Water Flashcards
What percentage of the worlds water is fresh
3%
What does Water Shortage mean
Low level of water supply relative to basic needs
Definition of Water Stress
Declining reliability and service.
Often taken as less than 1700m x 3, per person per year
Definition of Water Scarcity
Imbalance of supply and demand
When the supply of water falls bellow 1000m x3 per year
Definition of physical Water Scarcity
When there is not enough surface or ground water to meet the demand.
Semi and arid areas are at risk
Definition of Economic Scarcity
When water exists but can not be full utilised for reasons such as; extracting and piping are to expensive. Or the treatment of polluted water is too expensive/ does not exist.
Often due to political reasons and conflict.
How can Economic Water Scarcity be solved
Just low technology such as water dams, harvesting
How much of the worlds water is used for agriculture
70%
Give 4 methods of water supply and if they are MEDC or not
Dams and reservoirs- MEDC
Bore holes- LEDC
Wells- LEDC
Desalination- MEDC
Give the pro’s of Dams and reservoirs
Creates popular areas behind dams, (fishing)
Generates hydroelectric power
Stores water behind
Emits no emissions
Give the con’s of dams and reservoirs
Very expensive to make and maintain
Very destructive to marine ecosystems, fish get stuck behind dams
Huge consequences if it fails
Displacement of animals and people, flooding
Give the pro’s of Boreholes
Very cheap and easy to make
Good for poorer parts where there are limited options
Low levels of technology needed
No impact on the environment
Give the con’s of Boreholes
Not a lot of water produced per capita
Location is dependent on underground water supplies
Easily contaminated
Hard to repair
Give the pro’s of Desalination
Can be done on a mass scale Gives us a new supply of water Never runs out Safe supply to drink The economy benefits
Give the con’s of Desalination
Very location dependent, not for land locked countries
High technology needed
Not possible for poorer countries
Polluting to marine ecosystems
Give 4 examples of using water domestically
Shower Washing Drinking CookingWatering Flushing Washing machine Pets
Give 4 examples of industrial water use
Paper
Beef
Irrigation
Agriculture
What percentage of water use is industrial
20%
Give some social Impacts of water shortage
People will be searching for water instead of work
Cause 80% of diseases
Affects amount of time children can be at school, LEDC’s
Huge numbers of deaths
Global warming could result as there will be an increase in high pressure
Give some economic impacts of a water shortage
As less people are at school, this will impact the economic growth of the country
Businesses can not grow where water sources are unreliable as they cannot hire a workforce.
Energy would start to decline because of dams and tidal power would start to deplete
Less jobs will impact the country infrastructure
How many people do not have access to clean water
800 million
