Water Cycle eq3

Question 1

water scarcity

Answer 1

annual water supply per person falls below 500-1000m^3

Question 2

physical scarcity

Answer 2

lack of available freshwater resources to meet demand due to over abstractation

Question 3

economic scarcity

Answer 3

water resources are available but there is insufficient captial to access the water

Question 4

absolute water scarcity

Answer 4

when annual supply of water falls below 500m^3 per person

Question 5

water stress

Answer 5

annual water supply falls below 1700m^3, causing temporary shortages

Question 6

water insecurity

Answer 6

when present and future water supplies can not be guaranteed

Question 7

how many people live in countries where water supplies can not be guaranteed?

Answer 7

2 million

Question 8

water gap

Answer 8

only 50% of available water is used

Question 9

climate variability

Answer 9

places with more rainfall will recieve greater access to freshwater and people in droughts will have no access to water

Question 10

improving living standards

Answer 10

• changing consumption patterns eg increasing meat consumption
• larger homes
• more cars

Question 11

increasing population and urbanisation

Answer 11

• increasing by 80 million a year
• a demand for water rising twice as fast
• more than half the worlds population live in urban areas

Question 12

agriculture and industrial water pollution

Answer 12

• at least 70% consumption of water
• 60% more food by 2050 will need to be produced

Question 13

over abstractation from rivers

Answer 13

• insufficient use of crop production
• groundwater supplies in Gaza are being contaminated by salt
• eg Aral sea dried up

Question 14

salt water encroachment of the coast

Answer 14

• contaminating aquifers and freshwater needed for agriculture eg Bangladesh
• increasing sea levels

Question 15

Europe and central Asia

Answer 15

declining water quality in countries with groundwater pollution eg the Aral Sea and the Mediterranian

Question 16

Asia and the Pacific

Answer 16

• 1/3 of the population lack access to safe drinking water
• 500,000 diarrhoea related deaths
• 90% of freshwater used for agriculture

Question 17

Africa

Answer 17

• lack groundwater protection
• 19/25 countries that have the lowest access to water are in Africa

Question 18

Latin America and the Caribbean

Answer 18

• poor sanitation - only 2% of sewage water is treated
• economic scarcity
• groundwater contamination increasing from mining

Question 19

North America

Answer 19

• water pollution from Agricultural runoff has contaminated many ground and surface waters
• changes to rainfall in California (blamed on El Nino)

Question 20

How many people lack access to clean water?

Answer 20

1.2 billion - suggesting the root cause is poverty

Question 21

The water poverty index

Answer 21

• resources
• access
• capacity
• use
• environment

Gives a general score out of 100, with Canada having thr highest of 78 and Ethiopia having the lowest with 45. Measured on a radar graph.

Question 22

why does the price of water vary globally?

Answer 22

• cost (including cost of transport)
• demand
• privatisation

Question 23

warter privatisation

Answer 23

• england and wales privatised their water in 1989 aiming to attract private investment
• from 1989-2023, water companies paid out £53 billion in dividends

Question 24

pros of water privatisation

Answer 24

improved efficiency
- more efficient operations and better management practices
- enhanced service delivery and reduced water losses

increased investment
- attract private capital

Question 25

cons of water privatisation

Answer 25

higher costs for consumers
- increase water tarrifs
- makes less affordable for LIC

profit motive over public interest
- cost cutting measures compromise water quality and service reliability

Question 26

privatisation a failure?

Answer 26

failed attempts
- Tanzania’s private operator failed to deliver promised improvements

Negative social impacts
- the Cochabamba water war in Bolivia