Fair marks observance of World Water Day

The beginning of what promises to be a long hot dry season seems like a good time to celebrate the joys of a commodity that, fortunately, we in Belize possess in apparent abundance. News Five’s Jacqueline Woods has more.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Water: It?s one of those conveniences that most of us take for granted. But take away the never ending flow from the pipe and life suddenly becomes a nightmare. The good news for Belizeans is that there is enough water in the country to provide each of us with twenty-one million gallons every year. The question is, what are we doing to maintain this vital resource?

Rudolph Williams, Jr., Hydrologist
?Do not waste water. If you don?t need it, don?t just throw it away, because when we extract water from the systems, we leave less water available for our ecosystems and so we want to make sure that we do not waste water. And another thing about wasting water, it is costly and it impact on our lives and other activities that we can do?

?Not pollute the water. I mean it is unwise, it is unsightly, and it makes it more expensive for us to clean up the water. Sometimes we cannot even clean it up, we just have to abandon it.?

Every year a day is set aside to celebrate water. Today?s observance in Belize City included a fair at the Battlefield Park. Although it was a warm day a large number of primary and high school students attended. The heat had children sweating and it was not long before many of them were looking for something to quench their thirst. Despite the availability of free water by the various local water companies present, there were far more children gathered with their coins around the lone snow cone cart. Health experts say we should have at least eight glasses of water a day. Just how many of these boys and girls have been drinking?

Student #1
?One maybe two.?

Jacqueline Woods
?You don?t like water??

Student #1
?Yes, I like water.?

Jacqueline Woods
?So how come you are only drinking two glasses of water??

Student #1
?Because I deh dah school.?
Jacqueline Woods
?And school noh provide you students with water??

Student #1
?Yes. Ma?am?

Student #2
?Three.?

Jacqueline Woods
Three glasses of water?

Student #2
?Yes ma?am.?

Jacqueline Woods
?But now I noticed you are standing in line to buy snow cones with all that sweet syrup on top of the ice.?

Student #2
?Yes ma?am?

Jacqueline Woods
?Why didn?t you walk over to the water stall and buy yourself probably a water ideal??

Student #2
?Because I didn?t want it. I want ice okay …?

Jacqueline Woods
?And the sweet on top.?

Student #2
?Yes ma?am.?

Student #3
?I noh drink none yet.?

Jacqueline Woods
?Unu drink no water yet for today??

Student #3
?No.?

Jacqueline Woods
?So what will you buy right now, water or snow cones??

Student #3
?I noh have no money.?

Jacqueline Woods
?But if I would give you money right now to buy something to drink, what would you buy, snow cones or water??

Student #3
?Water.?

Jacqueline Woods
?You sure about that??

Student
?Yes ma?am?

Jacqueline Woods
?And you are drinking snow cones, you do not like water??

Student #4
(Shakes head, no) ?It noh taste good.?

Jacqueline Woods
?Too boring, no taste??

(Shakes head, no)

Jacqueline Woods
?How much water you try to drink in a day?

Student #4
?Only one.?

Jacqueline Woods
?Only one glass??

Student #5
I drink four.?

Jacqueline Woods
?Do you know how many glasses of water you should drink in a day??

Students
?Five … Six … I say three. I say eight.?

Jacqueline Woods
?Who told you eight??

Student #6
?My teacher.?

This year the celebration focused on water and culture. Event coordinator, hydrologist Rudolph Williams Jr. explains.

Rudolph Williams, Jr.
?UNESCO, which is the lead agency for this year?s celebration for World Water Day, which is on the twenty-second of March today and chose the theme: Water and Culture, because water plays such a vital roles in our lives. And it?s availability or non-availability influences our cultural customs and the things that we do.?

In Belize, the occasion was also used to celebrate World Meteorological Day, which will be observed on Thursday. The National Met Service had displays on its theme; Preventing and Mitigating Natural Disasters. Jacqueline Woods for News Five.