Water Sustainability: Solutions for a Thirsty World

That water is essential for the sustenance of life is common sense. Water constitutes an approximated eighty percent of the human body mass and it additionally supports close to forty million species of plants and animals on the globe (Sturman & Mathew, 2004). To many people, water may appear to be in an abundant supply that runs into quintillions of gallons. In fact, it should be noted that water constitutes close to seventy percent of the entire surface of the planet, which in a real sense, is a large quantity (Robertson, 2014). However, when the water supplies are assessed according to the human needs, the perceived abundance is greatly limited. The reason for the limitations in the use of water is that it can only be useful for human activities when it has some levels of salinity. For example, sea water may be useful for industrial purposes, such as cooling of machinery, but never for domestic functions. Only 2.7% of the voluminous natural resource is fresh and when the 1.9% of glacier water is removed, only some 0.8% of fresh water remains (Sturman & Mathew, 2004). Table 1 summarizes the percentage of water on the globe. 

Table 1 : the percentage of water resources on the earth’s surface adapted from Sturman and Mathew (2004) 

Literature affirms that the rise in the global population has resulted in a fresh and clean water crisis. Precisely, according to Clark and Hakim (2013), fresh water has become available only in modest volumes for every person, and a significant proportion of the population is struggling to access it. The fact that fresh and clean water is in limited supplies compared to the population size that keeps growing its demand, water sustainability is an issue that the world has been pondering for a considerable period now. In line with the sustainability idea, this paper presents research findings on the status of water sustainability around the world. In constructing the context of the study question, the essay starts with a short history of water sustainability, which highlights the factors that created the need for water sustainability around the world and the manner in which the factors relate to the current state. 

A Short History of Water Sustainability 

Literature highlighting the history of water sustainability is scarce, yet it is adequate in its explanation of the reason why communities both in ancient and modern eras considered adopting water management strategies. According to Feldman and Grant (2017), the inefficiencies of populations in the collection of water hampered population growth. Because of the identified reason, ancient civilizations around the world needed to discover efficient means that would supply water in large volumes because a faster consumption than production of water would be catastrophic. Wells, dams, canals, and aqueducts among others were some of the ancient methods that communities used to increase and steady their water supply (In Pereira et al., 2018). Well, according to the cited literature, were tapped into underground water storage structures called aquifers with the objective of supplying fresh water, majorly for drinking and watering animals. The primary challenge that the communities experienced was the fact that the aquifers were temporal, which means that the wells would dry up on regular patterns, especially during dry conditions when the water table was low. Furthermore, dams were used to create barriers on streams and create reservoirs that would ensure a steady supply of water. Ancient communities also dug trenches, which fed from the extant streams or reservoirs that would direct water to places where it was needed, especially on farms on which the water was used for irrigation and watering animals. 

The most notable method that communities in ancient civilizations used to supply water for large scale use was the aqueduct. Literature suggests that the aqueducts have been applied in supplying water for civilizations around the world for centuries now (In Pereira et al., 2018). The cited author indicates that the Roman civilization was the first to produce the structures on grand scales that ensured a constant supply of fresh water for entire cities. For example, Rome supported an approximated population of about one million through its system of aqueducts, which made water an important part of Roman life (Feldman & Grant, 2017). At the same time, the study reports, the rest of the world obtained its water from wells, reservoirs, or streams. The Roman aqueducts were solely powered by gravity, and they did not involve any pumps. Because of the availability of water, Rome was a clean and wealthy city. For example, Romans could bath in public bath places, pump portable water to drinking fountains, and pump raw sewage out of their city (Feldman & Grant, 2017). Nevertheless, the fall of Rome and the subsequent destruction of the aqueducts resulted in the loss of close to ninety percent of its population, which highlighted the need for water sustainability. 

The Current Status 

The history of sustainability in the use of water resources highlights its significance for food production and economic development. Nevertheless, over the past few years, different authors have reported an overuse of ground and surface water resources the world over (Feldman & Grant, 2017). Some people may be tempted into thinking that the supply of the natural resources is being depleted, which could be misleading. According to Robertson (2014), the rate at which people are drawing water from the hydrological cycle is faster than the rate at which they facilitate its replenishment. Several reasons have been advanced in literature to indicate the reasons for a faster use of fresh water resources without proper replenishment, which this section discusses subsequently. 

The Causes of Water Shortage 

Human Activities 

The Diversion of Major Rivers 

Notably, human activity has significant adverse effects on water bodies around the world. For example, individuals in some regions of the world have diverted rivers, which are meant to feed fresh water lakes for irrigation and related activities. For example, according to Robertson (2014) and Ahmad and Wasiq (2004), Kazakhstan’s Aral Sea was once ranked the fourth largest lake the world over, but it is slowly drying up because of lack of steady inflow of water from its feeder sources. The cited authors report that the Soviet Union diverted the Sry Darya and Amu Darya rivers, which were the primary feeders of the Aral Sea to its farms for agriculture during the 60s. Consequently, the lake, which was once more than 26,000 square miles, has lost close to seventy-four percent of its original surface area. Studies also give the situation of Lake Chad that is located in central Africa. Precisely, it is reported that primary feeder river, River Chari was diverted for farming in various regions at around the same time that the feeders of the Aral Sea were diverted (Robertson, 2014). Presently, the water volume in Lake Chad has resided by ninety-five percent, and only close to 550 square miles of the lake is still remaining out of the original 10,000. The two examples given indicate that the diversion of rivers could result in the reduction of the water supply for major reservoirs. 

The Depletion of Aquifer Zones 

It is important to note that close to twenty percent of the water that people consume comes from aquifer zones. Unfortunately, some of the aquifers are nonrenewable, and they could take a long time to replenish. The Ogallala Aquifer was recharged thousands of years in the past, but it has lost eleven percent of its original water volume since active pumping started in the 1950s (Robertson, 2014). The water level in some cities, such as Kansas and Oklahoma, has fallen by over than a hundred feet, which has resulted in the drying of thousands of wells (Robertson, 2014). Furthermore, aquifers found in coastal regions in most of the countries around the world are over-pumped, and should the level of pumping persist, it is likely that salty water will percolate into the aquifer and mix with fresh water, which would make it useless for human use. For instance, thirteen out of thirty-seven major aquifers around the world are under the stress of being over-pumped. According to Mays (2007), the water tables of Central Valley, CA, North Africa, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia are already strained. 

Hazardous Threat to the Ecosystem 

The challenges of over-pumping aquifers and diverting rivers are not the only issues that the current population faces in matters fresh water accessibility. For instance, it is reported that people are now disposing close to ninety percent of hazardous waste into rivers. Resultantly, the access to clean and fresh water will continue to be a significant challenge for the current population. Contaminated water is one of the leading causes of disease that culminates in poverty. The most commonly disposed wastes include industrial spills, chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizer that always end up in aquifers and other water storage facilities, including lakes. Small animals, such as fish, and plants that would later be eaten by humans, and result in the accumulation of the harmful chemicals into their bodies, as Robertson (2014) posits. 

Climate Change 

Apart from economic and population growth, climate change is also anticipated to be a significant factor shaping the availability of water resources. For example, it is expected that several places around the world will experience either severe flooding or drought by 2050 owing to the effects of climate change (In Pereira et al., 2018). The global demand for food is also expected to rise because of the continued rise in the population. Consequently, the world would require increasing its irrigation by close to twenty percent by 2080 to meet the excess demand (Mini, Hogue, & Pincetl, 2015). The Glaciers located in the Himalayas and the Andes are sources for major rivers that support close to a billion people, which implies that the current threat of climate change would affect the supply of fresh water in the regions. 

Profiles of Three Companies Dealing with Water Sustainability 

Water Is Life 

Water Is Life is a nonprofit organization that designs and distributes portable water filters, which resemble big straws. The constituent parts of the filters include active carbon, iodized crystals, and membranes that trap and filter bacteria and viruses, including E. coli, cholera, and typhoid from water making it safe for consumption. The organization is also involved in the creation of educational campaigns that teach the children the need and the way to filter or clean water before drinking from potentially unsafe water sources. 

WaterSmart 

The organization designs software that aids the water industry in comprehending that happens to each last drop of water. The software, according the corporate website of company, aggregates and analyzes data from water meters around the country, predicts the levels of demand, and assists utilities to communicate with clients concerning their consumption, such as rate changes and leaks. 

Valor Water 

In support with Y Combinator, Valor Water assists companies to comprehend who among their clients are conserving or wasting water. Using the data collected the company advices utilities to hike rates for those who could be wasting water as a means of cultivating responsible water use among their subscribers. 

Recommendations on the Current and Future Actions 

Creative methods of water conservation could be adopted to deal with the problems around sustainability. According to Mini, Hogue, and Pincetl (2015), the probable methods that could used may entail those that locate new supplies or utilize less water. 

Present Actions 

The current actions that relate to water conservation, according to Robertson (2014), entail harvesting of rainwater, protecting aquifers and watersheds that supply drinking water, and desalinizing seawater. The author also suggests the possibilities of harvesting storm water and preserving it for future use. The study indicates that green roofs, biowales, porous pavings, and rain gardens can be used in the collection of rainwater effectively. The harvested water could be stored in cisterns and be utilized when the rains are not falling for activities, such as dishwashing, toilet flushing, or be treated for human consumption (Mini, Hogue, & Pincetl, 2015). 

Desalinizing sea water could be a useful approach to easing stress on the hydrological cycle. Literatures describes distillation and reverse osmosis as the two approaches to desalinizing sea water, which have been effective in bolstering the supply of clean water in the Middle East and around the US. For instance, the Tampa Bay, Florida desalination plant supplies approximately 10% of the water consumed in the state. Another one in San Diego, California contributes 8% to the region's water needs. The Middle East has some of the largest plants that supply approximately 70% of the desalinated water across the globe (Robertson, 2014). 

The City and State of New York is exemplified in matters protecting watersheds. During the 1990s, the city faced issues with the supply of water that comes from the Catskill Mountains. The period had witnessed increased human activity in the mountain region, which had adverse implications on the quality of water that rendered it unfit for human consumption according to EPA standards. Consequently, the state resorted to protecting the watershed through purchasing the forest around the mountain and agreed with communities around it to promote environmental conservancy. The outcome of the process was realized in 2007 when EPA certified that the water was clean and safe for consumption by the public (Robertson, 2014). 

Future Actions 

The future actions concerning water sustainability should focus on the behavioral and technical aspects of consumers. Residential water conservation by clients is being emphasized by utility firms that hire specialists who aid the consumers in attaining efficient water use. According to Clark and Hakim (2013), the technical elements of water conservancy include the installation of water-saving fixtures, and repairing leaking pipes. Utilities may attain behavioral changes among their consumers through an educational approach to water conservation (Seneviratne, 2007). 

Conclusion 

The principle focus of this study was to report water conservation and sustainability, especially in relation to the present water situation around the globe, and the measures that could be adopted to remedy the state. The essay has established that only 2.7 percent of the global water is fresh out of which only 0.8 percent is readily available for consumption. With climate change, economic development, a rise in the global populations, water is anticipated to be scarce in the coming years because human activity has continued to encroach on water towers. The contamination of water resources by human activity also raises several health issues around the use of water and places pressure on individuals to adopt effective measures that would increase the supply of water and encourage responsible behavior on the same. Water Is Life, Valor Water, and WaterSmart are three examples of American corporations that have stepped up efforts to converse water resources, and their efforts could be backed by recommendations to sensitize utilities and consumers to have efficient strategies of water usage. 

References 

Ahmad, M. &Wasiq, M. (2004).  Water resource development in Northern Afghanistan and its implications for Amu Darya Basin . Washington, DC: World Bank. 

Clark, R. & Hakim, S. (2013).  Securing water and wastewater systems: global experiences . Cham: Springer. 

Feldman, D. L., & Grant, S. B. (2017).  The water-sustainable city: Science, policy and practice . Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. 

In Pereira, L. M., In McElroy, C., In Littaye, A., & In Girard, A. M. (2018).  Food, energy and water sustainability: Emergent governance strategies . 

Jones, J. A. A. (2014).  Water sustainability: a global perspective . Routledge. 

Mays, L. (2007).  Water resources sustainability . New York Alexandria, Va: McGraw-Hill WEF Press. 

Mini, C., Hogue, T. S., &Pincetl, S. (2015). The effectiveness of water conservation measures on summer residential water use in Los Angeles, California.  Resources, Conservation and Recycling ,  94 , 136-145. 

Robertson, M. (2014).  Sustainability principles and practice . Routledge. 

Seneviratne, M. (2007).  A practical approach to water conservation for commercial and industrial facilities . Amsterdam Boston: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann 

Sturman, J& Mathew, K. (2004).  Water auditing and water conservation . London: IWA Publishing.