Top 10 Water Scarcity Facts Everyone Should Know

Our planet is made up of 70% water. And water is one of the most vital conditions for sustaining life. Even though the Earth is mostly covered with water, the amount of potable (useful) water is extremely less. Only 3% of the total water is freshwater. And out of that 3%, two-thirds is locked away in glaciers and cannot be used in its present form. And this very fact has increased the importance of water manifolds. Hence one can only imagine the limited quantity of useful water which we have at our disposal. This is the reason why talking about water scarcity facts is extremely important right now.

The increasing urbanization and industrialization have put tremendous pressure on water resources. As such, water scarcity is one of the biggest threats facing us right now. Right now, around 1.1 billion people in the world lack access to safe drinking water, and the situation is only worsening with time. According to WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), by 2025, two-thirds of the world population will face water shortage. Also, the ecosystems around the world are going to be adversely affected.

What is Water Scarcity?

Water scarcity is simply the lack of water and safe water supplies. The pressure on the current resources is increasing with an increase in the world population. The impact of water scarcity is felt across families and generations. This is also one of the reasons why they remain locked in poverty for generations and cannot make progress. It is also the reason for a number of diseases arising due to deficiency of water in the body. But what are the main causes of water scarcity?

Causes

Industrialization and rapid urbanization might be the major causes of water scarcity in the environment but here are some other facts which cannot be overlooked.

1. Pollution of water bodies due to the dumping of industrial waste in them. Factories located close to the rivers dump all their waste into the water. This kills the aquatic life and makes it unfit for consumption.
2. Overuse and misuse of water for irrigation and cleaning purposes. Many a time you must have noticed someone washing his car with a hosepipe or water the flower pots with the same. This leads to excessive wastage of water.
3. Drought is also a major factor affecting the water table. Drought is characterized by a period of very little to no rain at all. It can dry up lakes and streams and further lower the groundwater level.
4. Some areas have seen long-standing conflicts over water. This adversely affects the available water resources.
5. Some countries, especially with a dictatorial form of government have restrictions on the usage of water. The government can use it as a weapon to control certain rebellious areas under control, thus aggravating the problem.

Water Scarcity in Africa

Africa is the worst affected region due to water scarcity globally. Most of the regions in Africa lack access to safe drinking water. This has primarily been due to political instability, conflicts between various indigenous groups and frequent droughts. This has led to an increase in the number of diseases in the region and high mortality rates. Water is also a commodity which helps in the development of a region. Due to this most of parts of Africa have largely remained undeveloped, facing a severe economic crisis.

Here are some facts to draw your attention to the actual African water crisis.

1. Almost 40% of the 783 million people in the Sub-Saharan region have no access to clean drinking water.
2. Back in 1997, half of Africa’s population was suffering from some or the other water-related disease.
3. Mining disasters are a major cause of water pollution here.
4. Currently, 14 African countries are under ‘Water Stress’ and 11 more are likely to join the list in the coming years.
5. Two-thirds of the Sub-Saharan population rely only on surface water, which is considered to be highly polluted.

Water Scarcity Facts

As the world moves towards a crisis, it is important to be aware of how grave the situation is. Because right now, being ignorant is as good as inviting doom.

Some water scarcity facts which should make you aware of the issue and realise the gravity of the situation are:

1. By 2025, almost 1.8 billion people around the world will be living in areas of acute water shortage. This is around 25.7% of the current population. Also, two-thirds of the world’s total population will be living in water-stressed regions with diminishing water resources.
2. More than 2 billion people rely on wells for fulfilling their water requirements. With the increase in the number of droughts, these wells are fast drying up. This is leading to an acute water shortage in remote areas.
3. Water demand is likely to grow by 55% by 2050. This will, in turn, lead to severe stress on the water resources.
4. 780 million people currently live without clean drinking water. This is one of the biggest reasons for poor economic conditions. Also, it gives rise to a host of water-related diseases which is problematic for a community.
5. The population is likely to grow by 1 billion in the next five years. This, in turn, means more mouths to feed and greater demand for drinking water. Agriculture across the globe will require 1 trillion cubic meters of additional water per year.

Well if those weren’t enough here are some more water scarcity facts..

1. Transboundary river basins are a major source of conflicts between various states and countries. 46% of the Earth’s surface is covered by them. Hence these conflicts are likely to grow in the near future.
2. It is estimated that the middle class will rise from 1.8 to 4.9 billion by 2030. This, in turn, will put more pressure on the existing water resources.
3. Half of the population of the world lives in areas where the water table is fast depleting. This can lead to large scale migration in the near future which will result in more pressure on the resources of other areas.
4. By 2050, 1 in 5 developing countries will be facing water shortage.
5. If we keep up the current trend of water consumption, there will not be enough water left for drinking and energy purposes by 2040.

Conclusion

Let’s face it, it is an extremely scary prospect to live in a world without an adequate supply of water. These water scarcity facts prove that the resource which we have till now taken for granted and thrown around playfully might soon become more precious and expensive than gold. Hence it’s better to wake up right now and start acting than repent it in the future.