ESS Topic 4.2

Water access, use, & security

what is water security

having access to sufficient amounts of safe drinking water

around 1.2 billion people live without water security

water security is essential to develiping sustanible communities

The social factors of water security

1. large populations demand more water —> more strain on potable water sources

2. Regions with higher population density have greater water pressure to do typical processes (agriculture, domestic, and industrial) —> strains available water sources

3. Cities require large amounts of water (urbanization)

4. Higher living standards leads to higher consumption of water

THe cultural factors of water

1. some cultures prioritize water conservation and care about water pollution more than others —> some culture more sustainably use water and their water quality is better

2. High levels of consumerism lead to more water usage

3. Some tradition agriculture methods unefficiently use water

The economic factors of water scarcity

1. wealthier nations often have more money to invest in water management —> better water quality and more widespread water security (and vice versa for poorer countries)

2. industrial activities require more water

3. LArge agriculture sectors = more water taken up for agriculture

Political factors fo Water secutiry

1. Government policies affect the regulation of water (water quality and distribution) (ex. West Africa national Wate Act )

2. International water agreements requires cooperation between countries —> more difficult to establish international water legislature

3. Political instability can disrupt the chain of water supplies

Geographic factors of water secitity

1. Some regions are closer to many sources of freshwater (i.e more rainfall or closer to bodies of water)

2. Some regions climates are better at maintaining freshwater sources (ex desserts have less rainfall and water accessibility than tropics)

3. More elevated regions have more rainfall and have water stored in snowpeaks & glaciers (natural reservoirs) —> more water availability. While low laying areas have less access to fresh water.

water scarcity

• the lack of sufficient available resources to meet the demand of the region

-as populations rise communities must prepare for more water use

-Because water is unevenly distributed around the globe some areas of land have rampants water scarcity while others have a water surplus

-around 450 mill people in LIC live in water shortages

• physical water shortages: when the demand for water outpaces the supply (norm occurs in arid climates)

• Economic water scarcity: water is available but not affordable

Factors that contribute to water scarcity / stress

1. over abstraction —> more water is being used than can be replenished

2. pollution of surface / groundwater sources from agriculture, industrial water run-off

3. Outdated water infrastructure creates individual inefficiency in water usage

Water conservation techniques

1. Metering - install water meters to measure water usage accurately —> helps with household water consumption

2. rationing - limits the water usage per household by implementing quotas or tariffs

3. grey water recycling - captures and treats grey water for non-potable applications

4. low-flush toilets : reduces the water consumption per flush

5. Rainwater harvesting - collects and stores rainwater for non-potable tasks

6. Greenhouses - attach rainwater harvesting to greenhouses to irrigate plants inside

7. aquaponics systems. - combines fish farming with hydroponic plant cultivation —> recycles water between fish tanks and plant beds

8. Drip irrigation - deliver water directly from run-off to crops —> minimizes water loss from evaporation and surface run-off

9. Drought resistant crops - require less water to grow and are suited for arid climates —> reduces water consumption from agriculture

10. Going vegetarian - plants use less water than animals, so it would reduce the water consumption of livestock farming

Water security / scarcity and usage statistics

security :

• freshwater makes up 2.6 % fo water on earth

Scarcity:

• 1.2 billion live in water scarcity

• 450 million people in LIC have severe water shortages

• 41% fo population live near bodies of water but don’t haev acess to water

Usage:

• rich countries) 59% industrial , 30% agricultural, 11% domestic water usage

• low-middle income countries ) 82% agriculture, 10% industrial, 8% domestic,

• World wide) 70% agriculture, 22% industrial, 8% domestic