Did you know that climate change or global warming have also affected water resources? In another ten years, water scarcity would reach alarming levels. It is estimated that around 30% of the world’s population would be living in areas where there are no water resources and another 20% in areas with water scarcity. It is not surprising? Have you ever known that currently around 20% or more of the world’s population does not have access to safe water?
Due to rising temperatures as a result of global warming, there is a shortage of water everywhere. The ice in the polar regions is melting faster and is resting in the oceans. This has raised the sea level by 30% to date, however the seawater is not palatable.
In most developing countries, the sewerage system is not adequate. As a result of this, raw or unprocessed sewage is drained into water bodies. This has made most bodies of water unfit for use. Of the unsuitable water resources, more than 70% are declared unsuitable even for industrial use! The mixing of sewage and industrial waste in water bodies has been attributed as main causes.
The next most important cause is rising carbon levels, causing water resources to become acidic and therefore heralding themselves as death zones. The lack of sufficient rain has also taken its toll, as the water that runs out cannot be replenished without rain.
There are many countries that suffer from water shortages, including China. Do you know that China has resorted to forced migration to tackle the water problem? Although there are many bodies of water in China, due to industrialization and the mixing of waste in them, most of its waters are unfit for use. As a result of this, they are forced to manage and serve 22% of the world’s population with less than 5% of the water resources available globally.
Many African countries and even some villages in India and other developing countries lack adequate drainage systems and, in many places, even groundwater is contaminated with sewage. More than 70% of disease deaths are determined to be due to waterborne diseases. Contaminated water is a breeding ground for organisms that cause disease and are also disease-causing themselves. There are many cases in which people, mostly children, die from dehydration.
There are many countries that fight to share water. Few countries have internal conflicts for this reason. Water scarcity is increasing in recent years and is expected to increase steadily until 2020 or 2030. After this period, it is estimated that most water resources will be depleted.
The only possible solution to the water crisis are the following:
• Use reverse osmosis or other inexpensive options to process seawater and make it usable.
• Educate people and implement policies to ensure rain collection takes place.
These two steps are considered vital to avoid the water crisis. Since seawater accounts for more than a third of the world’s composition, it is possible to warn of scarcity to some extent by making this water usable. So it’s important to make sure everyone gets clean, safe water to drink.