water part 1

Question 1

Global patterns of water surplus and deficit

Answer 1

• Water stress – Africa, South Asia, Australia, Middle East
• Water surplus – Northern hemisphere
• Supply and demand balanced in North America and Europe
• 94% of fresh water is stored in aquifers

Question 2

Reasons for increasing water consumption – economic development and rising populations

Answer 2

• World population increased to nearly 7.5 billion which has led to an increase in consumption. Mostly in LICs. Led to an increased demand for food
• To produce 1kg of beef it needs 9500 l of water compared to 1800 l for a kg of wheat
• Economic development has led to an increase in commercial agriculture, manufacturing industries andliving standards. More energy is needed (15% of water use is in the generation of energy)

• Higher the economic development the higher the standard of living and the more water consumption
per capita

Question 3

how does climate affect water availability?

Answer 3

• Most water in tropical, temperate humid or mountainous areas.
• Evaporation rates affect water availability
• Water can be stored as snow, and ice

Question 4

how does geology affect water availability

Answer 4

• Synclines in rocks often are porous
• Where porous rocks are between non porous rocks an aquifer forms
• Non porous rocks good for reservoirs to be created

Question 5

how does Pollution of supply affect water availability

Answer 5

• Polluted water is unfit for human consumption
• Industrial waste has metals in it which people drink making them ill
• 200 children die a day from drinking polluted water

Question 6

how does Over abstraction affect water availability

Answer 6

• Causes saltwater from the sea to be sucked up into groundwater contaminating the supply
• Sinking water tables mean rivers dry up
• Mexico city has sunk 9m since 1910
• Demand changes seasonally e.g. tourism

Question 7

how does Limited infrastructure affect water availability

Answer 7

• Water lost from leaking pipes
• Rapid urbanization can cause the contamination of water supplies as a city can not install the infrastructure fast enough to keep up with the population growth

Question 8

how does Poverty affect water availability

Answer 8

• Prevents access to safe water – economic scarcity.

* Need to pay for access to clean treated piped water

Question 9

what are the impacts of water insecurity

Answer 9

waterborne disease and water pollution
food production
industrial output
water conflict

Question 10

the impact of water insecurity- waterborne disease and water pollution

Answer 10

contaminated drinking water can cause diseases such as cholera.
Queuing to get clean water wastes time and levels of productivity, and reduces time spent at school

Question 11

the impact of water insecurity- industrial output

Answer 11

The growth of the manufacturing industry, particularly in NEE’s, is making increasing demands on water supplies.
water shortages cost china US$40 billion in lower industrial production

Question 12

the impact of water insecurity- Food production

Answer 12

agriculture uses 70% of the global water supply and suffers from the most water insecurity
the River Nile is Egypt’s primary source of water. Climate change and the demands of countries upstream are expected to reduce its flow by 90% by 2100. Egypt currently has to import 60% of its food

Question 13

the impact of water insecurity- water conflict

Answer 13

water sources, such as rivers and groundwater aquifers, cross-national and political borders, issues such as reservoir construction and pollution can impact on more than one country and create conflict

e.g. turkey built a large number of dams on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, causing anger in Iraq and Syria
Lake Chad has shrunk to 5% of its former size, due to climate change and over-abstraction
the Nile flows through eight countries. Egypt will not allow the other seven countries to affect the Nile’s flow. this causes great tension in the region as countries argue over water rights