water shortage What is Water Shortage Suffering from

water shortage What is Water Shortage?

Suffering from water shortage

Some of the Main Causes of Water Shortage • Excess and unnecessary demands outstrip available and scarce resources • Increased pollution due to excessive and unsustainable human consumption • There is overuse of water across the board and in all forms of industrial processes • Non-sustainable domestic practices such as leaving taps running when water is not needed and needs to be stopped • Economic scarcity caused by poor or lack of management of existing water resources • Uneven distribution of water resources – regions that have excess supplies do not divert resources to areas where it is needed more

desert country • In a desert country where 80, 000 people are living off the water supplied by the river Nile… Egypt is facing a water crises. • The Nile has always been the life blood of Egyptian society and it’s importance can be dated back to the time of the Pharaohs.

Some of the Main Causes of Water Shortage • Aquifers over-pumped and not re-charging quickly enough • Pollution remains one of the biggest problems in which governments don’t do nearly enough to penalize industrial use companies that illegally dump chemicals and oils into stressed water systems • Fair access to land presents challenges of conflict where many people are restricted or denied access to land, whether privately or government owned, and on which precious water resources may be found • The challenge of distance remains acute in some parts of the world where regions have historically experienced dry climates and have had to rely on neighboring countries to supply them.

Solutions to the Problem of Water Shortage • Do not keep taps running while water is not needed – For example, switch the tap off while brushing teeth • Only use what is needed resourcefully – For example, when washing dishes, make sure that the sink is full • Obey water restrictions enforced – For example, do not use the hose pipe while washing the car • Increased water tariffs make consumers more budget conscious and deter them from using water excessively • Sustainable home living needs to be practiced. For instance, take short showers instead of long baths • Recycle used water as much as possible

Solutions to the Problem of Water Shortage • More stringent regulation of industrial processes is required • Organic consumption across the board needs to be encouraged and prioritized. Organic production and consumption processes invariably lead to less water being used • Mining legislation and fracking needs to be revisited and taken more seriously by governments • Education from the ground up right through to the highest levels, both government and corporate are needed to raise awareness of the dire consequences of abusing scarce resources • More active involvement at NGO level, from the smallest contribution to a progressive and professional role is required from more people • More sustainable farming practices need to be encouraged • Taking advantage of improved and advanced technologies to provide communities and cities with clean water is required • Clean water initiatives, usually promoted by NGOs and other active role players need to be supported and funded • Of great importance is the need to repair and improve existing sewerage systems