5.8a price of water

Question 1

economic water scarcity

Answer 1

people cannot afford water even when it is available

associated with developing countries that lack capital and technology and good governance to fill exploit water supplies e.g. countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Haiti (the poorest country in the western hemisphere) and Laos (South East Asia)

Question 2

physical water scarcity

Answer 2

insufficient water to meet the demand

Question 3

the global pattern of water scarcity

Answer 3

FAO identifies 3 dimensions of water scarcity:
availability
access
utilisation

Question 4

factors influencing the price of water

Answer 4

PHYSICAL COST OF OBTAINING THE SUPPLY
sometimes water has to be piped for many kilometres from mountain reservoirs e.g. Los Angeles

DEGREE OF DEMAND FOR WATER
if water is scarce (2015 Californian drought) –> prices increase to manage demand

INSUFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE
people living in slum districts have to rely on water tankers, standpipes and bottled water
the cost of water from informal vendors is nearly twice that of standard tap connections (in Manali, prices are four times higher)

WHO SUPPLIES THE WATER
in some countries (Cuba), the government subsidises the price of water to a lower price

Question 5

price of water in different countries

Answer 5

UK –> cost of 50L is $.10
which is 0.1% of a typical low-income worker’s daily salary

CAMBODIA –> cost of 50L is $2.48
which is 108% of a typical low-income worker’s daily salary

Question 6

water poverty index

Answer 6

1. WATER RESOURCES
   physical availability, quantity available per person
2. ACCESS TO WATER
   distance from safe water
3. HANDLING CAPACITY
   effective management, infrastructure, income
4. USE OF WATER
   for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses
5. ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS
   ability to sustain nature and ecosystems

Haiti - 32.7
UK - 71
China - 56.6