According to World Vision, 1 in 10 people worldwide lack access to basic or clean hydric resources. This roughly equates to around 700 million people. While this figure has been decreasing as the years go by, it is fair to say it isn’t decreasing at a fast enough pace going by the vast population of people still affected.
For communities worldwide that have access to clean hydric resources, it may be difficult to fathom just how pertinent this situation is. For further introspection, let’s hit you with some very shocking yet relevant truths when it comes to clean aquatic resources.
- More than 1000 children worldwide die daily from diseases related to contamination of the water they take;
- Around 419 million people worldwide practice open defecation, a prevalent hindrance to preserving the cleanliness of aquatic resources;
- The provision of clean freshwater supply and sanitation form a pertinent goal for the United Nations by 2030.
With the facts we’ve mentioned above, it is clear why it is important that every facet of our society pulls together to provide long-lasting solutions for the global crisis that threatens ecosystems and communities at large. Notably, businesses such as verdecasino have begun to acknowledge the important roles they have to play by supporting water conservation initiatives. Join us as we explore the various possible solutions being sought for this global crisis.
Causes of The Water Crisis
The global hydric shortage crisis has several causes. However, the main ones are as follows:
- Widespread pollution across the world: The degradation of aqua sources has had far-reaching consequences that have rendered water unfit for consumption or use;
- Overuse: The inadequate management of water, whether it is for agricultural use, home usage, or industrial use, has caused a lot of stress on the prevailing global aquatic resources;
- Climate Change: With global warming, severe weather conditions like droughts and heat waves have worsened the situation, especially for places that already face water constraints.
Consequences of Water Crisis
As you can imagine, the shortage of the underlying vital living resource has untold consequences in the socio-economic setup of communities around the globe. These consequences are normally harsh, and include:
- Hunger and Poverty: The lack of hydric resources has a direct link to crop production and the survival of livestock, which are major economic activities for millions of people worldwide;
- Sanitation-related diseases: With people forced to consume unsafe water, the risk that people will be subject to sanitation-related diseases increases, putting the general population at risk;
- Maternal and Newborn Health: The lack of proper sanitation and hydric resource facilities has contributed to high rates of disease and death among birthing mothers and infants, particularly in developing nations.
It is, therefore, vital that long-lasting solutions be sought for the water crisis across the globe.
Centralized Governance Initiatives
Employing a centralized approach to the global water crisis is important if we are truly serious about the provision and implementation of long-lasting solutions. A pertinent aspect of the centralized governance initiative is the water authority, which in many jurisdictions around the world is tasked with the drilling of wells and the treatment of industrial and homestead wastewater among other government initiatives. In Poland, the agency responsible for all these is the Polish Waters National Water Management Holding (PaÅstwowe Gospodarstwo Wodne Wody Polskie), commonly referred to as Wody Polskie.
As you can imagine, this agency can’t accomplish all its goals related to water sources alone. The correct way to accomplish all the goals mandated by the various hydro agencies around the globe is by pulling the solutions from various sectors of the economy. From the other government agencies, non-government organizations, community groups, and even the private sector entities. The consolidated effort presents the best chance to come up with quality and long-lasting solutions.
Investing in Water Catchment and Harvesting Technologies
In today’s world where technological innovations are on the up daily, it is time that we direct this skill set to solve a very huge problem for the global population. The technologies that will be implemented will be utilized will vary based on the various sources from rainwater, floodwater, and groundwater among other sources. While the word technology may elicit missed reactions, particularly due to the complexity that many attribute it to, we’re here to state that it doesn’t have to involve rocket science to solve the global water crisis.
These solutions may be the implementation of simple Rain Water Harvesting. That said, there have been concerns over the years about how the sanitation of rainwater can be maintained. As such, the efficacy of this method will depend on the effective treatment of the water to eliminate contaminants.
Irrigation and Agricultural Practices
Studies by hydrology experts have shown that the agricultural industry has contributed vastly to the withdrawal of the world’s freshwater supply for irrigation purposes to the tune of a stunning 70%. With the prevailing climate change situation and the grappling need to satisfy the needs of a large population, it has become necessary to address how water can be adequately utilized by the agricultural industry. This may entail the enforcement of smart irrigation technologies and precision agricultural practices. Sticking to traditional irrigation practices may lead to over-irrigation which is not only detrimental to the hydrological situation around the world but also isn’t good for the crops. However, with increased irrigation efficiency practices like drip irrigation or deficit irrigation, we could kill two birds with one stone by providing crops with the right amount of water and saving much-needed water.
Change the World With a Water Crisis Solution Today
As we wind down, we would like to lay down the gauntlet to everyone, both individually and as a collective unit, to pull together and to avert the global crises that the aquatic resource shortage presents to the world. Fighting this on a united front gives us more ammunition to make sure that each child, each individual out there, has access to clean and safe water to use.
