Some people think that we can use as much fresh water as we want. Others think that fresh water supply should be controlled strictly by governments as the sources are limited. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Although about seventy per cent of the Earth's surface is water-covered, the oceans hold about ninety per cent of all Earth's water and only just ten per cent of it can be used for human consumption. For many years, there has been an ongoing debate between people who that there should be strict regulations on the use of fresh water, while others hold the opinion that individuals should have complete freedom on water use. I don’t believe tight regulation is practical or possible, but there should be some level of control on water supply and utilise. There are two main reasons why some people believe that government should strictly control the usage of water. The main reason is that fresh water is scarce and already many countries are facing a severe water shortage. Controlling the supply of fresh water is the only way to ensure that there is adequate water for everyone and there is water left for our future generations. Another result of controlling fresh water supply would be that it would coerce people to use it more wisely and reduce its wastage. On the other hand, those who believe that there should be no restrictions on water, give the following reasons. Firstly, they believe that rather than benefitting everyone, strict control would have negative consequences. For example, the rich might try to bribe officials to get illegal water connections installed. Secondly, people might be forced to procure water from unregulated contaminated sources, which may lead to diseases and other problems. I believe that there should some level of government control on water use, but I also recognize that keeping tight control on the water is impossible as it is present everywhere. Some level of control would definitely be beneficial as it would create more awareness about the severity of increasing water scarcity. It might also encourage people to take positive initiatives to save water. For example, rationing of water in some Indian cities has led to people installing rainwater harvesting systems at home. In conclusion, I believe that a strong level of control on water supply is no more an option but a necessity.