Winner - VALUE EVERY DROP By: Michael Miller Queen’s College – Grade 10R (Photo: Bahamas Visual Services)

Nassau, Bahamas - The topic for this year year's Water and Sewage Corporation essay and video competition was, "Water for Survival: Value Every Drop” and students chose between entering a 400-500 word written essay, or a three-minute video.

Top entries came from Mathilda Saintil, C.C. Sweeting; Michael Miller (winner), Queen's College; Waynisha Saunders, C.V. Bethel; Kamal Hudson-Aquinas College; and Dehron Smith, Nassau Christian Academy.

The following is the essay entry from the winner of the 2016 Water for Survival Essay Competition:

VALUE EVERY DROP By: Michael Miller Queen’s College – Grade 10R

Water is an inexpressively vital substance. It is a necessity for all life on this planet. Now, imagine for a minute that this incredibly prominent resource suddenly vanished from the face of the earth, without a trace. It is nearly impossible to fathom such an existence, nevertheless, if we do not highlight its value and begin to implement ways to conserve it, then this might transcend fiction and become reality – our reality.

To emphasize just how essential water really is, we need only to consider one important fact. For the most advanced beings amongst the animal kingdom, our bodies are still made primarily of water. Indeed, it comprises 75% of our brains and muscles, and 83% of our blood. Hence, we need to consume it in large quantities to promote good health. If that doesn’t paint a clear picture of why water is so crucial to sustain, then I truly don’t know what will.

Pictured are the 2016 Water and Sewerage Essay and Video winners along with (left to right) Visna Armbrister, WSC Public Affairs Manager, Mathilda Saintil, C.C. Sweeting , Michael Miller, Queen's College, Waynisha Saunders, C.V. Bethel, Kamal Hudson-Aquinas College, Dehron Smith, Nassau Christian Academy and Devin Griffin, WSC PR Assistant. (Photo: Bahamas Visual Services)

Not only is water significant in sustaining life, but it plays an integral part in stimulating the economy. “Water drives job creation and economic growth”, says the UN. This resource provides a living for a substantial amount of the world’s total population. In fact, three out of four jobs in the global arena are dependent on water. Moreover, in the coming years, a shortage of water and even access to water, could impede economic growth. Should we continue along this wasteful path, as if we are impervious to such a growing threat?

To keep such a dilemma at bay, we must come to terms with the fact that such an abundant resource can be exhausted. Therefore, we must feverishly work to conserve every drop of water while the option is still on the table. For example, when it comes to bathrooms, we can purchase toilets and latrines that require less than a gallon’s worth to flush. For outdoor sports, instead of grass for athletic playing fields, switch to artificial turfs that don’t require watering. Energy efficient washing machines are also ideal, including those that use up to two-thirds less water than other machines. These practical ideas are easy to adopt but people must first understand the need before they willingly commit.

Undoubtedly, our devaluation of water can result in its major depletion. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand that this liquid is not a trivial luxury that one can simply buy and replace. In today’s world and with the current circumstances, we can no longer afford to ignore the value in what we drink, bathe with and use for various tasks. Consequently, our comprehension of the value of water must increase as our misuse decreases. To conserve what we still have is paramount for perpetuating our own existence. We must come to comprehend and respect the true value in every stream, every bottle, every glass and every drop of water. Otherwise, we will soon recognize what Benjamin Franklin meant when he said, “when the well is dry, we will know the worth of water”.