Science Forums 2

[Michaelangelica]

April 1997

Dividing the Water

Water may seem to be everywhere, but for a rising portion of the world's population, there may soon be hardly a drop to drink -or to use for growing food, supporting industries and cities, and preserving life-giving ecosystems.
. . .
Indeed, a growing scarcity of freshwater is now an impediment to global future food security, health of aquatic ecosystems, and social and political stability.
Each year, millions of tons of grain are grown by depleting groundwater, a clear case of robbing the future to pay for the present. Competition for water is increasing-between cities and farms, between neighboring states and provinces, and between nations-as demands bump up against the limits of a finite supply.
And critical ecosystem functions such as flood protection, water purification, habitat maintenance, and the sustenance of fisheries are being destroyed by excessive damming, diversion, and pollution of rivers.
. . .
As world population expands by a projected 2.6 billion people over the next 30 years, and as consumption levels spiral upward, water problems are bound to intensify. With the best dam sites already developed and many rivers and groundwater reserves already overtapped, opportunities to solve these problems by exploiting new sources are limited.
A fresh approach is needed, one focused on using water more efficiently and allocating it more equitably.
. . .
humanity is already appropriating, directly or indirectly, more than half of the water supply that is now accessible.
The problem is that water use tripled between 1950 and 1990 as world population soared by some 2.7 billion.
Given that the population is projected to climb by nearly the same amount over the next 30 years, this is a troubling prospect.
Worldwide demand for water cannot triple again without causing severe shortages for crop irrigation, industrial use, basic household needs, and critical life-supporting ecosystems.

Technology Review: Dividing the Water