The ways water is prioritized changed
dramatically over the years. Industries overrule farmers. Urban claims more
water than rural. The rich take from the poor. Lifestyles dominate livelihoods.
The scarcity of water is only strengthening these trends.
The country that pumps more groundwater
than any other has reached a water supply and food safety reckoning that
threatens to upend political and economic stability, and long-term public
health. In this special report, building on years of on-the-ground coverage,
Circle of Blue reveals how a nation of 1.3 billion people, by failing to
protect its water, is courting disease and economic hardship as well as social
upheaval. Hand in hand with the groundwater depletion and contamination, is a
food supply “toxic time bomb” of global implications. When irrigation wells go
dry, farmers turn to untreated wastewater that is laced with industrial
chemicals and human sewage.
Water Scarcity Essay: Water scarcity is a
fundamental issue faced by almost half of the population across the world. Like
global warming and climate change, water scarcity affects human lives in
different ways.
In some places, it disrupts smooth living.
In other parts of the world, it makes the existence of human life difficult. At
this point, it is beyond any argument that water is one of the essential
requirements for humankind to survive on Earth. But, as it seems these days,
probably humankind itself is responsible for its destruction. The scarcity of
water across the globe cannot be wholly attributed to the rise in population.
Irresponsible use of water is one of the significant reasons behind water
scarcity.
Water scarcity happens when people do not
save water or even lack the willingness to save it. In some countries of the
world, water is abundant. People in such countries do not reuse water. For
instance, water which is used for washing cars can be used for gardening too.
And the water which is used to clean floors can be put to use for other
domestic purposes. But in countries where water is abundant, people use fresh
water for each activity. This leads to indiscriminate use of water. In
countries where water is scarce, people save it in a lot of ways. Some
Governments make use of financial incentives to save water. The scarcity of
water affects people in a lot of ways. Some have to pay for water, while others
have to bear the hardships of bringing them from nearby ponds and lakes. Often,
there are cases of water poisoning. This happens mainly when people do not pay
for water and tend to use it without filtration.
Many of the water systems that keep
ecosystems thriving and feed a growing human population have become stressed.
Rivers, lakes and aquifers are drying up or becoming too polluted to use. More
than half the world’s wetlands have disappeared. Agriculture consumes more
water than any other source and wastes much of that through inefficiencies.
Climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world,
causing shortages and droughts in some areas and floods in others. At the
current consumption rate, this situation will only get worse. By 2025,
two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. And ecosystems
around the world will suffer even more.
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