WATER AVAILABILITY ESSAY The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN - IPCC) found that as many as 2 billion people will not have sufficient access to clean water by 2050. That figure is expected to rise to 3.2 billion by 2080 – nearly tripling the number of people who now do without water Write an essay describing ways in which the availability of water can be increased and how the quality of the water can be improved to cater for the increasing human population. Content: 17 Synthesis: 3 AVAILABILITY OF WATER Increased temperatures cause a high level of evaporation from many water sources thus decreasing the amount of water available The construction of additional dams can assist greatly in increasing the quantity of water stored The conservation of our wetlands are important in that they provide water for domestic and livestock used as well as for irrigation. The vegetation in the wetlands also helps in purifying the water naturally A large amount of water used for irrigation is lost due to poor farming practices. Open drain irrigation leads to loss o f water by evaporation. The use of water for irrigation further up a river decreases the availability of water for other users lower down in the river. Ploughing downhill instead of in contours causes loss of water through rapid drainage. The use of fertilisers and pesticides has also decreased the amount of clean water available, thus increasing costs involved in purification Exotic plants often have deep rooting systems that obtain water from deep down in the water table. This reduces the amount of water available. Boreholes have been used in areas that do not have direct access to other sources of water A certain amount of water is available free to all citizens Availability is also affected by wastage of water though leaking taps and toilets and faulty pipelines Wastage of water can be reduced by reducing the pressure in the pipes, by educating wise use of water and by maintaining all plumbing in good condition QUALITY OF WATER Water used for domestic purposes contains detergents and pathogenic bacteria in sewage. This water has to be treated before it gets into the water course Improper sanitation increased the changes of water being polluted and hence increases the chances of water borne diseases Water used for industrial purpose may contain many heavy metals, oil, heat and fertilisers. This adversely affects the quality of the water Water used for agriculture may contain pesticides, herbicides, and fertilisers, which pollute the water causing eutrophication. The oxygen level in the water is decreased thus reducing the potential for life in such water Water returned to the environment from mines is generally acidic and toxic. This water is hot and thus contributes to thermal pollution. Thermal pollution also reduces the availability of oxygen in the water Alien invasive water plants clog the waterways, reducing light to other aquatic plants. These plants die and decompose. The bacteria deplete the oxygen supply in the water LIFE SCIENCE ACADEMICS - 2014
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 17:09:25 +0000
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