Water: A scarce natural resources
There are millions of people all over the world who don’t have access to water, or, if they have access, that water is unable to be used. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water and 3% of it is actually fresh water that is fit for human consumption. Around two-thirds of that is tucked in frozen glaciers and unavailable for our use. According to World wildlife fund, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is predicting that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity. Clean drinking water is scarce and there are millions of people across this globe that spends their entire day searching for it. Yet, people who have access to safe, clean drinking water take it for granted and don’t use it wisely.
According to Mikhail Gorbachev in 2003 “Water, not unlike religion and ideology, has the power to move millions of people. Since the very birth of human civilization, people have moved to settle close to water. People move when there is too little of it; people move when there is too much of it. People move on it. People write and sing and dance and dream about it. People fight over it. And everybody, everywhere and every day, needs it. We need water for drinking, for cooking, for washing, for food, for industry, for energy, for transport, for rituals, for fun, for life. And it is not only we humans who need it; all life is dependent upon water for its very survival."
Causes of water scarcity
Most of the water systems that keep ecosystems thriving and feed a growing human population have become stressed. Rivers, lakes and aquifers are drying up or becoming too polluted to use. More than half the world’s wetlands have disappeared. Agriculture consumes more water than any other source and wastes much of that through inefficiencies. Climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world, causing shortages and droughts in some areas and floods in others.
As humans continue to pump more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, patterns of weather and water will change around the world. Droughts will become more common in some places, floods in others. Glaciers and snow packs will disappear in some areas, affecting the fresh water supply to those downstream communities. These changes will combine to make less water available for agriculture, energy generation, cities and ecosystems around the world.
Water pollution comes from many sources including pesticides and fertilizers that wash away from farms, untreated human waste water, and industrial waste. Even groundwater is not safe from pollution, as many pollutants can leach into underground aquifers. Some effects are immediate, as when harmful bacteria from human waste contaminate water and make it unfit to drink or swim in. In other instances—such as toxic substances from industrial processes—it may take years to build up in the environment and food chain before their effects are fully recognised.
Agriculture uses 70% of the worlds accessible freshwater, but some 60% of this is wasted due to leaky irrigation systems, inefficient application methods as well as the cultivation of crops that are too thirsty for the environment in which they are grown. This wasteful use of water is drying out rivers, lakes and underground aquifers. Many countries that produce large amounts of food—including India, China, Australia, Spain and the United States—have reached or are close to reaching their water resource limits. Added to these thirsty crops are the fact that agriculture also generates considerable freshwater pollution – both through fertilizers as well as pesticides – all of which affect both humans and other species. The daily drinking-water requirement per person is 2-4 liters. However, it takes 2000-5000 liters of water to produce a person’s daily food- FAO.
In the last 50 years, the human population has more than doubled. This rapid growth— with its accompanying economic development and industrialization—has transformed water ecosystems around the world and resulted in a massive loss of biodiversity. Today, 41% of the world’s population lives in river basins that are under water stress. Concern about water availability grows as freshwater use continues at unsustainable levels. Furthermore, these new faces also need food, shelter, and clothing, thus resulting in additional pressure on freshwater through the production of commodities and energy.
Why not desalinization?
The process of desalinization may seem like an easy solution to water scarcity for populations located near saltwater. Currently it is an expensive process, whether through reverse osmosis, steaming, or other techniques like multistage flash distillation. The process also faces enough major setbacks, like producing enough energy to run plants, depositing the waste product (salt/brine), and developing each type of process more, that the option for it to be a serious possible contender to help solve the issue of water scarcity is not practical. As of today this alternative source for clean water is not feasible, till there come a time when we can make the process as easy as possible we must make do with what is available and preserve water to the best of our ability
What we must do
Education and developing better technology are at the core of solving our water issues. There is a high chance that people reading this do not live in water deprived areas, and may think it is not their problem. Here is what you can do to help.
According to Mikhail Gorbachev in 2003 “Water, not unlike religion and ideology, has the power to move millions of people. Since the very birth of human civilization, people have moved to settle close to water. People move when there is too little of it; people move when there is too much of it. People move on it. People write and sing and dance and dream about it. People fight over it. And everybody, everywhere and every day, needs it. We need water for drinking, for cooking, for washing, for food, for industry, for energy, for transport, for rituals, for fun, for life. And it is not only we humans who need it; all life is dependent upon water for its very survival."
Causes of water scarcity
Most of the water systems that keep ecosystems thriving and feed a growing human population have become stressed. Rivers, lakes and aquifers are drying up or becoming too polluted to use. More than half the world’s wetlands have disappeared. Agriculture consumes more water than any other source and wastes much of that through inefficiencies. Climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world, causing shortages and droughts in some areas and floods in others.
- Climate change
As humans continue to pump more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, patterns of weather and water will change around the world. Droughts will become more common in some places, floods in others. Glaciers and snow packs will disappear in some areas, affecting the fresh water supply to those downstream communities. These changes will combine to make less water available for agriculture, energy generation, cities and ecosystems around the world.
- Pollution
Water pollution comes from many sources including pesticides and fertilizers that wash away from farms, untreated human waste water, and industrial waste. Even groundwater is not safe from pollution, as many pollutants can leach into underground aquifers. Some effects are immediate, as when harmful bacteria from human waste contaminate water and make it unfit to drink or swim in. In other instances—such as toxic substances from industrial processes—it may take years to build up in the environment and food chain before their effects are fully recognised.
- Agriculture
Agriculture uses 70% of the worlds accessible freshwater, but some 60% of this is wasted due to leaky irrigation systems, inefficient application methods as well as the cultivation of crops that are too thirsty for the environment in which they are grown. This wasteful use of water is drying out rivers, lakes and underground aquifers. Many countries that produce large amounts of food—including India, China, Australia, Spain and the United States—have reached or are close to reaching their water resource limits. Added to these thirsty crops are the fact that agriculture also generates considerable freshwater pollution – both through fertilizers as well as pesticides – all of which affect both humans and other species. The daily drinking-water requirement per person is 2-4 liters. However, it takes 2000-5000 liters of water to produce a person’s daily food- FAO.
- Population growth
In the last 50 years, the human population has more than doubled. This rapid growth— with its accompanying economic development and industrialization—has transformed water ecosystems around the world and resulted in a massive loss of biodiversity. Today, 41% of the world’s population lives in river basins that are under water stress. Concern about water availability grows as freshwater use continues at unsustainable levels. Furthermore, these new faces also need food, shelter, and clothing, thus resulting in additional pressure on freshwater through the production of commodities and energy.
Why not desalinization?
The process of desalinization may seem like an easy solution to water scarcity for populations located near saltwater. Currently it is an expensive process, whether through reverse osmosis, steaming, or other techniques like multistage flash distillation. The process also faces enough major setbacks, like producing enough energy to run plants, depositing the waste product (salt/brine), and developing each type of process more, that the option for it to be a serious possible contender to help solve the issue of water scarcity is not practical. As of today this alternative source for clean water is not feasible, till there come a time when we can make the process as easy as possible we must make do with what is available and preserve water to the best of our ability
What we must do
Education and developing better technology are at the core of solving our water issues. There is a high chance that people reading this do not live in water deprived areas, and may think it is not their problem. Here is what you can do to help.
- Creating awareness
Learn about water crisis, just like you are doing. If you understand a problem, you are in a better position to have a solution. Talk about it with family and friends. Look out for news and facts on water shortages and crisis areas. Talk to locals around your communities on the need to preserve water and avoid wastage
- Be part of the change
Support competitions, organisations and societies that aim to preserve and defend natural resources including water. Speak to you parents about donating or helping out charity grouped to provide water to the neediest places.
- Use water wisely
You should never assume that your society is too advanced to experience water shortage. If we do not acquire the right attitude towards water, it is only a matter of time and one day there will be a shortage. Keep the tap off when not in use. Minimize the flushing of toilets and bath times. In effect, anything that you can do to save water, do it.
- Industries and Governments
Join pressure groups that stop individuals, industries and governments from cutting down trees and doing other things that pollute and degrade the environment.
Join pressure groups that stop individuals, industries and governments from cutting down trees and doing other things that pollute and degrade the environment.
Join pressure groups that stop individuals, industries and governments from cutting down trees and doing other things that pollute and degrade the environment.
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