Water is the liquid which forms lakes, seas, rivers,
rain and is the basis of fluid of living organisms. Human body is 60% water and
man need water to maintain this cells and for other activities to meet up with
activities of life.
70% of the earth is covered with water. While 3% out
of this is not salty and good for consumption. 2.5% of this 3% is frozen in polar
Island leaving only about 0.5-1% accessible to man. Out of this number only
0.007% of the planet water is available to fuel and feed its population of 6.8
billion people.
Activities of man has continually
lead to insufficient and shortage of this available water. Man has being proven
to be inefficient water users because of complex activities, industrial,
natural degradation urbanization and development etc.
Because of the
ways and manner man handled this waters there has being lots challenges globally
which has contributed to water shortage. These challenges are:
* Increase in population growth
* Rapid urbanization
* Increased farming activities
* Climate change etc.
The word is facing sever shortage of fresh water
particularly in developing countries. Lack of water will put pressure on food
prices, constrain developing countries, poverty reduction effort and hampers
economic growth.
* Environmental
degradation and Climate Change
This is another events which posses
great challenge and contribute to global water shortage. Degradation
contaminates water sources and reduces natural storage of water.
* Agricultural
Activities
An agricultural activity is another
area which challenge fresh water accessibility. Agriculture is yet another
aspect of mans activities which contribute to challenges in water shortage
globally. Agriculture account for the largest share of the worlds total fresh
water consumption. Agriculture requires large amount of water. According to a
report by the united nation, agriculture uses 70% of all water withdrawals
while industrial and domestic activities take about 22.0% and 8.0%
respectively. In order to meet up with the growing population, agricultural
activities has increased significantly to feed the growing population. Source:
Africa, Asia and consumer and economics trend Global 2010
* Rapid
urbanization:
Urbanization
simply means migration of people from rural to urban areas with accessible
amenities such as water, good housing, electricity supply etc. urbanization put
strain on access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities
especially in developing countries that are already suffering water shortage.
Accord to UN report by 2020, 55.6% of the world population will live in urban
areas. The more people migrate to urban cities where this amenities are
available, the more the demand for water and hence reducing the available water
and at the end result in water shortage.
* Increase
Industrial Activities:
Many industries uses water to
produce their product and some even go as much as engaging or business ventures
that involve selling of water e.g
beverages producing companies, bottling companies etc. they make the highest
business opportunity on water and the end result of this is shortage in
availability of water globally.
* Climate
Change and Activities of Greenhouse Gas Emission
Because of the negative effect of
green house gas emission caused by mans activities, this depletes the ozone
layer and increases the sun intensity on earth surface coursing intense heat
and evaporation of the surface and underground water. At the end, Source Rivers,
lakes, and even the underground water dries up by evaporation thus, reducing
the quantity of global water. This result into global water shortage and
displacement of aquatic life, and possible drought.
In summary major challenges that
could results as a result of global water shortage are:
- Lack
of clean water which will lead to poor sanitation and increased heath concerns
i.e increase in spread of disease.
- At the end, there is human death
caused by spread of disease.
- Negative
consequences of water shortage to agriculture will in turn result to poor economy
and exacerbate poverty incidence especially in developing countries.
- conflicts
may arise in water stressed area among local communities between countries and
undermining business environment e.g India and Parkistine have long dispute
over hydropower on river industries.
* Also
water scarcity has urged consumers and companies to implement on water saving
measures in business and such business expand to the advantage of few while the
majority suffers the shortage caused by this businesses.
In
conclusion, water shortage will continue to be a critical problem which prompts
government, business and consumers action.
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL WATER SHORTAGE
Many ideas and suggestion have being put in to solve
the issue of global water challenges. Expects named “the top 19” came with 19
solutions to global fresh water crisis. Among these are;
* Public
Education and awareness:
Education is the number one step to start solving this
problems. Education campaign should be carried out to change peoples behaviour
to minimize excess waste of water, avoid polluting water source and other
avenues to guard against actions that encourages water shortage.
* Invent
New Conservation Technologies
This will go a long way to help in conserving
available water especial in areas where aquifers are drying up and rain water
is unpredictable. Innovation is needed to help in developing new conservation
technologies.
* Recycled
Water Waste
Recycle waste water techniques is
now used by many countries to cut down water shortage and become more self
sufficient. Asian republic is a leader in this advance technology.
* Improved
Irrigation and Agricultural Practices
This will also go a long way to
solving global water shortage, it helps to close supply and demand gaps. The
old methods of farming by irrigation which consumes large quantity of water is
changed to advanced technology with less consumption of water.
* Appropriately
Price Water
Water pricing and rights go hand in
hand, with consumers questioning the benefits of high prices. When price of
water are moderately high, people will see water as a commodity not to be
wasted nor easily polluted. High price of water will make consumers to recycle
and reuse water e.g as seen in fairly used cars where people spend less to get
the same satisfaction they will derive from the new ones from manufacturers.
* Developing
Energy Efficient Desalination Plants
Desalination has been an energy
intensive solution to water scarcity. It is advanced method whereby machines
and other technologies are employed produce drinking water from sea water. This
machine reduces the salty test of the
sea water so that it can be use for both domestic and industrial activities.
There are about 14,380 desalination machine globally which was said to be
producing 16.3 billion gallon of water per day.
* Improve
Water Catchments and Harvesting
This involves taking advantage of rain
water and storing as much as possible for future uses. It also helps to reduce
water scarcity.
* Look
to Community Base Governance and Partnerships
This involves ensuring more
effective governance at the grass roots level so as to lead to effective policies
on a national scale.
* Develop
and enact better policies and regulations
Regulations and polices help to
check and control rate at which water is used. Punishment can also be melted
out for defaulter of this policies aimed at reducing water shortage and
improper utilization of water.
Also, as water scarcity complicate
food security and pollution, government need to redefine their role by
establishing clean water act to ensure protections of our water.
* Improve
distribution infrastructure
Poor infrastructure is devastating
to health and economy. Bust pipes should be repaired; regular sewage system
treatment will go a long way to reduce contaminating source water.
* Address
Pollution:
Measuring and monitory quality of water is essential
to human health, control pollution so as to secure the quality of drinking
water especially at the local level. Water pollution not only reduces the
quality of drinking water but also contribute to spread of diseases.
* Water
projects in developing countries/transfer of technology.
While water scarcity is more sever in developing
countries, to help in alleviating the suffering population one proposed
solution is to transfer water conservation technologies to these dry areas.
* Climate
change mitigation
Policies can be made on green house
gas emission to have a renewable option and pursued. They should consider
producing alternative ranging from bio energy hydropower to solar energy power
plants.
* Population
Growth Control
Control in population explosion
could go a long way to bring solution to the global water shortage. The
population growth could be control through taxation, education and use of
family planning devices. According to the United Nations, water use has grown
more than twice the rate of population increase in the last century. They
further stated that by 2025, about 1.8 billion people will suffer acute water
scarcity and two third of the world population will encounter water stress due
to this increase in population.
Other
solution to global water shortage are;
Construction
of more damps, large scale infrastructure and drilling of more bore holes.