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Write a note on scarcity of water?
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Write a note on scarcity of water?
WATER SCARCITY
Despite water being an existential need for humans, it’s also one of the most under prioritized but over abused commodity. Water is central to our lives but has not been the central point of focus in our planning while we rapidly evolve into an urban society.
Despite water being an existential need for humans, it’s also one of the most under prioritized but over abused commodity. Water is central to our lives but has not been the central point of focus in our planning while we rapidly evolve into an urban society.
Through time, early societies understood the importance and need for water and planned their lives around it. Civilizations were born and lost on account of water. Today, we have the advantage of this knowledge and we still fail to value it and plan our societies around it.
Let’s focus on India. The world’s oldest civilization grew around the Indus and the Ganges and is still thriving. But not for long. Post-independence, due importance was given to harnessing the power of water by way of controlling and storing of water through large Dams. That was the need of the hour. However, our cities and towns have subsequently grown without planning for water need vs water availability. In 1951, the per capita water availability was about 5177 m3. This has now reduced to about 1545 m3 in 2011 (Source: Water Resources Division, TERI)
Reasons behind water scarcity in India
The water scarcity is mostly man made due to excess population growth and mismanagement of water resources. Some of the major reasons for water scarcity are:
Inefficient use of water for agriculture. India is among the top growers of agricultural produce in the world and therefore the consumption of water for irrigation is amongst the highest. Traditional techniques of irrigation causes maximum water loss due to evaporation, drainage, percolation, water conveyance, and excess use of groundwater. As more areas come under traditional irrigation techniques, the stress for water available for other purposes will continue. The solution lies in extensive use of micro-irrigation techniques such as drip and sprinkler irrigation.
Reduction in traditional water recharging areas. Rapid construction is ignoring traditional water bodies that have also acted as ground water recharging mechanism. We need to urgently revive traditional aquifers while implementing new ones.
Sewage and wastewater drainage into traditional water bodies. Government intervention at the source is urgently required if this problem is to be tackled.
Release of chemicals and effluents into rivers, streams and ponds. Strict monitoring and implementation of laws by the government, NGOs and social activists is required.
Lack of on-time de-silting operations in large water bodies that can enhance water storage capacity during monsoon. It is surprising that the governments at state levels has not taken this up on priority as an annual practice. This act alone can significantly add to the water storage levels.
Lack of efficient water management and distribution of water between urban consumers, the agriculture sector and industry. The government needs to enhance its investment in technology and include all stakeholders at the planning level to ensure optimization of existing resources.
Solutions to overcome water scarcity problems
A simple addition of a ‘water free’ male urinal in our homes can save well over 25,000 liters of water, per home per year. The traditional flush dispenses around six liters of water per flush. If all male members including boys of the house use the ‘water free urinal’ instead of pulling the traditional flush, the collective impact on the demand for water will reduce significantly. This must be made mandatory by law and followed up by education and awareness both at home and school.
The amount of water that is wasted during dish washing at home is significant. We need to change our dish washing methods and minimize the habit of keeping the water running. A small step here can make a significant saving in water consumption.
Every independent home/flat and group housing colony must have rain water harvesting facility. If efficiently designed and properly managed, this alone can reduce the water demand significantly.
Waste water treatment and recycling for non-drinking purposes. Several low cost technologies are available that can be implemented in group housing areas.
Very often, we see water leaking in our homes, in public areas and colonies. A small steady water leak can cause a loss of 226,800 liters of water per year! Unless we are aware and conscious of water wastage we will not be able to avail the basic quantity of water that we need to carry on with our normal lives.
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Most Upvoted Answer
Write a note on scarcity of water?
Water scarcity is the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region. ... Water shortages may be caused by climate change, such as altered weather patterns including droughts or floods, increased pollution, and increased human demand and overuse of water.
7 Reasons We're Facing a Global Water Crisis
1) We're Changing the Climate, Making Dry Areas Drier and Precipitation More Variable and Extreme. ...
2) More People + More Money = More Water Demand. ...
3) Groundwater Is Being Depleted. ...
4) Water Infrastructure Is in a Dismal State of Disrepair. ...
5) And Natural Infrastructure Is Being Ignored. ...
6) Water Is Wasted.
Major Causes Of Water Scarcity
Climate change.
Natural calamities such as droughts and floods.
Increased human consumption.
Overuse and wastage of water.
A global rise in freshwater demand.
Overuse of aquifers and its consequent slow rechaarge
Growing population, over-exploitation and unequal distribution of water among social groups are the main causes of water scarcity.
Pollution of Water: Looking at areas with high population and no proper sewage system, water pollution becomes common. ... - Conflict and distance: Many a times conflict over a land leads to water scarcity in the area as nobody gets to use the water resources in that particular land.
When waters run dry, people can't get enough to drink, wash, or feed crops, and economic decline may occur. In addition, inadequate sanitation—a problem for 2.4 billion people—can lead to deadly diarrheal diseases, including cholera and typhoid fever, and other water-borne illnesses.
Water scarcity can mean scarcity in availability due to physical shortage, or scarcity in access due to the failure of institutions to ensure a regular supply or due to a lack of adequate infrastructure. Water scarcity already affects every continent.
7 Reasons We're Facing a Global Water Crisis
1) We're Changing the Climate, Making Dry Areas Drier and Precipitation More Variable and Extreme. ...
2) More People + More Money = More Water Demand. ...
3) Groundwater Is Being Depleted. ...
4) Water Infrastructure Is in a Dismal State of Disrepair. ...
5) And Natural Infrastructure Is Being Ignored. ...
6) Water Is Wasted.
Major Causes Of Water Scarcity
Climate change.
Natural calamities such as droughts and floods.
Increased human consumption.
Overuse and wastage of water.
A global rise in freshwater demand.
Overuse of aquifers and its consequent slow rechaarge
Growing population, over-exploitation and unequal distribution of water among social groups are the main causes of water scarcity.
Pollution of Water: Looking at areas with high population and no proper sewage system, water pollution becomes common. ... - Conflict and distance: Many a times conflict over a land leads to water scarcity in the area as nobody gets to use the water resources in that particular land.
When waters run dry, people can't get enough to drink, wash, or feed crops, and economic decline may occur. In addition, inadequate sanitation—a problem for 2.4 billion people—can lead to deadly diarrheal diseases, including cholera and typhoid fever, and other water-borne illnesses.
Water scarcity can mean scarcity in availability due to physical shortage, or scarcity in access due to the failure of institutions to ensure a regular supply or due to a lack of adequate infrastructure. Water scarcity already affects every continent.
Community Answer
Write a note on scarcity of water?
Physical water scarcity and economic water scarcity by country, 2006 Water scarcity is the lack of fresh water resources to meet water demand. It affects every continent and was listed in 2015 by the World Economic Forum as the largest global risk in terms of potential impact over the next decade.[1] It is manifested by partial or no satisfaction of expressed demand, economic competition for water quantity or quality, disputes between users, irreversible depletion of groundwater, and negative impacts on the environment.[2] One-third of the global population (2 billion people) live under conditions of severe water scarcity at least 1 month of the year.[3][4][5][6] Half a billion people in the world face severe water scarcity all year round.[3] Half of the world’s largest cities experience water scarcity.[5] Although a mere 0.014% of all water on Earth is both fresh and easily accessible (of the remaining water, 97% is saline and a little less than 3% is hard to access, technically, there is a sufficient amount of freshwater on a global scale, for humanity to get by. However, due to unequal distribution (exacerbated by climate change) resulting in some very wet and some very dry geographic locations, plus a sharp rise in global freshwater demand in recent decades driven by industry, humanity is facing a water crisis, with demand expected to outstrip supply by 40% in 2030, if current trends continue..... That is written by O.K TO K.K...
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Write a note on scarcity of water? for Class 7 2024 is part of Class 7 preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the Class 7 exam syllabus. Information about Write a note on scarcity of water? covers all topics & solutions for Class 7 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Write a note on scarcity of water?.
Write a note on scarcity of water? for Class 7 2024 is part of Class 7 preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the Class 7 exam syllabus. Information about Write a note on scarcity of water? covers all topics & solutions for Class 7 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Write a note on scarcity of water?.
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