Water Flashcards
(59 cards)
What is an aquifer?
A body of permeable rock that can contain groundwater
Why is demand for water increasing?
-changes in consumer demand (new tech that uses more water)
-economic development meaning more water is needed for manufacturing and agriculture
-population increase
How does investment in infrastructure affect the supply of water?
-LICS cannot afford to invest in infrastructure
-this means they don’t have reliable clean water and have to hope the weather is in their favour
-they are forced to drink unclean water
How does location affect water supply?
-if an area is coastal they can desalinate water
-climate of different countries
What factors affect water availability?
-geology
-climate
-pollution of supply
-over-abstraction
-limited infrastructure
-poverty
What are the impacts of water insecurity?
-waterborne disease
-water pollution
-less food production
-less industrial output
-conflict
What are some strategies to increase water supply?
-increasing storage (dams and reservoirs)
-water transfer
-desalination
why is it hard to meet the demand for water in the UK?
-population growth
-increased domestic consumption
-industrial use
-agriculture
What are the challenges surrounding managing the supply of water in the UK?
-lack of rainfall in the south-east
-poorly maintained infrastructures (leaks)
-pressure on groundwater
Why is managing water quality a challenge in the UK
-water pollution
-runoff from fertilisers/chemicals
What is an example of a water transfer in the UK?
-keilder water
-transfers water from the keilder reservior on the river Tyne to the river tees
-Sunderland to Middlesborough
What are the social advantages and disadvantages of keilder water?
-helps people who have less water carry out daily tasks more efficiently (cooking)
-agriculture will be better and people will have more food
-hygiene improved and more hydrated so better at work/school
-building it could disrupt people’s lives
-peoples land could be lost
-money spent on this could prevent money being spent on social services
What are the economic advantages and disadvantages of keilder water?
-creates jobs
-more people can access water so water bills decrease
-costs at least 100 million pounds
-non permanent jobs
What are the environmental advantages and disadvantages of keilder water?
-reduces flooding in the North
-more water sources in the South for animals
-water flowing down the highlands provides hydroelectric through dams = energy created through non fossil fuel means
-disrupting habitats in order to build the pipeline
-fish could be killed by getting caught up in the pipes
What is the difference between physical water scarcity and economic water scarcity?
Physical = hot and dry climate with little rainfall meaning less water
Economic = they don’t have the money to extract the water
What is a positive of dams and reservoirs?
Allows flooding to be controlled on rivers so protects people
what is a negative of a water transfer scheme?
landowners can refuse for it to be built on their land
what is a negative of rainwater harvesting?
it wont be any help in dry climates as theres no water to collect
what is a negative of desalination?
it is the most expensive way for people to get freshwater
what is the definition of water stress?
where supplies of water are less than 1700m3 per person
what is the definition of water scarcity?
where water supplies are less than 1000m3 per person
define over-abstraction?
unsustainable use of wells resulting in ground water supplies such as aquifers drying up before they can be naturally recharged
how is economic development a cause of water scarcity? give an example?
HICs have a high demand for water due to industrial output
the wine industry in Australia is causing the Murray River to be over abstracted
why can waterbourne diseases be caused due to water scarcity?
-run-offs from fertilizers and pesticides
-open sewers can run into rivers in LICS
