What Are The Main Causes Of Water Scarcity ?
Water scarcity occurs due to both natural and man-made causes, namely that there is not enough water to meet the needs of the region. Some of the factors contributing to water scarcity are climate change, excessive water use and increased pollution. A combination of natural and man-made causes such as climate change, environmental degradation, poor urban planning, lack of maintenance of existing infrastructure, corruption and poor water management have contributed to the water crisis. At present, water pollution is a serious problem because it is one of the main factors of water shortage.
Human activity is the main cause of water scarcity due to the use of climate-changing fossil fuels and meteorological activity, as well as the rapid growth of the world’s population consuming more water. Human activities are major contributors due to overuse of water, pollution and impact on underground aquifers.
The resulting overuse of water associated with water scarcity, often in irrigated agricultural areas, damages the environment in several ways, including increased salinity, nutrient pollution, and loss of floodplains and wetlands. Unwanted use of fertilizers and other harmful substances can cause groundwater pollution, which ultimately leads to water shortage. The main causes of water pollution are rapid urbanization, increased agricultural activities, the use of fertilizers and pesticides, soil degradation and deforestation, and lack of proper wastewater treatment and disposal.
The main causes of water pollution are pesticides and fertilizers seeping from water supplies from nearby farms, as well as human and industrial waste. Sources of water pollution include pesticides and fertilizers washed off farms, industrial and human waste dumped directly into rivers without being treated in a wastewater treatment plant. Any industrial waste or feces dumped into rivers or oceans without proper treatment will pollute the water. The consumption deficit is mainly caused by the extensive use of water in agriculture/livestock and industry.
Economic water scarcity is caused by a lack of investment in infrastructure or technology to abstract water from rivers, aquifers, or other water sources, or by insufficient human capacity to meet water demand. The scarcity of cheap water includes a lack of infrastructure, forcing people without reliable access to water to travel long distances to fetch water, often polluted by rivers, for domestic and agricultural needs. According to the United Nations Development Program, economic water scarcity is most often considered the cause of countries or regions suffering from water scarcity, since most countries or regions have enough water to meet their needs, domestic, industrial, agricultural and environmental needs, but lack the funds, to provide the family with enough water at an affordable price.
Typically, water scarcity is driven by two important factors: increased consumption of fresh water and the depletion of usable fresh water resources. To sum up, the natural resource “water” – especially fresh water – is already in short supply due to water pollution, agriculture and population growth. This water scarcity will have a negative impact on global health, the number of people suffering from hunger and the development of a rapidly growing population.
Global water scarcity does not exist, but as global water use has grown at more than twice the rate of population growth over the past century, many parts and regions of the world are experiencing water scarcity. With water covering much of the planet, it’s hard to imagine how it could become scarce. Only 3% of the world’s water is fresh, and the vast majority of it is not available for human use. Therefore, water scarcity is an urgent and important issue for a large portion of the world’s population.
It is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population may not have access to fresh water by 2025 if environmental protection measures are not taken to curb climate change and protect freshwater resources. According to UN-Water, by 2025, 1.8 billion people will live in countries with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world’s population could face water scarcity: facts driven by climate change.
Climate change is changing the patterns of weather and water on our planet, causing scarcity and drought in some areas and flooding in others. Climate change is warming the planet, making the planet’s hottest geographical areas even hotter. Water scarcity is bringing many regions to the brink of crisis and could lead to conflicts and even wars in the future.
Natural disasters such as tsunamis and floods can also cause acute water shortages for the local population as important public infrastructure can be destroyed. At times, the current land conflict causes water shortages, which can hamper local infrastructure, which can cause water supply disruptions for many people. Floods can also lead to severe pollution of local water bodies, as a large amount of soil is moved, and after floods, local rivers may no longer be drinkable for some time.
In some countries, especially those with dictatorships, water use may be tightly controlled by those in power, resulting in water shortages for those who may be in some countries. Experts say that even when there are serious natural causes of water scarcity in a region, human factors are often at the root of the problem, especially when it comes to access to clean water and safe sanitation.
Because the drivers of water scarcity are complex and vary widely across countries and regions, UNICEF is working at multiple levels to introduce context-specific technologies that will increase access to safe water and reverse the effects of water scarcity. Regulations and policies can address issues related to water, including aspects such as water reuse, water resource management, water rights, industrial use of water, wetland restoration, domestic water supply, water pollution, and others. The United Nations warns of the growing vulnerability of traditional water infrastructure and points to a host of climate-friendly alternatives such as coastal watersheds and solar-powered water systems.
Let us all join hands together and spread the awareness of water scarcity around the globe and raise awareness for the importance of freshwater and conservation of underground water for brighter future and future generations.
For more blogs from Swami Sukhabodhananda CLICK HERE
