Water And Cities Flashcards
(18 cards)
What does the UN say about access to safe water?
The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, affordable, physically accessible, safe, and acceptable water for personal and domestic uses
Signed by 145 nation states
But how can we meet these obligations with rapid urbanisation?
When and why did Europe urbanise?
Between 1800 and 1900
There was a 7-fold increase in the population of London
Industrialisation pulled migrants into cities to work in factories
When was the cholera outbreak in soho?
30th August 1854
How many people died?
700 in 2 weeks
What was the importance of snow’s work for water management today?
Demonstrated the link between water and health
Highlighted the value of an unpolluted water supply and adequate sanitation
What is the reason for and magnitude of 20th century urbanisation?
Move from labour intensive farming in search of a better life + reduced mortality = rapid population growth in cities
1950-1980 = a 7-fold increase in the pop of many major cities eg Lagos, Nairobi
What was the problem with such a rapid population growth?
Overwhelmed conventional infrastructure as they were unable to plan for and adapt to such large quick growth: piped water, sewerage, waste disposal all overwhelmed
What model does not adequately represent low-income cities today?
Foster et al 1998 model of city expansion
What did this result in?
- squatter settlements
- reliance on local water resources
- low access to potable water and sanitation
What further problem do cities highlight with the water scarcity metrics?
They do not consider quality of water and water accessibility
What does davey-smith (2002) say about cholera?
- it is still an endemic disease in many poor parts of the world
- income inequality in health still very much exists
What does cairncross (2003) say is a myth about water supply?
The idea that global and local water shortages are to blame for the fact that over a billion people lack water supplies is a myth
Water supply is largely determined by distribution and accessibility
What does cairncross (2003) say about water supply and health?
A number of studies from low income countries suggest that ready access to water determines health benefits more than water quality improvements
Why is this?
Because piped water instead of public wells/taps increases the quantity of water used for hygiene
Most endemic disease is not waterborne but transmitted from person to person on hands and food due to poor hygiene practices
How has urban population growth affected water supply in Africa?
Thompson et al. 2000:
Study between 1967 and 1997
- Areas with piped water had an increasingly unreliable supply
- Households without piped water spent 3x longer on average collecting water
- The price of water from private vendors or kiosks increased
Why is groundwater important in urban development?
It provides a mains supply to urban centres as it is relatively low cost and generally high quality
The subsurface is also a receptor for urban and industrial wastewater
What has this lead to?
Degradation in quality and quantity of groundwater due to excessive exploitation and inadequate pollution control
What could overuse and pollution of groundwater lead to?
Increased scarcity of water supply = escalating water supply costs = relocation of industries = economic stagnation
+ aquifer depletion, saline intrusion and land subsidence
