Water Resource Management

Question 1

What is fresh water?

Answer 1

Water containing less than 1000 mg per litre of dissolved solids.

Question 2

What is physical water scarcity?

Answer 2

Term that applies to a lack of water due to dryness and an arid region.

Question 3

What is economic water scarcity?

Answer 3

A term applying to a lack of water due to a weak economy or weak government, being unable to supply the population with water.

Question 4

What is a water deficit?

Answer 4

When there is more required than supplied.

Question 5

What is a water surplus?

Answer 5

When water supply meets and exceeds demand.

Question 6

Which natural factor affects water supply?

Answer 6

Evapotranspiration rate.

Question 7

How has water supply changed in the last 50 years?

Answer 7

It has increased due to the work of charities like Water Aid UK.

Drinking water has also been supplied by organisations like the World Health Organisation.

Question 8

How has the percentage of people without drinking water decreased between 2012 and 2015?

Answer 8

It went from 11% of people without water to 8%.

Question 9

Why has demand for water increased in developed countries?

Answer 9

There has been:

An increase in manufacturing industry

An increase in thermal electricity generation

An increase in domestic use

An increase in meat production

An increase in water needed for irrigation

An increase in the amount of water needed for one’s daily food intake.

Question 10

Why has demand for water in emerging and developing countries increased?

Answer 10

Technological advances

Improvements to hygiene

Sport has increased

Leisure has increased

Question 11

What is agricultural usage of water?

Answer 11

Usage of water by farmers for growing crops or feeding animals.

Question 12

What is industrial usage of water?

Answer 12

Use of water by factories or the companies that produce energy.

Question 13

What is domestic usage?

Answer 13

Usage of water by households.

Question 14

How is water used globally? (in %)

Answer 14

70% agriculture

22% industry

8% domestic

Question 15

How is water used in developed countries? (in %)

Answer 15

30% agriculture

59% industry

11% domestic

Question 16

How is water used in developing countries? (in %)

Answer 16

82% agriculture

10% industry

8% domestic

Question 17

Why does agriculture vary between developed and developing countries?

Answer 17

Irrigation systems are higher quality in developed countries, but require more water.

Question 18

Why does industrial usage of water vary?

Answer 18

In developed economies, water is used on a mass scale for production and thus more is used by companies, who have more factories here, than in developing nations.

Question 19

Why does domestic water usage vary?

Answer 19

In developed nations, water is used domestically in advanced home appliances, since items like baths are more common here, the average domestic usage is much higher than in developing nations.

Question 20

What is an imbalance?

Answer 20

Something that isn’t equal.

Question 21

What is the seasonal imbalance of water in the UK?

Answer 21

The rainfall received varies a lot, during winter it almost doesn’t stop raining but in summer it barely rains.

Question 22

What problems are there with the UK’s infrastructure?

Answer 22

Many pipes are over 100 years old.

Many pipes regularly leak and need repair.

Sewage infrastructure regularly leaks.

Question 23

How does seasonal imbalance affect water companies?

Answer 23

Since supply is lower and demand is higher in summer, they make more profit during these months.

Question 24

How many people gained access to drinking water between 1990 and 2012?

Answer 24

2.3 billion people.

Question 25

How has water become contaminated in parts of the world?

Answer 25

In the amazon, waste materials from oil extraction have polluted the water. In developing countries, sewage is mixed with treated water. Nearly 70% of people in Bangladesh drink from wells, many having traces of poisonous Arsenic. Around 70% of untreated waste in Africa makes it into rivers.

Question 26

What do many developing and emerging countries have that lowers their water supply?

Answer 26

A low annual rainfall

Question 27

How do attitudes to water exploitation vary with stakeholders?

Answer 27

Business owners think industry needs more water to produce more product. Governments think all groups should be accounted for. Water Aid campaigners think we need to conserve and redistribute water. Farmers want water to be relocated to irrigation to help businesses and food supply. Dam construction workers want water companies to be given grants to increase their pay. Some government officials think we need to conserve water to prevent a loss of future supplies and habitats. Some residents don't care since they have always had a supply of water.

Question 28

What type of water treatment is used in areas without fresh water?

Answer 28

Desalination of water in plants, where seawater has salt removed to make it drinkable.

Question 29

Which countries use lots of desalination?

Answer 29

Israel, Saudi Arabia, other gulf states, China.

Question 30

Where is the UK's only desalination plant?

Answer 30

At Beckton near to London.

Question 31

What factors mean that water resources have to be managed sustainably?

Answer 31

800 million people do not have access to regular drinking water. The world's population is growing, so water demand is increasing. Every day, 2 million tonnes of human waste is disposed into water. In developing and emerging countries, 70% of industrial waste is dumped untreated into rivers. By 2050, global water demand will increase by over 50%. There is an increase in demand for meat, which requires lots of water. Worldwide, 70% of water withdrawn goes to agriculture for food production.

Question 32

What do different individuals, organisations and governments think about sustainable use of water resources?

Answer 32

Developing country leaders think they need to provide more fresh water to the populus. Farmers think more water should be given to irrigation to improve their businesses and decreasse food scarcity. Conservationists think we need to work together to get the most out of each river. Some residents don't care since water is a given to them. Some water companies think we need to have an overhaul of the water piping system to mend leaks. Some people in poorer countries think we need to distribute water more evenly.

Question 33

What does the UK have that stores old rainfall?

Answer 33

Aquifers underground.

Question 34

What are aquifers?

Answer 34

Water bearing rocks.

Question 35

What are metered houses?

Answer 35

Homes where water usage is metered and their cost of usage is tied to the meter.

Question 36

What are unmetered houses?

Answer 36

Houses where a company estimates water usage to give a cost.

Question 37

What are UK water companies doing in households to promote water conservation?

Answer 37

Installing meters Providing basins for rainwater to be collected into for usage.

Question 38

What have the UK government done to fix water shortages or overuse?

Answer 38

They have passed policies to monitor the sustainability of water companies. They have set efficiency targets for water supply companies. Many websites are available to help save water. A scheme has been introduced to involve people in the management of rivers with groups like The Environment Agency or the Wildlife Trust.

Question 39

What are the results of the government policies to reduce water usage?

Answer 39

Leakage is down by 35%. Between 2005 and 2010 water and sewage companies in England and Wales laid 20000km of water mains.

Question 40

What are the problems with water supply in China?

Answer 40

Around 1500 people die in floods every year in the agricultural floodplains. Over 70% of China's rivers and lakes are polluted. China has a high population density in the northeast, where rainfall is low. Since 1970, the population of China has over doubled but demand has increased by 5.5x. Western, central and north-eastern regions suffer from recurring drought.

Question 41

What solutions have China enacted to the water problems?

Answer 41

Between 2010 and 2012 the government carried out a water census. This gave them a better picture for planning action to use water sustainably. Desalination plants are being built on the coastline to provide water in the north and east at a cost of £2.1 billion. This will triple the amount of available water. Water is being redirected from the south to the north, starting in the Yangtze River. Projects are being carried out by charities to cut water usage to produce food. This would save 65% of water consumption. Olympic athletes have gone into schools to act as role models to kids to save water. They went to over 1000 schools in Beijing. Beijing now has a water conservancy museum aiming to increase awareness of overconsumption of water. In Shanghai, 50 wells have been dug 240m deep beneath residential areas to be used in times of shortage. China has spent money improving reservoirs. By 2015 over 50000 reservoirs had been reinforced and their quality improved.