Living with Water

Abstract

Two main problems challenge human water needs. First, the water we drink and the food we grow and consume to survive must be unsalted—thus, we need freshwater, which represents only 3% of the total water available on the planet. The rest contains a level of salt that is too high for us. Most of the usable water is locked away in glaciers and snow in inaccessible areas, which are not distributed equally across the planet. Whereas some areas are blessed with an abundance of water, others suffer from drought. Thus, humans are faced with an unequal distribution of freshwater. Second, although water supplies will never run out, the supply of freshwater may be polluted to the extent that it ceases to be usable for consumption or for growing foods.

A major challenge we face today is providing safe freshwater to the seven billion people who live on this planet. Providing and having access to clean water is a key requirement to ensuring the well-being of the growing world population. Not surprisingly, access to clean water is sometimes a potential source of disputes and even war. Assessing all of the water-related risks is of major concern to decision makers.

There are many forces that create and drive the challenges associated with water quality. Extreme weather conditions, population growth, population migration, and the economy put pressure on our water resources. The greatest pressure is the dramatic increase in the number of people on the planet. There were just over two billion people here 100 years ago; today there are seven billion. An ever-increasing amount of food (requiring enormous amounts of water) is needed to feed them. The human population is generally concentrated in urban areas, where wastes are produced that must be taken away and processed. Improved lifestyles that are not met with proper improvements in societal infrastructure (primarily sanitation and pollution control) increase the challenges of waste and water pollution. Thus, higher living standards combined with population growth are a threat to our water resources.

Glossary

Ambiguous Risks

Risks that have several possible interpretations on the basis of currently available risk assessments. They are in contrast to uncertain risks, where an insufficient knowledge base exists. Sometimes uncertain risks can also be ambiguous or vice versa.

Atmosphere

Layer of gases surrounding the earth. It is composed primarily of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%).

Biodiversity

Number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region.

Catchment Area

(referring to water): Area from where the water is collected (drained).

Ecosystem

Community of organisms and their physical environment interacting as an ecological unit.

Equilibrium

Balance of opposing forces or influences. In biology, it refers to opposing processes occurring at equal rates, resulting in a stable system.

Eutrophication

Overenrichment of a body of water with nutrients, resulting in excessive growth of organisms and depletion of oxygen.

Evaporation

Turning liquid into vapor. Evaporation is an essential part of the water cycle and thus crucial for the hydrosphere.

Hydropolitics

Politics of water. It includes water quality and quantity issues that are usually of a cross-regional nature.

Hydrosphere

All of the water under, on, and over the surface of the Earth. The water cycle moves water around the hydrosphere.

Lythospehere

Usually defined as the rocky outer shell of a planet, which is composed of the upper mantle and the crust. On Earth, the lithosphere gives rise to tectonic plates that shape the earth topography.

Point Source Pollution

Contaminants that originate from point sources enter water bodies at a specific site that can readily be identified, such as factories or sewage treatment facilities.

Precipitation

Condensation of the atmospheric water vapor. Precipitation takes place when the air cools off and/or it is saturated with water vapor.

Risk Assessment

Generation of knowledge about a possible harm or risk. It comprises risk and concern appraisal and its characterization.

Risk Governance

Problem-solving-oriented activity composed of risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication processes.

Risk Management

Decision-making phase of the risk governance process concerned with designing and implementing actions to lower the identified risks (if necessary).

Sustainability

Generally refers to the responsible management of resources so they can be used over an extended period of time. It implies, for example, assuring healthy ecosystems.

Transpiration

Loss of water by evaporation in plants, primarily through the leaf’s surface. It helps the movement of nutrients around the plant. In animals, the process is called perspiration.

Virtual Water

Volume of freshwater used to produce goods or a service. It usually measures and tracks how much water is used during production and trading of food or consumer products. Sometimes referred to as the water footprint.

Volatile (organic) Pollutants

Organic chemicals that evaporate easily at normal temperatures and pressures and therefore have a low boiling point. They are usually harmful to living organisms.

Water Quality

Chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water that define its suitability for a particular purpose. Drinking water has a different quality profile than water used for industrial purposes only.

Water Quantity

Amount of water available for a particular purpose (e.g., everyday use at home).