CASE STUDY - Strategies to increase water supply

Question 1

Singapore Four national taps

Answer 1

Singapore has built a robust, diversified and sustainable water supply from four water sources know as the four national taps.
- Water from the local catchment area.
- Imported water
- High grade reclaimed water know as NEWater
- Desalinated water

As a result signapore have overcome its lack of natural water resources and can now meet growing demand.

Question 2

Desalination

Answer 2

• Generally desalination plants have been developed in wealthier countries with water stress or scarcity issues, particluary those in the middle east.
• Dubai is a area with very limited freshwater resources, but it is on the coast of the Persian Gulf and as a result it obtains 98.8% of its water through deslalination.
• Thames water desalination plant at Beckton in East London provides water for over 400,000 households.

Question 3

Water storage

Answer 3

Resevoirs are an obvious and simple way of managing water supply, for example the Three Gorges Dam and the Aswan Dam on the river nile.

The three gorges dam has a total capacity of 39.3km cubed and 40 billion m3 of water.

Question 4

Taanka

Answer 4

This is a traditional rainwater harvesting technique which is common in the region of Rajasthan india, and it provied drinking water and security for anumber of people. Because of technolgical improvements such as this 89% of the rural indian poppulation now have adequete access to safe drinking water.