Year 11 Water in the UK Flashcards
Why are we using more water
Easily accessible Increased leisure usage Increase UK industry Increase in population Increase in wealth- more domestic appliances
How much of all water is lost through leakage
25%
How much of water is used in homes
50%
How much water does agriculture use
1%
What is water deficit
When there isn’t enough water to get by
What is water surplus
When you have more than enough water and can move it around
What is water security
Having a safe and regular supply of water
Water supply in the UK
1100mm of rain per year, most falling in north and west due to prevailing south-westerly winds that drive Atlantic weather systems
Water demand in the UK
Increased since 1950s as population has increased and economic prosperity. Higher demand where less rainfall;;
On average how much water does each person use per day
150 litres
What is the problem with water in the UK
Most rain falls where fewer people live and work. North and west are areas of surplus and south and east are areas of deficit
How have Thames water managed leakages
Invested £10 billion in replacing over 2500km of cast-iron Victorian water mains to reduce leakage by 27% in the past 5 years
What is waterwise doing to reduce water usage
Campaigning to reduce the per capita consumption of water from 150 litres per day to 130 by 2030
Water meters
Currently only 30% of households have water meters
on average households reduce water consumption by 10% once a meter is fitted
What are the future implications of climate change
Drier, hotter summers will increase water loss through evapotranspiration. More rain in winter could exceed infiltration capacity of surrounding soils, increasing floods
