Environmental Problem - Water Shortages - Essay Example

Environmental Problem: Water Shortages Overview Water covers 70% of the earth and, as such, there is a common perception that there is plenty of water for use. This is, however, a mere fallacy Hinrichsen, Robey and Upadhyay (1999) argued that while the percentage of water on Earth is high, only 3% of that water is fresh. The other two-thirds of the water are either found in the form of frozen glaciers or unavailable for human consumption. Consequently, the water for domestic use including bathing and drinking or farming is incredibly rare. According to Jury and Vaux (2007), over 1.1 billion people around the world lack access to water, and over 2.7 billion have irregular access to water throughout the year. As a result of the challenge of water access, proper sanitation remains a challenge with statistics indicating that over 2.4 billion people remain exposed to water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. It is worrying that over 2 million people, the majority of whom are children, die annually as a result of diseases alone (Jury & Vaux, 2007). An analysis of the water systems that are responsible for keeping the ecosystems thriving and feeding the ever increasing human population are continually getting stressed. Rivers and lakes are drying up at an unprecedented rate or in other cases becoming highly polluted for any meaningful human use. Human encroachment on wetlands has led to the disappearance of more than half of them. Agriculture has also significantly contributed towards water scarcity. According to Kundzewicz and Kaczmarek (2000), irrigation and other forms of water use in agriculture consume huge volumes of water and often cause wastage through inefficiencies. Climate change has led to change in weather patterns. Consequently, this has affected the availability of water across the globe leading to shortages, and droughts in some parts of the world and floods in others (Doll, 2002). Jury and Vaux (2007) posited that if the present rate of water consumption continues, the situation of water shortage will only get worse. They went on to postulate that by the year 2025, over two-thirds of the world’s population will most likely be faced with the challenge of water shortages. The world’s ecosystems will also be significantly affected as a result of the shortages. Global Water Shortage Figure 1 Global Water Shortage (Source: UNICEF, 2002) Causes of Water Shortages Pollution Water pollution comes from many sources, and this renders the water unusable or reduces the amount available for use. Ocean litter, for instance, from landfills blowing into the streams, containers from ships in the course of storms, and trash that normally washes off city streets end up in the ocean. While in the ocean, this debris undergoes decomposition slowly over the years leading to accumulation in large patches and washing on the beaches (Kundzewicz & Kaczmarek, 2000). Pesticides and fertilizers that are used in firms mostly end up in water sources. According to Chaturvedi (2000), the use of these substances in crop production has increased substantially and is largely due to the increased demand for food production to sustain the increasing human population. While can argue that pesticides and fertilizers are used for noble causes, their effects on the environment are quite devastating. Indiscriminate application of these chemicals ends up polluting not only the lands where they are used, but also water sources as they are washed into the nearby streams and waterways (Chaturvedi, 2000). Industrial wastes that are released to water sources before being also treated contribute, to a large extent to water pollution. The harmful bacteria often associated with the industrial wastes contaminate water hence making it unfit to drink or even swim. In addition, toxic substances that are contained in the industrial effluents may build up over the years in the environment and food chain before being recognized. Climate Change Climate change has been singled out as one of the most contributors of water shortages experienced in the world today. Human activities such as burning of fossil fuels, for instance, coal and natural gas lead to increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other detrimental gases in the atmosphere. Goudriaan and Unsworth (1990) estimated that power production as a result of burning coal leads to the emission of over 23 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The high amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has led to global warming resulting to melting glaciers at the poles and a consequent rise in sea levels and warmer oceans. Glaciers are very important in freshwater supplies and, therefore, their melting will significantly affect the supply of this vital commodity. The increase in temperature is also responsible for the unpredictable weather patterns, for instance, the episodic experiences of droughts and rains across the globe (Goudriaan & Unsworth, 1990). Deforestation is also one of the major causes of climate change. According to Doll (2002), most of the indigenous forests have been destroyed by human beings to pave the way for human settlement, agriculture or livestock. Since forests are responsible for absorption of carbon dioxide, their clearance leads to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hence increase in air pollution (Goudriaan & Unsworth, 1990). The emission of gasses such as Sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere is also detrimental as it mixes with rainwater leading to the production of acid rain. This form of rain falls into rivers, lakes and oceans making it acidic, therefore, unsuitable for survival for some water organisms as it reduces the amount of freshwater available for use. Agriculture According to Gleick (2000), agriculture accounts for about 70% of accessible freshwater use. However, 60% of this water ends up being wasted as a result of poor irrigation methods and leaky irrigation systems. The consequence of such wasteful use of water is that it leads to the drying up of rivers and even underground aquifers. Large scale production of food using irrigation remains one of the greatest consumers of water and wastage. Countries such as India, China, and the US are known for their large scale production of large amounts of food; consequently, these countries use large volumes of water. It is even believed that some of them have reached or are nearly reaching their water resource limits (Kundzewicz and Kaczmarek, 2000). Population Growth Statistics indicates that the human population has more than doubled over the last 50 years. This tremendous growth has also led to increased economic development and industrialization. The consequence of this is it has led to the transformation of water ecosystems leading to a substantial biodiversity loss. David et al., (2004) observed that the increase in population has put pressure on the environment as 41% of the global population live in river basins that are under water stress. The growing demand for fresh water has led to decline of this vital resource continues at unsustainable levels. Damaged Wetlands and Ecosystems Research shows that over half of the earth’s wetlands have undergone destruction by human beings since 1990. Some of these wetlands served a critical role in not only providing a habitat for a wide range of animals but also acting as grounds for breeding for these animals (David et al. 2004). Wetlands are also critical in the cultivation of crops such as rice, which remains the world’s staple food. In addition, wetlands help in provision of a wide range of ecosystem services including water filtration and controlling of floods in the environment. Human activities have, however, led to the destruction of wetlands and, in essence, leading to high demand for water for the cultivation of crops such as rice. On ecosystem damage, it is often the case that water scarcity leads to destruction of the landscape. Duda and El-Ashry (2000) observed that Aral Sea, which was at some point in history the world’s fourth largest freshwater lake, has slowly lost an area almost the size of Lake Michigan. As a consequence of this, the lake is now salty following excessive pollution from nearby industries and diversion of its waters for irrigation purposes. In addition, the retraction of the sea has left a large landmass that is highly polluted. This ecological problem has led to food shortages and also leads to increased infant mortality and low life expectancy for the surrounding population. Impacts of Water Shortages Impact on Industrial Production Water shortages can have a significant impact on almost all sectors of the economy. This is largely because every aspect of the economy directly or indirectly depends on water. For example, water shortage may impact on business activities, the supply of raw materials and the use of products in a multiple numbers of ways. Falkenmark and Lindh (1993) observed that water shortage could hinder the industrial and manufacturing operations especially where water is required for production, material processing, and even cooling purposes. The semiconductor industry, requires large volumes of water for use at the different stages of the fabrication process and cooling of various tools. Water shortages may, therefore, hinder the smooth flow of these activities leading to losses or even shutdown (Falkenmark & Lindh, 1993). Water Shortages and Power Generation Water is an important factor in power generation. Therefore, water shortage can immensely affect the hydro-based power generation and the businesses that rely wholly on the particular power sources. According to David et al. (2004), water shortage is likely to impact the hydropower yields both in the Colorado River and the Great Lakes. Countries such as Brazil that have for long dependent on direct foreign investment with over 90% of its electricity coming from hydropower have already felt the negative impact of drought-induced reductions in energy productions. Impact on Business Reputation Water shortages have a potential of making some companies more susceptible to reputational risks. Water shortages can lead to increased competition for clean water. Jury and Vaux (2007) observed that the phenomenon is more pronounced in water-scarce regions where water-intensive companies establish leading to a scramble for water between the company and the local communities for clean water. The consequence of such a scramble is the damage to a company’s reputation and brand image. In some instances, the company may end up losing its operating license. A perfect example is what happened in Kerala, India where PepsiCo and Coca-Cola’s bottlers ended up losing licenses to use groundwater following a long spell of drought. This followed an opposition from the local community over a perceived competition for local aquifers (Jury & Vaux, 2007). Water shortage, Political, and Economical Instability Water shortages can be a recipe for political and economic stability. Jury and Vaux (2007) argued that water issues can bring a lot political issues among nations. It is the case that major river systems on earth are often shared among two or more nations; consequently, this has often elicited tension between competing jurisdictions within nations. An example of this was the intense drought that occurred in the Southeastern U.S that brought about immense economic and political consequences. On the political front, the consequences were equally devastating. The following year, a bill was introduced aimed at moving the state’s northern border one mile into Tennessee. This move was perceived an attempt to have access to Tennessee River water resources; the move ignited a bitter political exchange over land rights between the states. Impact on Food Crop Production Water plays a critical part in food production. Virtually all crops depend on water for growth and maturity. Chaturvedi (2000) estimated that about 70% of global water is used for agricultural production, with about 90% of water being dedicated for agricultural purposes in developing countries. It is argued that most of the world’s croplands are found in semi-arid areas and could become even drier with the accelerated climate change. Some of the high-risk areas include the Ogallala aquifer that is responsible for 27% of the water used to irrigate lands in the US. Human-induced stresses on the aquifer have, however, led to a significant drop in the water table of up to 100 feet in some areas. Gardner-Outlaw and Engleman (1997) argued that this situation is bound to get worse with the continued decline in the amount of rainfall in the area. The consequence of this will be low food production and escalation of hunger across the globe. Water Shortages Management As a result of the devastating effects of water shortages, it is important to ensure effective water resource management. Duda and El-Ashry (2000) suggested that water resources should be managed in terms of supply and demand. On supply, he argued that the development of new sources of water supply can be curtailed by implementing intelligent water conservation programs and use of efficient equipment. Moreover, the application of economic and institutional incentives would go a long way to optimizing water use among various competing groups. On the demand side, Duda and El-Ashry (2000) argued that there should be community-based initiatives that can help in conserving water. In particular, he notes the connection between population and the demand for freshwater. In order to reduce the demand for water, there is an absolute need to control human population through family planning and provision of reproductive health services. UNESCO (2003) report advocates more efficient use of water resources and allocation among competing users. According to the report, there is potential to preserve water as a great percentage of freshwater often goes to waste. The report observes that there is a tendency to waste water when it is plenty and as such conservation efforts will almost save huge volumes in the event that there are proper policies on water conservation. The report also faults the low prices as encouraging wastage and hampering the effective use of water saving technologies (UNESCO, 2003). In order to reduce water shortages, water-resources development should be embraced. Thus, according to Duda and El-Ashry (2000), it should involve the use of both traditional methods and unconventional and exotic methods. Traditional methods include construction of well, dams and water reservoirs that can collect rainwater and excess flows so that the same can be used in times of drought. Unconventional approaches could include limiting water availability and increasing the costs of water. Such approaches would lead to effective use of water and suppliers considering recycling of wastewater. Exotic approaches, for instance, cloud seeding, fog collection and towing icebergs could also help in water increasing water availability (Duda & El-Ashry, 2000). Conclusion Water remains the sole source of life and development on earth. It helps in the growth of crops; it drives various industrial processes, and it helps in the manufacture of various products just to mention a few. However, various factors including pollution, climate change, population increase, deforestation and poor irrigation methods have led to water shortages. Unless these factors are controlled, water shortage will continue, and this will have serious implications in the near future (David, 2004). It is, therefore, important that proper water shortage management is in place to ensure effective water use and conservation. Proper water use policies should be put in place to guide the use of water. In addition, there should be public awareness on the importance of water conservation especially in developing countries in order to ensure conservation of this valuable commodity (David, 2004). References Chaturvedi, M.C., 2000. Water for food and rural development: developing countries. Water International. 25: 40-53. David, et al., 2004. Water Resources: Agricultural and Environmental Issues, Bioscience, 54(10): 909-917 Doll, P., 2002. Impact of climate change and variability on irrigation requirements: A global perspective. Climate Change 54:269–293. Duda, M.A. & El-Ashry, M.T., 2000. Addressing the global water and environmental crisis through integrated approaches to the management of land, water and ecological resources. Water International 25: 115-126. Falkenmark, M., & Lindh G.,1993.Water and economic development. New York: Oxford University Press. Gardner-Outlaw, T., & Engleman R., 1997. Sustaining water, easing scarcity: A second update. Washington, D.C., Population Action International. Gleick, P.H., 2000. The changing water paradigm: A look at 21st century water resources development. Water International 25: 127-138. Goudriaan, J. & Unsworth, M.H., 1990. Implications of Increasing Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change for Agricultural Productivity and Water Resources, American Society of Agronomy, 53, 111-130 Hinrichsen, D., Robey, B., & Upadhyay, U.D., 1999. Solutions for a water-short world, [Online] Available at www. jhuccp.org/pr/m14edsum.stm (Accessed 15 March, 2015). Jury, W.A. and H. J. Vaux Jr., 2007. The Emerging Global Water Crisis: Managing Scarcity and Conflict between Water Users, Adv. Agron. 95: 1-76. Kundzewicz, W. Z., & Kaczmarek, Z., 2000. Coping with Hydrological Extremes, Water International, 25:1, 66-75. Kundzewicz, Z. W., 1999. Flood Protection Sustainability Issues. Hydrol. Sciences Journal, 44(4): 559-571. UNESCO, 2003. The UN World Water Development Report: Water for people, Water for life. [Online] Available at www.unesco.org/water/wwap/index.shtml (Accessed 14 March 2015). UNICEF, 2002. Water Shortage. SZ-Grafik/ Quelle: Globus. [Online] Available at http://www.hydrogenambassadors.com/background/images/water-shortage.pdf (Accessed 15 March 2015). Read More