Water scarcity is becoming a significant global problem with far-reaching effects.
Long-term solutions require extensive government intervention in programmes, including research and climate mitigation measures, but individuals also need to become aware of the need for water conservation.
A major problem for all countries is the huge amount of water necessary for agriculture and industry. When there is insufficient water, crops fail, animals die and people go hungry. Without an adequate water supply, manufacturers, food producers, mining operations and businesses cannot succeed. Ultimately, water is the key to economic prosperity.
Water shortages create particular difficulties in developing countries. Firstly, many women and children in these countries have to spend the whole day walking to and from a remote water source to fetch water. Consequently, these children miss school and often do not receive an adequate education. Secondly, the water that is available for daily use may be contaminated, and this can lead to illness and even death.
One of the most important long-term solutions to this problem is to work towards reducing global warming and climate change, as dry regions are becoming drier across the planet. Additionally, pollution of waterways needs to be addressed, as we take steps to clean up our existing supplies of this precious resource. Many old-fashioned irrigation schemes are generally very wasteful, so funds need to be available for research into water conservation and new irrigation technologies. These technologies could then be transferred to developing nations. At an individual level, we need to become aware of wasteful water-use habits, such as watering lawns in the summer, or pouring our grey water down the drain. In conclusion, the inadequate supply of fresh water is one of the most crucial environmental problems facing our planet, and we need to work to preserve this precious resource.
Water
scarcity is becoming a significant global
problem
with far-reaching effects.
Long-term solutions require extensive
government
intervention in
programmes
, including research and climate mitigation measures,
but
individuals
also
need
to become aware of the
need
for
water
conservation.
A major
problem
for all countries is the huge amount of
water
necessary for agriculture and industry. When there is insufficient
water
, crops fail, animals
die
and
people
go hungry. Without an adequate
water
supply, manufacturers, food producers, mining operations and businesses cannot succeed.
Ultimately
,
water
is the key to economic prosperity.
Water shortages create particular difficulties in
developing countries
.
Firstly
,
many
women and children in these countries
have to
spend the whole day walking to and from a remote
water
source to fetch
water
.
Consequently
, these children miss school and
often
do not receive an adequate education.
Secondly
, the
water
that is
available for daily
use
may
be contaminated
, and this can lead to illness and even death.
One of the most
important
long-term solutions to this
problem
is to work towards reducing global warming and climate
change
, as dry regions are becoming drier across the planet.
Additionally
, pollution of waterways
needs
to
be addressed
, as we take steps to clean up our existing supplies of this precious resource.
Many
old
-fashioned irrigation schemes are
generally
very
wasteful,
so
funds
need
to be available for research into
water
conservation and new irrigation technologies. These technologies could then
be transferred
to developing nations. At an individual level, we
need
to become aware of wasteful water-
use
habits, such as watering lawns in the summer, or pouring our
grey
water
down the drain.
In conclusion
, the inadequate supply of fresh
water
is one of the most crucial environmental
problems
facing our planet, and we
need
to work to preserve this precious resource.