Water
By Lisa, Genesis and Kathy
A
D I M I N ISHI
NG
RESOURCE
video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkNY78B2Jio&feature=related
“The human right to water entitles everyone to
sufficient,
safe,
acceptable,
physically
accessible
Title
and affordable water for personal and domestic
uses. An adequate amount of safe water is
necessary to prevent death from dehydration,
reduce the risk of water-related disease and
provide for consumption, cooking, personal and
domestic hygienic requirements”.
(General Comment 15, CESCR, 2002)
Global Facts
…the reality is…
•more than one out of six people lack access to safe drinking water;
1.1 billion people
•more than two out of six lack adequate sanitation;
2.6 billion people
•3900 children die every day from water-borne diseases
•Up to half of humanity has one of these six main diseases
1. diarrhea
2. schistosomiasis
3.trachoma
4. infestation with ascaris
5. infestation with guinea worm
6. infestation with hookworm
Social Consequences Globally
• China, with 1.26 billion people, "the water table is dropping one
meter per year due to over-pumping, and the Chinese admit that 300
cities are running short.
• In India, home to 1.002 billion people, key aquifers are being overpumped, and the soil is growing saltier through contamination with
irrigation water
• Israel (population 6.2 million), invented many water-conserving
technologies, but water withdrawals still exceed resupply.
• Egypt (population of 68 million), is irrigated by seasonal floods from
the Nile River, and from water stored behind the Aswan High Dam.
Any interference with water flow by Sudan or Ethiopia could starve
Egypt.
• Mexico City (home to 20 million people) is sinking because the city
sucks out underground water faster than the aquifer can be refilled.
Social Consequences (cont.)
• More and more areas are becoming unstable
with regards to their water resources
• More and more people are dying from thirst
and water-borne contaminants
•The 1950s drought severely impacted a 1.1millionkm2 area in the central US.
This drought, along with the famous 1930s drought, was among the most severe
of the 20th century for large areas and is the drought of record for water supply
planning in Texas.
•The total annual dependable water supply in Texas is approximately 16.3
million acre-feet.
•Texas has had an abundance of natural resources, although it has had some
cases of really severe drought.
• 95% of the united states fresh water is underground, and farmers in the Texas
High Plains pump groundwater faster than rain fills it, and the water tables are
dropping.
•Over 50 percent of all water projects fail and less than 5 percent of
projects are revisited and far less than one percent are monitored.
•New approaches to long-term water planning and management
that incorporate principles of sustainability and equity are required
and are now being explored by national and international water
experts and organizations.
•Politicians have proposed many different methods to this major
topic, among these principles are guaranteed access to a basic
amount of water necessary to maintain human health and to
sustain ecosystems, basic protections for the renewability of water
resources, and institutional recommendations for planning,
management, and conflict resolution
Political Consequences (cont.)
•W
A
R
•For each one dollar invested in the World Health Organization
it is estimated that $3-$34 of services are possible in developing
countries depending on the region and technology.
Economic Consequences of
diminishing water resources
• Higher food prices at the supermarket
• Loss of businesses (old and new)
• Higher cost for water on your utility bill
•Us humans of course no water, no life! The more population the less
water. As mentioned, about 1.1 billion people lack access to clean
water, and 2.6 billion do not have access to improved sanitation
facilities
•Destruction of aquatic ecosystems and extinction of species
•Growing risks of regional and international conflicts over scarce or
shared water supplies
•Businesses- (cost of water); both surface water and groundwater in
response to high market prices
Who Suffers ?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Millions of people worldwide
Agriculture
Ranchers
Businesses
Wildlife
YOU !!
•Government and politicians
•Less supply more demands which includes a high price in
markets
Who Benefits from Clean Water?
• EVERYONE !!
• If ever there was something that people
actually “can’t live without”, it is water.
• Not just any water, but clean, drinkable water.
What Conditions Help To Promote The
Problem ?
• “Can’t happen here” mentality; denial that
there is a problem
• Population growth- coupled with
industrialization and urbanization
• Climate change
• Lack of environmental concern; pollution
• Lack of conservation; misuse
Map of the World showing water scarcity
Top 10 largest cities by population that have the greatest chance
of running out of water
1. Los Angeles-major water supply Colorado River Basin
2. Houston- Jasper Aquifer, Lake Houston, Lake Conroe
3. Phoenix- Colorado River Basin
4. San Antonio, TX- Various groundwater sources
5. San Francisco bay areas- Various, including Lake Hetch
Hetchy
6. Fortworth, TX- Multiple water supplies
7. Las Vegas- Lake Mead/Colorado River
8. Tucson, AZ- Local groundwater
9. Atlanta- Lake Lanier
10. Orlando, FL- Florida Aquifer
Local Perspective
• A Brief History of Water in San Antonio.
• Edwards Aquifer Authority Established
• Tom Gallier, Bx. Mets Interim Gen. Mngr. said,
“There is no single land issue that is more
critical than water.”
• Top 200 water users in June 2011
How Does the Aquifer Work
2011 Edwards Aquifer Authority
Water Recycling Treatment Process
2011 San Antonio Water System: Recycling Process
SAWS Storage & Recovery System
_______________________________________________________________________
***
Coming Soon – Desalination Plant***
Possible Solutions
• 1st step to any solution is in getting people to
understand that there is a problem
• Need to work to keep the water we do have
clean; reduce contaminants
•Water conservation methods such as replacing existing toilets with
low-flow toilets
•The use of grey water (all the waste water that drains out of your
washing machine and sinks), it can be easily treated and recycled.
Still more possible solutions:
1. Hard path
- building of dams, pipelines & environmentally-destructive
infrastructure
- government run and owned with no personal ownership
2. Soft path
- Reuse of wastewater ~ storm runoff, gray water & reclaimed
wastewater are well-suited to irrigate landscaping
- water agency or company personnel to interact closely with water
users & to engage community groups in water management.
- governments, companies, & individuals to meet the needs of
peoples & businesses, instead of just supplying water
3. Privately funded companies
4. Desalination - the removal of salt from salt water -- would be the
ultimate solution to water woes -- if it can be done cheaply enough
CONSERVE
TO
PRESERVE
Individual Actions Matter
References
Anderson, T. L. (1983). Water crisis: Ending the policy drought. Retrieved from
http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=5044922
BBC News. World Water Crisis . Retrieved from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2000/world_water
_crisis/default.stm
Burchett., Rettman., & Boning. (1986). Edwards aquifer. Retrieved from
http://libweb.lib.utsa.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1
9075288?accountid=7122
Griffin, R., & Boadu, F. (1992). Water marketing in texas: Opportunities for reform.
Retrieved from
http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.j
ournals/narj32&div=23&id=&page
Linscomb, Steve. (2011, Sept. 21). SAWS pouring millions into desalination plant.
Retrieved from http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/saws-pouringmillions-into-desalination-plant/9...
References (cont.)
Maclay, RW. (1995). Geology and hydrology of the Edwards aquifer in the San Antonio
area, Texas. Retrieved from google scholar website:
http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.pho?requester=gs&collection=EN
V&recid=3857...
Martinez, M. (2011). San Antonio Water Rights and Usage. Retrieved from
http://sanantonio.about.com/od/historyandlandmarks/a/waterrights.htm=1
McDonald, Colin. (2011). A green lawn at any price. Retrieved from
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/environment/article/A-GREEN-LAWNAT-ANY-P...
McDonald, Colin. (2011). BexarMet bets on getting water rights: Record drought could
choke utility. San Antonio Express-News, pp. A1, A12.
Pacific Institute. (2009). Global Water Crisis. Retrieved from
http://www.pacinst.org/topics/water_and_sustainability/global_water_crisi
s/
References (cont.)
Postel, S. (2011, July 14). Conservation in San Antonio is Saving more than Water.
National Geographic Daily News. Retrieved from
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/07/14/conservation-insan-antonio-is-savi...
SAWS.org. (2011). Twin Oaks Aquifer Storage & Recovery. Retrieved from
http://www.saws.org/our_water/waterresources/projects/asr.shtml
SAWS.org. (2011). Water Recycling Treatment Process. Retrieved from
http://www.saws.org/our_water/recycling/centers/treatment.shtml
Schaefer, M. (2008). Water technologies and the environment: Ramping up by scaling
down. (Vol. 30, pp. 3-4). UK: Elsevier Science, The Boulevard Langford Lane
Kidlington Oxford OX51GB UK. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.libweb.lib.utsa.edu/waterresources/docview/20
235078/132A3A6AA15173A2506/8?accountid-7122
Stockdale, C., Sauter, M., & McIntire, D. (2010, November 1). The ten biggest american
cities that are running out of water. Retrieved from
http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/111186/the-ten-biggestamerican-cities-that-are-running-out-of-water
References (cont.)
Tlc what is grey water. (2011, october 24). Retrieved from
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/grey-water.htm
United Nations Human Rights. (2011). International Human Rights Law. Retrieved from
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/InternationalLaw.aspx
Water Woes. (2001, APR 26). Where’s the water? Retrieved from
http://whyfiles.org/131fresh_water/index.html
World Water Availability. Retrieved from
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_maps/water_availability_1980_201
5.jpg
World Water Council. (2010). The Right to Water, a human right. Retrieved from
http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/index.php?id=1748
Questions
• What would you suggest as a possible solution
for the equitable distribution of the world’s
water resources?
• What things can you as an individual do to
help preserve our world’s water supplies?