Water and Development Flashcards
How is water used?
Agriculture ≈ 70%
Industry ≈ 20%
Domestic ≈ 10%
How does agriculture disrupt hydrological cycles?
Roughly 20% of Earth’s land is under full irrigation> Around 30% of irrigation comes from dams and their network of irrigation canals. However, the majority of irrigation water is pumped from aquifers, leading to massive groundwater depletion especially in the US, China, India and Pakistan.
The Ogallala Aquifer, a 450,000km² aquifer underlying Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming - which provides roughly 30% of the groundwater used for irrigation in the US - has experienced water levels drop by up to 150 feet in some areas. It is believed that due to the low precipitation and high evaporation rates in the Midwestern USA, the aquifer is slow to recharge and is being depleted at a much faster rate than it is recharged. if it were to be fully depleted, it could take 6,000 years to replenish.
What impacts does industry have on water?
Big industrial consumers of water include chemicals, electronics, paper, petroleum and steel. Furthermore, water is required to cool industrial machinery. Industrial waste may also pollute water sources through air emissions leading to the formation of acid rain, wastewater and spoil/slag heaps.
However, over 50% of all water used in energy production is either by generating hydroelectric power or as cooling water for thermal or nuclear power stations. This water remains virtually unchanged and is returned to its sources.
How does development lead to increased water demand?
Population growth - More water is needed to grow crops and rear animals for food as well as more homes so greater total domestic use.
Improvement in living standards - More water is used for sanitation and food preparation. Additionally, as in consumer societies, people purchase more manufactured goods.
What is the issue with water supply in some of the least developed nations?
Water is not treated and therefore is not clean and safe to drink. Water can become a productive breeding ground for vectors like mosquitos and parasitic worms. Consumption of such water can lead to diarrhoeal diseases like cholera, dysentery and bilharzia. People fetching water may be bitten by mosquitos and become infected with malaria and dengue fever.
Diarrhoeal disease are the second biggest child killer - taking 315,000 lives per year.
50% of child malnutrition is associated with unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene. This places a huge burden on healthcare systems. Women and girls in Africa spend a combined total of 16 million hours per day collecting water. Poor water quality and lack of supply hugely impacts development as people miss school to collect water which may make them ill and debilitated. This means they cannot attend school or work. This limits the ability to obtain a high-quality education to earn a higher income.
