Drinking Water Shortages and Some Suggestions for Dealing With Them

As you probably have both read and heard, shortages of safe drinking water exist in many places around the world. The World Health Organization reports[1] “at least 2 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with faeces [feces],” and also states that “By 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas.”

In recent months numerous articles have reported on water shortages that exist in various places worldwide, including one from Reuters.[2] A list of “10 Cities Most at Risk of Running Out of Water” is provided by US News & World Report.[3] India is one of the countries already experiencing major water shortages, as reported by CNN[4] and other news sources.

Shortage Is of Drinking Water, Not Water Overall

It is important to remember that although the supply of drinking water is declining, there is no shortage of water overall. The oceans contain a huge quantity of salt water.

A 2008 Scientific American article[5] discusses why we don’t desalinate more ocean water to alleviate drinking water shortages. However, despite issues with desalination, it is becoming much more common.

Two big problems with desalination are its cost and the environmental damage it causes. A January 2019 Reuters piece[6] cites a UN study discussing environmental damage from the thousands of desalination plants in the world. However, Columbia University researchers reported[7] in May 2019 that they had developed a new desalination process that may make water desalination more feasible on a large scale.

Desalination is already widely used. A USGS webpage[8] states that “According to the International Desalination Association, in June 2015, 18,426 desalination plants operated worldwide, producing 86.8 million cubic meters per day, providing water for 300 million people.” And, an International Desalination Association webpage[9] states there are now 20,516 “desalination plants worldwide.”

Suggestions for Dealing With Water Shortages

·         As water desalination becomes cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and more widespread, it can do much to alleviate water shortages.

·         We can do more to conserve water. Let’s avoid wasting it.

·         Let’s devote more time, talent, and money to research into alleviating water shortages and less into military weaponry and wars. But, that’s easier written than attained.

·         Agriculture uses a huge amount of water to provide for livestock and the crops that we humans eat. Changing to a vegan diet that eliminates the need for huge quantities of cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, etc. could greatly reduce water usage according to a Guardian article[10] and other sources.

·         Reducing population growth through more sexual abstinence and/or consistent proper use of contraceptives could greatly reduce the increase in water consumption that is forecast for future years.

·         Also, we need to plant billions more trees worldwide. According to a piece on the North Carolina State University website[11] “Trees . . . help increase ground water recharge, reduce soil erosion and storm water run-off thus reducing the amount of water we consume and the need for new water treatment plant and storm water structures.”

Closing Thoughts
I think cheaper more environmentally friendly desalination on a large scale, slower population growth, persons eating vegan diets, and a massive increase in tree planting would go a long way toward solving our water problems. Progress is being made in all these areas and in others, but we have a long way to go. What do you think?

ENDNOTES:           

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[1] “Drinking-water: Key facts”; World Health Organization; June 14, 2019; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water

[2] Laurie Gerring; “Running Dry: Competing for water on a dry planet”; Reuters; June 3, 2019; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://www.reuters.com/article/us-water-global-scarcity/running-dry-competing-for-water-on-a-thirsty-planet-idUSKCN1T41AT

[3] Wilson Chapman; “10 Cities Most at Risk of Running Out of Water”; US News & World Report; June 21, 2019; webpage accessed August 25,2019; https://www.usnews.com/news/cities/slideshows/10-cities-most-at-risk-of-running-out-of-water?onepage

[4] Jessie Yeung, Swatie Gupta and Michael Guy; “India has just five years to solve its water crisis experts fear. Otherwise hundreds of millions of lives will be in danger”; CNN; July 3, 2019; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/27/india/india-water-crisis-intl-hnk/index.html 

[5] Peter Gleick; “Why don’t we get our drinking water from the ocean by taking the salt out of seawater?”; Scientific American piece (written by Peter Gleick of Pacific Institute);July 23, 2008; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-dont-we-get-our-drinking-water-from-the-ocean/

[6] Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent; “Too much salt: water desalination plants harm environment, UN”; Reuters; January 14, 2019; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-brine/too-much-salt-water-desalination-plants-harm-environment-u-n-idUSKCN1P81PX  

[7] Holly Evarts; “Radical Desalination Approach May Disrupt the Water Industry”; Columbia University Engineering Press Release; May 6, 2019; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://engineering.columbia.edu/press-releases/ngai-yin-yip-radical-desalination    

[8] “Desalination”; USGS.gov; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/desalination#targetText=According%20to%20the%20International%20Desalination,water%20for%20300%20million%20people.

[9] International Desalination Association website; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://idadesal.org/ 

[10] John Vidal; “Meat-eaters soak up the world’s water”; Guardian; August 23, 2004; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2004/aug/23/water.famine

[11] Compiled by Erv Evans; “Americans are planting TREES OF STRENGTH: Community Benefits”; North Carolina State University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Department of Horticulture Science; webpage accessed August 25, 2019; https://projects.ncsu.edu/project/treesofstrength/benefits.htm#targetText=Trees%20increase%20the%20humidity%20in,plant%20and%20storm%20water%20structures.&targetText=By%20absorbing%20and%20deflecting%20falling,reduce%20the%20severity%20of%20floods.

NOTE:

This piece being submitted to Google Blogger on August 26, 2019 is very similar to one the author submitted to Craft News Report (a website operated by the author’s friend Paul Craft) on August 25, 2019.