Water Problems the World is Facing Now - Essay Example

Water Problems Student’s Name Course Professor Date Introduction Over the past decades, the world has experienced water shortage and forecasts shows that we are headed for water crisis soon. However, various solutions like rainwater harvesting and dams, underground water have been applied to solve water problems though they have their negativities. There is still other suggested and appear to be more promising like desalination. Reasons for the water problems First, population growth is attributed to be a major cause of water scarcity. Global urban population has drastically increased over the decades leading to serious water shortages, drainage and sanitation where in mid-1990s, 80 countries with 40% of the world population suffered the shortages. Poor people are worst hit by water shortage paying dearly to water vendors like the case of Jakarta, Indonesia, Karachi, Pakistan Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Nouakchott, Mauritania (Water/The Facts 2003). Secondly, in nearly all places, water abuse or wastage is rampant without regard for sustainability and environmental consequences. Greater quantities of water are used for irrigation. Modern engineering has contributed a lot to irrigation disasters. For instance, Aral Sea started to dry up and has shrunk by three-quarters after 1950s Soviet planners diverted two major rivers that supplied it with water to irrigation (Irrigate and die 2003). Thirdly, between 1,500 and 2,000 million people all over the world relies on underground water which is easily depleting due to climate change. Currently, there are low levels of water in aquifers and depletion in some areas like India, China, US, North African and Middle East. In turn countries efforts to tap water from underground basins, has become fruitless (Water/The Facts 2003). Lastly, pollution is a major problem that has affected water security due to increased deposition of human and animal waste, naturally occurring toxins and synthetic chemicals used today. Technical solutions to water problems Down the history, rainwater harvesting is an obvious solution but has been carried on a small scale in many places. However, bigger projects like in arid India have facilitated water harvesting through significant dams, reservoirs, and underground tanks. On one hand, rainwater harvesting offers a solution to communities by reducing dangerous dams and water privatization as they maintain their water structures (The Water Man 2003). Over the past few decades, construction of dams emerged as the solution to water scarcity with Hoover dam build in 1935. Many countries now have many dams for water supply with China having 22,000, United States 6,600, India 4,300 and Japan 2,700. On one hand, dams provide solutions to water shortages. Dams take vast spaces which hold water from flowing rivers and act as reservoirs for rainwater (Damming Evidence 2003). In an age of uncertain climate, there are suggestions to build a huge desalination plant, recycle waste water and capturing stormwater. Desalination is prominent under the discussion as its facilities will clean up water from the seas and provides water continuously throughout the year. The world has access to technologies that can clean up water and solve scarcity issues (The solution article by Chandler). Reasons why someone would think these solutions are best way to supply people with water Firstly, dams supply water in dry seasons and for areas that rainwater harvest is practically impossible due to lack of space or lengthy dry spells. Water storage, for instance in reservoirs and dams also contribute to electricity generation and can compensate for electricity lost when pumping ground water. Secondly, desalination seems to be a perfect solution to water shortage as vast water resources (over 97% of total world water) goes to the sea. With statistics giving a worrying figure where two-thirds of world’s people will face water stress by 2025, such solution is required to avert the dire problem (Water/The Facts 2003). In turn, desalination will give water to all people as water will be cleaned up during rainy and dry seasons. Thirdly, rainwater harvesting is very much applicable in rural areas and it is the best solution used and suggested for many communities to help conserve water. They can in turn get water for domestic use. Individuals just require massive spaces and facilities to keep water to sustain them throughout the dry spells. Popular ‘non-technical’ solutions to water problems One major method used across the world is use of machines to drill water from underground. In India, over 21 million farmers tap underground water as two-thirds of India food is grown through irrigation. However, unlike river water, underground water is running out, and their regulation is impossible. In the southern state of India, two-thirds of hand-dug well have failed already (Pearce 2006, p.34). One less used method, mostly confined in some areas like India involves communities redesigning their drainage system to slow the water passing after a monsoon rain. Water passes slowly from one pond to another where it percolates through the soil to refill their reservoirs and replenish their wells. In turn, unlike the case where they used to get water as far as 30 meters, they only dig seven meter wells. Cracks filled with concrete help to reserve the collected water in the ponds. Through rainwater harvest, authorities in India are trying to boost water in aquifers and rehabilitate its ancient lakes. The water controlled to the pond by farmers dissipate into the wider aquifer. Water table eventually rise, dried river start to flow, increase water for irrigation and transform the productivity of the fields (Pearce 2006, p.36). Reasons why someone would think these solutions are best way to supply people with water Underground water offers a remedy for domestic water and irrigation in most areas. Two-thirds of water is noted to be used to irrigate and grow crops. Food is as basic as water and applying the suggested solutions help to grow much-needed farm produces. Without water for irrigation, most continents such as India where two-thirds of its population rely on produces grown through irrigation would starve (Irrigate to die 2003). Reasons to believe that they are not the best way to supply people with water The more promising each method reviewed above are to supply water, the more costly it is. For instance, desalination seems more promising in ending the continued and perceived water scarcity, yet it will require over ten time the energy used in cleaning water (Chandler, the solution article). Aquifers and drilled water currently solve water problems to millions of people. However, pumping the water consumes a lot of electricity leading to widespread blackout. Construction of dams and reservoirs displaces people from the vast amount of land. It is also risky for people living close to a dam. If it breaks it can lead to massive deaths like the case of China where over 230,000 people died (Damming Evidence 2003). Diverting water to dams dries rivers and accelerates water scarcity in areas that major rivers flow. It also leads to massive deposition of sediment filling the reservoirs and causing soil erosion. Most of the solutions negatively affect the environment like flooding near reservoirs, affect marine animals and habitats. Conclusion The world has and will face water problems. However, there have been continuous with the construction of dams, drilling for underground water and rainwater harvesting. Additionally, with the depletion of aquifers, disruptions caused by dams and climate change, these solutions may not be offering any lasting solution to water problems. The recent suggested solution has been desalination of sea water. References Chandler, J ‘The solution.' ‘Damming Evidence’ 2003, Economist, viewed 1 April 2015, from Read More