Facing the Freshwater Crisis
- Global freshwater resources are threatened by rising demands from many quarters.
- Growing population is in need for water for drinking, sanitation, food production and industry.
- Climate change is expected to contribute to droughts.
- Policy makers need to figure out how to supply water without degrading the natural ecosystems that provide it.
- Low tech approaches can help prevent scarcity, as can ways to boost supplies such as improved methods to desalinate water.
- Governments need to start making investments in infrastructure for water conservation.
- 1/6 people suffer from lack of freshwater.
- Scientists predict that the amount of freshwater available will decrease because the population is increasing and many people are getting richer.
- Many water systems are in danger because of contamination of water caused by humans.
- Each person uses 1,000 cubic meters per year.
- Equivalent to 2/5 of the water in an olympic pool.
- Providing water to dryer climates are very difficult.
- Water scarcity in developed countries is common as well.
- In some countries, the struggles of water have contributed to civil and military disputes in that area.
- Higher prices of water can spur the idea of gray water usage.
- Supply and demand of water depends on the area in which you live in.
- Conserving irrigation flows would conserve dramatically more freshwater.
- The fundamental task for managers is to transfer water from the high supply season to the high demand season.
- Most common solution is to hold surface behind dams until growing season, but most of the time, exposure evaporates much of this supply.
- The solution to this is to create water banks.
- Drip irrigation systems could also help these problems.
- Virtual water is helping dry countries avoid using their own water.
- Scientists are working on reverse osmosis filters.
- Countries suffering from rapid population growth will suffer lack of fresh water.
- We don't have to make new technologies, we just have to move forward with the existing water technologies.
- Solving the water problem will not be easy, but we can succeed if we stick to it.
- Otherwise our world will go thirsty.
Summary: The problem in our world today is the lack of fresh water. Fresh water is essential to life and it is becoming a big problem as populations are growing and our world is becoming richer. If we do not change our ways soon, droughts are going to occur. Our entire world may become a desert. Policy makers need to figure out how to supply water without degrading the natural ecosystems that provide it. There are a variety of things that are helping this problem such as virtual water, osmosis filters and conservation efforts, but new technologies are not the thing that will solve this problem. We need to stick to the technologies that we already have and stick to them. One of the main problems that are affecting our water drought is the increased population. The increase in population and the population getting richer is affecting us greatly. Water is needed for hydration, sanitation, food production and so much more. If we continue to pollute the water we have now, our world will become thirsty and water prices will rise dramatically. Solving this water problem will not be easy, but if we stick to it, we will succeed.
Reflection: After reading this article, it made me realize how fast we are running put of water. Back when I was small water was barely a problem, but throughout the years it has been increasing and it'll only get bigger and bigger. Unless we do something now no matter the cost. We should create fundraisers to help those countries who can't afford freshwater. Fundraisers should be cheap prices and not encurage kids to sell expensive candy that you can buy for a dollar at your local 99 cents store :)!