World Water Day observed in San Ignacio

We say it every year when World Water Day rolls around. That is, Belizeans are blessed with some of the planet’s most abundant water resources. Yet, we always have to remind ourselves that we can’t take that blessing for granted.

Rudolph Williams, Hydrologist
“When it comes to this region, Belize has the highest per capita of water, so we have a tendency to not give the water resources the attention it should because we have a lot.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Like the practise of washing vehicles and clothes in rivers that pollutes our water supplies and eventually can reduce the availability of clean drinking water.

Rudolph Williams
“It does have some negative impact on our rivers. It increases the chloride level, chloride phosphate levels in the water and for the individual or the house on the prairie, it will not be significant, but when you have an entire community using the river as their laundry tub then we have some negative impacts on the water level.”

“People drive their cars in the river and they wash their vehicles in the river and oils get into the water and cause pollution. And at another level we waste water when we use it for our own personal hygiene.”

To conserve this vital resource, a water resource management bill has been drafted for consideration by the National Assembly. If the bill is passed, there will be significant changes in the way water is used and managed. Hydrologist Rudolph Williams is optimistic about the future.

Rudolph Williams
“If the bill passes that means we will have a change in the way we use our water, we’ll a difference in the way how we manage our water and the monitoring will be increased so we will better tell people how to manage the water. One of the areas that will be significantly impacted is ground water monitoring. Right now everybody just bore a hole anywhere and if water is there, they take it out at any rate that they want. If it is not enough, they just abandon it, leave it there for the ground water resources to be contaminated. That one, I am most interested in.”

Today, as Belize observed World Water Day, primary school children were invited to a fair in San Ignacio that encouraged them to manage and conserve water … and these students from St. Barnabas Anglican School in Central Farm seem to have gotten the message.

Jacqueline Godwin
“Why is it important for us to try and conserve our water?”

Kalyssa Torres, Student
“If it is contaminated we can get very sick.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“So when you go back home, what will you do to help protect our water, to keep our waters safe?

Kalyssa Torres
“If it is dirty, you just put a little bit of Clorox in it or you can boil it boil the water.”

Kendra Griffith, Student
“Because if we do not conserve water, we will run out and if we pollute it, it won’t be healthy to drink it and we will have dry outs.”

Cliff Armstrong, Student
“And because it is good to keep water, because water is good for your body.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“How much water you drink in a day?”

Cliff Armstrong
“Seven glasses a day.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“You sure seven glasses a day?”

Cliff Armstrong
“Yes.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“How many soft drinks you drink or ideals?”

Cliff Armstrong
“None. Well sometimes one or two.”

There were a number of displays at the annual event including exhibitions from the Belize Audubon Society, Ministries of Agriculture, Natural Resources and other bodies dealing with water.

Belizeans are being encouraged to develop a culture in which we become more aware of the important role we all play in managing the country’s water resources.