasing tensions among regions and countries.
Youtube Videos
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Domestic Use
Chapter 1 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Water used in the houses for the purposes of drinking, bathing, washing clothes, cooking, sanitary & other needs. The recommended value according to Indian standard specification for domestic use is 135 liters/day.
Detailed Explanation
Domestic water use refers to the water consumed for everyday household activities. This includes drinking water, water for hygiene such as bathing and washing, cooking, and for other sanitary needs. The Indian standards suggest that an average individual requires around 135 liters of water per day for these various activities to maintain proper health and hygiene.
Examples & Analogies
Think of water use in a household like a family using different appliances in a kitchen. Just as a family needs a stove for cooking, a refrigerator for keeping food fresh, and a sink for washing dishes, they also need water for drinking, cleaning, and personal use to ensure a clean and healthy living environment.
Industrial Use
Chapter 2 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Water is required for various industries such as cement, mining, textile, leather industries.
Detailed Explanation
Industries utilize water in various processes for production, cooling, and cleaning purposes. For example, manufacturing cement involves mixing water with raw materials to form a slurry, while textile factories use large quantities of water for dyeing fabrics and washing them during production. The leather industry also relies on water for tanning processes.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a textile factory as a large kitchen where fabric is the dish being prepared. Just like water is essential for cooking and cleaning ingredients in a kitchen, water is crucial for processing fabric, dying colors, and washing the finished products in a textile factory.
Public Use
Chapter 3 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
This includes water used for public utility purposes such as watering parks, flushing streets, jails, etc.
Detailed Explanation
Public water use refers to water that is utilized for community-related activities. This can involve irrigation of public parks, cleaning streets, and supplying water for social institutions like jails. This use of water ensures that public spaces remain clean, healthy, and functional for the community.
Examples & Analogies
Public water usage is similar to maintaining a neighborhood park. Just as the grass and plants need to be watered for the park to remain beautiful and inviting, water is needed by municipalities to keep streets, parks, and communal facilities clean and usable.
Fire Use
Chapter 4 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Water is used in case of accidents and to prevent fire issues.
Detailed Explanation
Water serves a critical role in firefighting and accident management. In the event of a fire, water is the most common material used to extinguish flames, due to its ability to absorb heat and cool the environment. Fire departments typically have large reservoirs of water on hand for quick response.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a firefighter as a chef with a fire extinguisher instead of a spatula. Just as a chef might splash water to cool a dish that’s too hot, firefighters use water to cool burning materials and eliminate flames, demonstrating the versatility of water in both cooking and safety.
Irrigation
Chapter 5 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
To grow crops which is the main source for food.
Detailed Explanation
Irrigation involves supplying water to crops to enhance growth during periods of little rainfall. Agriculture heavily relies on watered fields for better yields, especially in areas with inconsistent precipitation. Proper irrigation can increase food production significantly and ensure food security.
Examples & Analogies
Think of irrigation as giving a plant a drink of water when it's thirsty. Just as we need to water our houseplants to keep them healthy and thriving, farmers need to irrigate their crops, especially when rain doesn’t fall frequently enough to meet the plants' needs.
Other Uses
Chapter 6 of 6
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Hydro electric power generation requires water.
Detailed Explanation
Water is also used extensively in generating hydroelectric power. Dams harness the energy of flowing water to produce electricity. As water flows through turbines, it generates power used in homes and industries. This source of energy is renewable and significantly reduces reliance on fossil fuels.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine water as the fuel for a water wheel in a riverside village. Just like the wheel turns to grind grain or perform other tasks using the force of water, hydroelectric plants use moving water to generate electricity that powers our cities and homes.
Key Concepts
-
Domestic Use: Refers to household applications such as bathing and drinking.
-
Industrial Use: Involves the essential water needs of various industries.
-
Public Use: Highlights water's role in community welfare and public health.
-
Irrigation: Essential for agricultural practices and food sustainability.
-
Over-utilization: The need for balanced water use to prevent environmental degradation.
Examples & Applications
Households typically use water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and sanitation, showcasing its need in everyday life.
Industries like textiles and cement rely heavily on water for processes like cooling and cleaning, emphasizing the resource's industrial significance.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
Water, water, everywhere, for cooking and drinking, it's beyond compare!
Stories
Once there was a farm that thrived on water; it grew lush crops because irrigation was its daughter.
Memory Tools
Remember DBC for Domestic Use: Drinking, Bathing, Cooking.
Acronyms
Use WDI for Water-Driven Irrigation.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Domestic Use
Water utilized in households for drinking, cooking, bathing, and sanitation.
- Industrial Use
Water required for processes in industries such as textiles, cement, and mining.
- Public Use
Water used for public utilities like parks, street cleaning, and sanitation services.
- Irrigation
The practice of supplying water to agricultural fields to encourage plant growth.
- Overutilization
Excessive use of water resources leading to depletion and environmental issues.
- Drought
An extended period of water deficiency, impacting agricultural and ecological conditions.
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.