Human Activity and Water Management
The event also looks at hydrology specifically as it relates to water quality. In the region, there are rivers that flow across country lines and there is need for collaboration to ensure that water quality is maintained. For example, the Mopan River begins in Belize, flows through Guatemala before entering back into the country. Waterways like this and other aquifers are sources for potable water and there must be protection for these reserved zone for water recharge and water production. Minister Orlando Habet says water management is important for the country because majority of the water supply in rural communities come from underground waters.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change & Disaster Risk Management
“ How is it that we are going to be able to maintain these water sheds to produce sufficient water, have water supply for our human needs for drinking but also for other uses – whether industrial, agriculture which takes a lot of the water. How that will be managed so that it can serve us for many years to come. Just a week ago, I took to cabinet for their approval the National Climate Change Policy Strategy and Master Plan and it encompasses the collaboration and input from thirteen different sectors, thirteen different ministries. Ninety-five percent of the water supply in rural communities comes from underground waters, from these aquifers, so we have to make certain that these are not salinated because of the over extraction, because of sea level rise, whatever it is that is causing it or because we are depleting it in such a fashion that we don’t give it sufficient time to replenish during the rainy season, maybe we are not getting sufficient water, maybe the soil is over compacted because we are using it for agriculture, for cattle production or other uses so there is not enough natural capture of rain water that is being fell. So we have to make sure that there is not contamination from the agriculture sector – pesticides, fertilizers – from the industrial sector with heat and everything else. So it is a comprehensive look at how we can manage these natural resources that we have and certainly making sure that the use is there for our human population. As I said earlier the theme is human security but environmental security. And many times the environment largely is damaged by what we do as anthropogenic inputs from people. So we have to manage the people, but we also have to manage the environment.”
