Water

Why are water sources under increased pressure?

As there’s a bigger population so more people need to drink water and more factories require water for production

What do informal living settings not have?

Piped water supply

What happens if people don’t have water supplies?

They have to buy expensive bottled water or have dirty water

Why do many LICs not have a good water supply?

There is a lack of infrastructure for piped clean water

What is a water footprint?

The amount of water a person uses

What is included in your water footprint?

Drinking water, shower water, cleaning water and water used for producing food and clothes

What is embedded water?

Water used to produce goods

Do HICs or LICs use more water?

HICs

What is water security?

When a country or regions population has access to clean and affordable water

What does water security allow?

People to live healthy lives, produce food and goods and help ecosystems

What is water scarcity?

When water is too expensive to access

What is physical water scarcity?

When there is a lack of water

What are tops-up strategies?

Large scale development strategies undertaken by government - they’re expensive

What are bottom-down strategies?

Small-scale development projects that help poorer communities through non-government organisations

Dams - tops-down

Block river flow creating a large reservoir

Water transfers - bottom/top up

When water is transferred form an area in surplus to areas in shortage

Desalination plants - bottom/top up

Plants that remove salt from sea water so it is drinkable - these are expensive

Water conservation - bottom/top up

Attempt to use less water - eg water meters, dual flush etc

Using grey water

Using rainwater to water plants etc

Mtumba approach - bottoms up

Training locals to use materials to help not contaminate water - eg build toilets - WaterAid

What is hydropolitics?

Associated with water availability - rivers could flow between 2 countries and can affect quality of water at downriver, this can cause conflict

What factors affect water supply?

Climate, geology, pollution, over-abstraction and poverty

What is over abstraction?

Extraction of water from rivers or underground at an unsuitable rate and exceeds capacity of source to replenish itself - this can lead to lower water levels, dried up water sources and environmental consequences

What are aquifers?

Huge cavern underground filled with water and as they fill the water filters through soil and rocks

Over abstraction example - India

Ground water is being used faster than its being replaced in aquifers as there’s long dry seasons and it’s considered cleaner