What is water scarcity?

A lack of sufficient water resources to meet a region’s needs is known as water scarcity. There is sufficient freshwater on the planet for seven billion people; however, it is not evenly distributed, and too much of it is wasted, polluted, and managed in an unsustainable manner. Although water use has increased more than twice as quickly as the population over the past century, there is no global water scarcity as such. However, a number of locations and regions are chronically short of water.

Water scarcity is common, even in countries with adequate water resources. Access to clean water for drinking and practicing basic hygiene at home, in schools, and in healthcare facilities is restricted by water scarcity. The risk of contracting diseases like cholera rises when there is a lack of water, which can cause sewage systems to break down. Furthermore, the price of scarce water rises.

Women and children are particularly affected by water scarcity because they frequently collect it. Water that is further away, taking longer to collect, typically means less time spent at school. A lack of water in schools has an effect on student enrollment, attendance, and performance, especially for girls. The physical strain of carrying water over long distances can also put children at risk for exploitation and safety hazards.

The world’s population has doubled in the past 50 years and continues to rise. The consumption of water for drinking, cooking and other purposes has tripled as a result. Water resources must be better managed as the world’s population is expected to rise in the coming decades.

Majors Factors Contributing to the Scarcity of Water

Pollution

Pesticides and fertilizers that wash away from farms, untreated human wastewater, and industrial waste are just a few of the many sources of water pollution. Because many pollutants can leach into underground aquifers, groundwater is not immune to pollution. Some effects are immediate, like when harmful bacteria from human waste contaminate water, making it unsafe for drinking or swimming. In other instances, it may take years for their effects to be fully recognized in the environment and food chain.

The shortage is exacerbated by the deterioration of water quality. Water pollution has negative effects on the environment, reducing the amount of water available for use and consumption and making it unfit for human consumption. As a result, one of the main threats to the availability and reuse of water is pollution. The availability of freshwater sources is harmed by fertilizers and pesticides, depletion of soil, and inadequate waste disposal practices.

Overuse of water

Another major factor contributing to water scarcity is the misuse of water resources. A lot of water is wasted due to inadequate management of water resources, whether used for agriculture, which uses 70% of the world’s available freshwater, industrial activities, or household use. This puts a lot of “stress” on the number of water resources that are available, given that we are wasting more water than ever before.

Climate Change

In some places, ice packs and glaciers are melting, threatening freshwater supplies. Additionally, there are increasingly more heat waves, floods, and droughts as a result of global warming. As a result, the water crisis is getting worse, especially in places where there is already a lack of water.

Growing freshwater demand

The world’s population has doubled in the past 50 years and continues to rise. The consumption of water for drinking, cooking and other purposes has tripled as a result. Water resources must be better managed as the world’s population is expected to rise in the coming decades.

Agriculture

70% of the world’s available freshwater is used by agriculture, but 60% of it is wasted due to leaky irrigation systems, inefficient application methods, and crops that are too thirsty for their environment. Rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers are being dried up as a result of this wasteful use of water. India, China, Australia, Spain, and the United States—all of which produce a lot of food—have reached or are close to reaching their water resource limits. In addition to these thirsty crops, agriculture also pollutes a significant amount of freshwater through the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which have an impact on humans and other species.

Population Growth

The human population has exceeded more than 50% in the past 50 years. Water ecosystems around the world have changed as a result of this rapid growth, which was accompanied by economic development and industrialization. As a result, there has been a significant loss of biodiversity. 41% of the world’s population currently resides in river basins that are experiencing water stress. As unsustainable levels of freshwater use persist, concern over water availability grows. Additionally, these newcomers require clothing, shelter, and food, increasing the demand for freshwater through the production of commodities and energy.

Global Statistics

1. More than one billion people lack access to safe drinking water.
2. Nearly two-thirds of the world’s population, or four billion people, suffer from severe water scarcity at least once a year.
3. Countries with inadequate water supplies house over two billion people.
4. By 2025, half of the world’s population may live in areas with a lack of water.
5. By 2030, severe water scarcity could cause the displacement of approximately 700 million people.
6. One in four children worldwide will live in areas with extremely high water stress by 2040.

What can we do to prevent it?

We can safeguard our future generations from severe water crises in the following two ways:

Finding new sources of water: by conducting field investigations and remote sensing and geophysical surveys to evaluate the availability of water resources.

Enhancing water resources’ effectiveness: by restoring urban water distribution and treatment networks to reduce contamination and leakage, as well as by advocating for water reuse.

Changing one’s habits: by supporting environmental clubs in schools and working with schools and communities to raise awareness of the value of water and the significance of protecting it.

Planned supply of national water: By collaborating with key stakeholders at the national and sub-national levels to comprehend the water requirements for household use, health, and sanitation, and ensuring that these requirements are taken into account in national planning.

Being conscious of water waste: By using water resources wisely and reducing waste to a minimum. We are devoted to a number of causes that address the issue of water scarcity in remote regions of the world day and night. Visit our website and make a donation to support the good cause.