Global Water Consumption And Availibility

Question 1

How much water on earth is freshwater and how much of that is accessible surface water?

Answer 1

2.5% and 1%

Question 2

Where are the 3 main sources of water?

Answer 2

Rivers/lakes, aquifers and reservoirs

Question 3

Define physical water scarcity.

Answer 3

Physical water scarcity is where countries do not have enough water due to climatic and other physical reasons

Question 4

Define economic water scarcity.

Answer 4

Economic water scarcity is where a country has water, but does not have the economic means to access it or make it safe to drink

Question 5

Give an example of an area with physical water scarcity.

Answer 5

Thar desert (NW India bordering Pakistan)

Question 6

Give an example of an area with economic water scarcity.

Answer 6

Democratic republic of Congo - central Africa

Question 7

What are the two reasons for increasing water consumption?

Answer 7

Population growth and economic development

Question 8

Name two physical factors that affect water availability.

Answer 8

Climate and geology

Question 10

How does water pollution affect water availability?

Answer 10

LICs cannot enforce legislation and poor sanitation can lead to pollution

Question 11

How does over abstraction affect water availability?

Answer 11

When water is pumped from the ground at a rate which is faster than it recharges (fills up again due to precipitation percolating) the ground water level drops and wells dry up

Question 12

How does limited infrastructure affect water availability?

Answer 12

LICs and some NEEs do not have enough money to extract and transfer their water availability

Question 13

How many people do not have access to clean, safe water?

Answer 13

Nearly one billion people