(W) Access to water in LEDC - small scale and sustainable

Question 1

fog harvesting

Answer 1

• water vapour is blown in by the wind
• nylon nets with fine holes trap water vapour
• fog condenses in the nets and drips into gutters below
• water is piped through a sand filter to where it is needed

Question 2

Why are small scale developments more sustainable than larger ones? (4)

Answer 2

• cheaper, so can be used by low income people/by more people
• they are low technology, so are easier to maintain, meaning they can be fixed quickly in remote places that would otherwise take time to reach
• they are a better way to provide resources to people who don’t have access to larger developments without spending a lot of money
• they are better for poorer countries who don’t have the money to spend on large developments, and they don’t take money away from other things

Question 3

appropriate technology

Answer 3

technology that is simple enough to use in LEDCs instead of large scale developments as it can be repaired by normal people in rural areas

(e.g. water pumps in villages instead of dams)

Question 4

Why is fog harvesting appropriate for LICs? (4)

Answer 4

• it is cheap and easy to maintain, so it can be set up for a low cost, allowing poorer people access to clean water who don’t have access to larger developments
• it is simple and cheap to fix, so it can keep providing water
• lots of rural areas have contaminated groundwater, so it provides an easy way to get clean water
• it does not require electricity, which may not be as easily available in LICs

Question 5

disadvantages of fog harvesting (4)

Answer 5

• it isn’t always foggy, so it can’t always be collecting water
• repairs are needed frequently as the nets are torn by the wind
• some of the best locations are far from rural villages
• it can only be used in mountainous areas more than 400m above ground

Question 6

other sustainable techniques for collecting water (4)

Answer 6

trenches - catch rainwater that runs off the surface of the ground and can be used to irrigate crops

vegetable beds - made of organic matter, such as leaves, to hold water

small pools - excess water is collected

water butts - water runs off roofs and is collected, it can then be used as grey water