Water scarcity has become an increasing problem in the
past decade. Global water use has more than tripled in the last fifty
years and the demand is continually increasing. Limits to the water
supply are starting to become apparent. For example, water tables
are falling. This water shortage not only affects human life but it
puts aquatic life in extreme danger.
Water scarcity is a threat in Europe and especially Africa. Currently, 26 countries are estimated to have a water shortage (less than 1000 cubic meters per person). In the next fifteen years, over a third of Africa's projected population will be living with water shortage problems.
Many engineering projects have been proposed to elevate the problem. Though some of these projects might be viable solutions, most damage the environment or cost too much. One major way to free up water resources would be to develop better irrigation systems. Agriculture accounts for approximately two-thirds of the water used. Texas farmers adapted a new irrigation system that reduced water loss due to drainage in the field. This saved water usuage by an average of 25 percent. Drip irrigation, an irrigation system developed in Israel, provides water directly to the roots while achieving efficiencies of 95 percent. This reduces the farmer's water usage by approximately one-third while increasing their yields. Even though drip irrigation is highly efficient, maintenance needs are usually not met decreasing it's effectiveness. If better maintenance procedures could be developed, water used by crops would significantly decrease.
Conservation is another resource that has and should continue to be tapped. It is economically and environmentally sound. It can provide economic benefits through the use of recycling and reusing. Other water efficient fixtures and city wide programs can also significantly reduce water usage and costs.
Industries account for 25 percent of the water used worldwide. Production plants have made great strides in their water conservation (for economic reasons). Since water is mainly used for cooling, it can constantly be reused, but the demand from industries is continually increasing.
Many tools have been developed through technological advances that could cut farmer usage of water by 50 percent, industrial usage by 90 percent, and city wide usage by 30 percent. Most of these advances would require limited funding, yet laws do not encourage these changes.
Irrigation has been shown to be a top priority, but reduced costs to the farmers for water have not forced them to change their ways. Increasing costs will only hurt the farmers financial situations even more, but knowledge on better production practices may entice them to change. Raising prices to the consumers of city systems and industries would encourage conservational practices.
Water systems, such as lakes, rivers, wetlands, water tables, aquifer, and others, are being reduced to unhealthy levels. Many ways to reverse or slow water usage are available, but few have been implemented. Through implementing new irrigation and conservation strategies, time could be created to develop new or better solutions for future use. With this, maybe one of the many environmental problems can be solved or at least partially corrected.
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