The United Kingdom's environmental agency chief has, in a recently published article, asked people to "change how we think about water" and treat it as a precious resource, not a free good.

The article talked of how water companies are planning systems that will recycle sewage from lavatories into drinking water, while asking people to be "less squeamish" about drinking water. Predictably, the article drew shocked responses, with many saying "clean" water was their basic need and that they weren't being squeamish.

As the world stares at the gravest drought in decades, it is necessary for environmental officials to look more carefully into people's basic drinking water needs. The drought is not an isolated incident of 2022, the growing drought conditions have been continuing for years, even decades.

In the Horn of Africa, rainfall shortage has persisted for four successive rain seasons; in the western part of the United States, the Colorado River is seeing its 23rd drought season; in China, Sichuan province and Chongqing municipality saw such severe droughts this year that hydropower stations there could not work at full capacity.

The World Meteorological Organization blames people's activities for climate change. Against this backdrop, recycling sewage water might be a good idea, but that cannot solve the problem of the lack of rain. While maximizing people's efficient use of water, it is necessary to curb the global temperature rise so that normal rainfall returns to fill up rivers, lakes and water reservoirs, while raising underground water levels.

That's what the world needs to do. As individuals, we can do our own bit in the fight against climate change by saving water, taking bicycles instead of cars, and turning lights off when leaving a room.

Data show that between 1900 and 2019, 2.7 billion people were affected by droughts. The figure might increase to three-fourths of the global population by 2050. It is time to act before it is too late.