A major global concern at present is that the world will run
out of water to meet the needs of its burgeoning population. Since water is needed for every aspect of life, the fear is that there will not be enough water for an estimated 9.3 billion people by 2050 and their numerous water-related needs.
However, the most pressing global water problem of the
future will be water quality and not quantity. The quality of water is progressively
deteriorating in nearly all the countries of the world.
Even in developed countries such as the United States and
United Kingdom, the situations are not very rosy. According to the US
Environment Protection Agency, 40% of the surveyed rivers are not fit for
swimming and fishing. It estimates 850 billion gallons of untreated discharges flow into water bodies annually, causing seven million illnesses each year.
In London, whenever there is more than 2mm of rain,
untreated raw sewage flows into the River Thames. This occurs once a week. Each year, 30 million tonnes of raw sewage are discharged into the Thames.
The situation is significantly worse in emerging economies
and developing countries, where all water bodies in or around urban centres are
already heavily contaminated.
In China, water from more than half of its largest rivers
and lakes has been declared to be unfit for human consumption.
More than half
of groundwater in northern China is so contaminated that it is not even fit for
bathing, let alone drinking.
More than half
of groundwater in northern China is so contaminated that it is not even fit for
bathing, let alone drinking.
Or take Brazil. Its 380 sq km Guanabara Bay, where sailing
events are to be held for the next Olympics Games, is now an open sewer.
It receives 8,200 litres of untreated sewage every second
and 100 tonnes of garbage each day.
The International Sailing Federation has said that all races at next year’s Olympics may have to be moved outside the Bay
The International Sailing Federation has said that all races at next year’s Olympics may have to be moved outside the Bay
Water quality affects the health of humans and global
ecosystems. However, the world has been singularly unsuccessful in convincing
policymakers that water quality improvements must be a priority policy issue.Estimates made by the Third World Centre for Water Management indicate that only about 10 per cent of people in the developing world have access to good waste-water management.
Water
quality affects the health of humans and global ecosystems. However,
the world has been singularly unsuccessful in convincing policymakers
that water quality improvements must be a priority policy issue. - See
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