Lesson 11 - Causes of Water Insecurity Flashcards
What are the 5 causes of water insecurity?
Industrial pollution
Saltwater encroachment
Over abstraction
Agriculture contamination
Climate variability
What is industrial pollution?
Industrial waste pollutes water sources
Chemical runoff
Untreated sewage dumping
Which industrial pollutants are the most toxic?
Heavy metals
Chemical waste
How does industrial pollution cause water insecurity?
Large scale eutrophication
Water sources become unsanitary + unsuitable for use
Treatment costs unsustainable
What are the health implications of industrial pollution?
Influx of water-related illness
Toxins cause variety of cancers
What is saltwater encroachment?
Movement of saltwater into freshwater aquifers
What are the causes of saltwater encroachment?
Sea Level Rise
Storm Surges
Human Abstraction of Groundwater
How does abstraction cause saltwater encroachment?
Lowers the water table
Allows saltwater to move into soils + aquifers
How does saltwater encroachment threaten water security?
Freshwaters become saline
Require treatment
What are the main factors driving over abstraction?
Urbanisation
Growing population
Living standards
Industrialisation
Growing domestic demand
How does overabstraction threaten water security?
Demand > Supply
Aquifers become depleted
How does agricultural contamination usually occur?
Leakage of pesticides, insecticides + chemical products
Which agricultural pollutants are the most threatening?
Nitrate + phosphate fertilisers
How does agricultural contamination harm water security?
Eutrophication
Hypoxia
Environmental degradation
Health risks
What is hypoxia?
Lack of oxygen within a water source
