4.2 Water access, use and security

Water security

Water security is the ability of a population to ensure sustainable access to adequate quantities of safe, clean water to meet the needs of people, ecosystems, and agriculture while maintaining the quality and availability of water resources for future generations.

Factors Impacting Water Security

1. Population Growth: Increases demand for water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses.
2. Climate Change: Alters precipitation patterns, leading to droughts or floods.
3. Pollution: Contaminates freshwater sources, reducing availability.
4. Overuse: Excessive extraction for agriculture, industry, or urban use.
5. Infrastructure: Lack of efficient water storage, distribution, and treatment facilities.
6. Political and Economic Factors: Poor governance and unequal access to resources exacerbate water insecurity.

What is Water Scarcity?

Water scarcity is a situation where the water demand exceeds the available supply in a region.

Types:

1. Physical Scarcity: Lack of sufficient freshwater resources.
2. Economic Scarcity: Inadequate infrastructure or financial means to access water.

Water Footprint (HL)

Water footprint is the total volume of freshwater used directly and indirectly by individuals, industries, or nations.

Three types of water footprint:

1. Blue Water: Surface and groundwater consumed.
2. Green Water: Rainwater used for crop growth.
3. Grey Water: Water required to dilute pollutants.

Measuring water footprint can allow sustainable use of water and inform decision-making about water scarcity.

Water Stress (HL)

Water stress occurs when water demand exceeds availability or when water is of poor quality, limiting its use. It is another measure of limitation of water supply. But, it also takes into account the water quality, environmental flows and accessibility. A region may have an ample supply and not be suffering from water scarcity, but it may be experiencing water stress because of low water quality. It is defined as a clean, accessible water supply of less than 1700 cubic metres per year per capita.

Causes:

• Rapid urbanization and industrialization.
• Overextraction of groundwater.
• Pollution from agriculture and industry.

Addressing Water Stress at the Industrial Level

1. Water Audits: Assessing water use to identify inefficiencies.
2. Recycling Systems: Installing closed-loop systems to minimize freshwater demand.
3. Innovative Technologies: Using low-water or water-free manufacturing processes.
4. Partnerships: Collaborating with governments and NGOs for sustainable water use.